M Academy and HiTechnic
7 views
Skip to first unread message
Gus Jansson
Aug 4, 2011, 4:58:37 PM8/4/11
to M Academy
I think this is a great idea and have wanted to make more tutorial
type videos for HiTechnic. My problem is that it is hard for me to
assume a certain experience level with my audience. For example, if
I'm demonstrating a new block or sensor, can I assume the audience is
already familiar with the existing Motor block, Loop, Wait options
etc. If there is an organized series of videos that help people build
up from basic skills to more advanced skills then it would be much
easier for me to position any tutorial video's within that series.
For example, a video on the PID block could give prerequisite that the
viewer is already familiar with the existing Motor block and Loop
structure.
As far as software tools. I have been using a program called HyperCam
2 to capture the screen while working in NXT-G. This has worked
reasonable well and what I did was that I sized the Mindstorms window
on the screen to match the screen portion that was being captured with
HyperCam.
While recording my tutorial with HyperCam I would also record the NXT
with another camera or webcam. Then I used Sony Vegas software to
combine the clips, add captions etc. A bit time consuming but it does
work reasonably well.
Here is one such sample video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0bghBZZMUg&feature=player_embedded#at=62
What I would like to see is that within the format of the M Academy
that there will be a section of video's that pertain to HiTechnic
sensors. These videos can either be produced by myself or by others
who are interested in working with us to create this content.
(incentive: there may be free samples available to content creators,
please contact me if you are interested)
Gus Jansson
type videos for HiTechnic. My problem is that it is hard for me to
assume a certain experience level with my audience. For example, if
I'm demonstrating a new block or sensor, can I assume the audience is
already familiar with the existing Motor block, Loop, Wait options
etc. If there is an organized series of videos that help people build
up from basic skills to more advanced skills then it would be much
easier for me to position any tutorial video's within that series.
For example, a video on the PID block could give prerequisite that the
viewer is already familiar with the existing Motor block and Loop
structure.
As far as software tools. I have been using a program called HyperCam
2 to capture the screen while working in NXT-G. This has worked
reasonable well and what I did was that I sized the Mindstorms window
on the screen to match the screen portion that was being captured with
HyperCam.
While recording my tutorial with HyperCam I would also record the NXT
with another camera or webcam. Then I used Sony Vegas software to
combine the clips, add captions etc. A bit time consuming but it does
work reasonably well.
Here is one such sample video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0bghBZZMUg&feature=player_embedded#at=62
What I would like to see is that within the format of the M Academy
that there will be a section of video's that pertain to HiTechnic
sensors. These videos can either be produced by myself or by others
who are interested in working with us to create this content.
(incentive: there may be free samples available to content creators,
please contact me if you are interested)
Gus Jansson
James Floyd Kelly
Aug 4, 2011, 5:30:27 PM8/4/11
to m-ac...@googlegroups.com
Regarding the audience/skill level and assumption of experience... when I was writing up my initial thoughts on this project I had KhanAcademy.org in the back of my mind... Khan's website has a "roadmap" video that basically describes the direction a video viewer should take.
For example, one would never begin to watch the Calculus videos without having a solid understanding of Trigonometry and Algebra. Likewise, these videos should have a roadmap that suggests a viewing order. If a viewer, for example, has not watched the MOVE block and LOOP block video(s), then he/she is probably not going to get as much out of the Line Following video(s).
As these videos are created, we should try as much as possible to tackle as many of the basic blocks first.
One other suggestion - all videos should be as granular as possible. This means short and covering the shortest amount of knowledge as possible. If the MOVE block video is only 1 or 2 minutes long, that's fine. Or, the MOVE block could be broken into 7 or 8 videos, with each 1 minute video discussing one or two of the configuration panel settings.
The idea is to have a large number of videos with each video showing 1 or 2 concepts and nothing else. Just a suggestion, not the rule.
Jim
For example, one would never begin to watch the Calculus videos without having a solid understanding of Trigonometry and Algebra. Likewise, these videos should have a roadmap that suggests a viewing order. If a viewer, for example, has not watched the MOVE block and LOOP block video(s), then he/she is probably not going to get as much out of the Line Following video(s).
As these videos are created, we should try as much as possible to tackle as many of the basic blocks first.
One other suggestion - all videos should be as granular as possible. This means short and covering the shortest amount of knowledge as possible. If the MOVE block video is only 1 or 2 minutes long, that's fine. Or, the MOVE block could be broken into 7 or 8 videos, with each 1 minute video discussing one or two of the configuration panel settings.
The idea is to have a large number of videos with each video showing 1 or 2 concepts and nothing else. Just a suggestion, not the rule.
Jim
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "M Academy" group.
To post to this group, send email to m-ac...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to m-academy+...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/m-academy?hl=en.
Clinton Blackmore
Aug 4, 2011, 6:21:06 PM8/4/11
to m-ac...@googlegroups.com
I'm going to concur.
Many videos should be short and simple -- so someone can watch them over and over. I like the idea of some text on the page that the video shows up on that says, "Before watching this video, you should be familiar with ... ". It should also list things you'll need to have -- "You'll need an NXT 2.0 kit" or "This robot uses the 'Strider' robot from the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Discovery book".
It may not hurt to say what the goal of the video is. "This video should help you understand why you would want to calibrate a light sensor and how to do it."
I also think that it will be useful (and probably unavoidable) to have longer videos in which some things are shown in context. As Jim said, the line follower video could say that you need to be familiar with the move and loop blocks.
I also really like the idea of videos being tagged and having a tag cloud beside them. Thus, when you've figured out the move block, you could click on "MOVE" in the tag cloud, and see all the other videos that address it, and a summary of what they are about. [I imagine most videos would use the move block; perhaps really advanced ones wouldn't bother to tag it as such].
Other tags could indicate what programming language (ex. NXT-G or RobotC or NXT-G 2.1) you are using, for which robot (NXT, or maybe NXT-2), and what sensors you are using (ex. LEGO Colour Sensor, HiTechnic IR Seeker).
It would be nice to show a roadmap. As much as I want to get onto some advanced topic, Jim is right that covering the basics first is a good idea.
Cheers,
Clinton
Message has been deleted
Graeme
Aug 7, 2011, 8:27:41 PM8/7/11
to M Academy
I agree with Clinton regarding video length. Keeping the videos short
(preferable maximum about 2 minutes) is important for theoretical
reasons I won't go into here. Longer videos can work (I started using
50 minute lecture videos back in the 1980s, VCRs then) but (in my
experience) these only work with a highly motivated adult audience
such as University students - middle school students get bored and
"turn off" when they can't actually do something themselves after a
few minutes.
My experience with students using short videos as part of the
DrGraeme.net NXT-G tutorials that I've developed over the last half-
decade is (as Clinton says) that students do not hesitate to re-play a
video to check it, where they would not necessarily ask a teacher to
repeat a mis-heard statement. This has proven especially useful over
the years for shy students. Many of the girl students in the classes I
assist have been initially technology-averse - using videos has proven
very good at lessening this initial reserve.
The teachers I assist comment that the videos cut the load on the
teacher to half what it would be with printed material. It also allows
individual student progress to vary - very useful in the classes that
are not "streamed" by student ability.
A roadmap is also really important. Khan often uses 2-D roadmaps,
which are definitely better than the linear (tutorial numbering)
system I use. My experience is that some students (especially
intellectually superior boys) omit the initial low-numbered tutorials
in my web site, jumping to a higher-numbered one, and then have all
sorts of frustrating problems as they don't have the background.
Carefully grading the tutorials into a roadmap is (again in my
experience) really really important.
A caveat - I only cover initial very introductory stuff in
DrGraeme.net - it is pretty straight-forward compared with some of the
incredible material available on YouTube. However if the trends of the
last 18 months continue, my web site will receive 1.8 million requests
this calendar year, so there does seem to be an interest in this very
low-end type of material. My experience thus suggests that the
possibilities for the type of web site suggested here is very bright.
Cheers,
Graeme.
On Aug 5, 8:21 am, Clinton Blackmore <clinton.blackm...@gmail.com>
wrote:
(preferable maximum about 2 minutes) is important for theoretical
reasons I won't go into here. Longer videos can work (I started using
50 minute lecture videos back in the 1980s, VCRs then) but (in my
experience) these only work with a highly motivated adult audience
such as University students - middle school students get bored and
"turn off" when they can't actually do something themselves after a
few minutes.
My experience with students using short videos as part of the
DrGraeme.net NXT-G tutorials that I've developed over the last half-
decade is (as Clinton says) that students do not hesitate to re-play a
video to check it, where they would not necessarily ask a teacher to
repeat a mis-heard statement. This has proven especially useful over
the years for shy students. Many of the girl students in the classes I
assist have been initially technology-averse - using videos has proven
very good at lessening this initial reserve.
The teachers I assist comment that the videos cut the load on the
teacher to half what it would be with printed material. It also allows
individual student progress to vary - very useful in the classes that
are not "streamed" by student ability.
A roadmap is also really important. Khan often uses 2-D roadmaps,
which are definitely better than the linear (tutorial numbering)
system I use. My experience is that some students (especially
intellectually superior boys) omit the initial low-numbered tutorials
in my web site, jumping to a higher-numbered one, and then have all
sorts of frustrating problems as they don't have the background.
Carefully grading the tutorials into a roadmap is (again in my
experience) really really important.
A caveat - I only cover initial very introductory stuff in
DrGraeme.net - it is pretty straight-forward compared with some of the
incredible material available on YouTube. However if the trends of the
last 18 months continue, my web site will receive 1.8 million requests
this calendar year, so there does seem to be an interest in this very
low-end type of material. My experience thus suggests that the
possibilities for the type of web site suggested here is very bright.
Cheers,
Graeme.
On Aug 5, 8:21 am, Clinton Blackmore <clinton.blackm...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 4, 2011 at 3:30 PM, James Floyd Kelly <jktechwri...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Regarding the audience/skill level and assumption of experience... when I
> > was writing up my initial thoughts on this project I had KhanAcademy.org in
> > the back of my mind... Khan's website has a "roadmap" video that basically
> > describes the direction a video viewer should take.
>
> > For example, one would never begin to watch the Calculus videos without
> > having a solid understanding of Trigonometry and Algebra. Likewise, these
> > videos should have a roadmap that suggests a viewing order. If a viewer, for
> > example, has not watched the MOVE block and LOOP block video(s), then he/she
> > is probably not going to get as much out of the Line Following video(s).
>
> > As these videos are created, we should try as much as possible to tackle as
> > many of the basic blocks first.
>
> > One other suggestion - all videos should be as granular as possible. This
> > means short and covering the shortest amount of knowledge as possible. If
> > the MOVE block video is only 1 or 2 minutes long, that's fine. Or, the MOVE
> > block could be broken into 7 or 8 videos, with each 1 minute video
> > discussing one or two of the configuration panel settings.
>
> > The idea is to have a large number of videos with each video showing 1 or 2
> > concepts and nothing else. Just a suggestion, not the rule.
>
> > Jim
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Regarding the audience/skill level and assumption of experience... when I
> > was writing up my initial thoughts on this project I had KhanAcademy.org in
> > the back of my mind... Khan's website has a "roadmap" video that basically
> > describes the direction a video viewer should take.
>
> > For example, one would never begin to watch the Calculus videos without
> > having a solid understanding of Trigonometry and Algebra. Likewise, these
> > videos should have a roadmap that suggests a viewing order. If a viewer, for
> > example, has not watched the MOVE block and LOOP block video(s), then he/she
> > is probably not going to get as much out of the Line Following video(s).
>
> > As these videos are created, we should try as much as possible to tackle as
> > many of the basic blocks first.
>
> > One other suggestion - all videos should be as granular as possible. This
> > means short and covering the shortest amount of knowledge as possible. If
> > the MOVE block video is only 1 or 2 minutes long, that's fine. Or, the MOVE
> > block could be broken into 7 or 8 videos, with each 1 minute video
> > discussing one or two of the configuration panel settings.
>
> > The idea is to have a large number of videos with each video showing 1 or 2
> > concepts and nothing else. Just a suggestion, not the rule.
>
> > Jim
>
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages