Interactive Classroom Reflection

Matthew Zeinstra, Interactive Desk, Photoshop and Flash, November 27, 2012

Tech.

The main technical steps I used in this piece began with photoshop.  I used photoshop to create the images, and saved different versions of the same image, with all the different screens that are included in the final animation.  The first step was to make the screen see through, and to make the words appear on the screen at different times, I did this using different layers.  I then saved those images and used them in flash.

In flash, I used the images in tweens.  I used the blank image as the background and tweened the other screens with the words in and out using the opacity.  The battle at the end of the tween is completely done in flash and rather cartooney and corny, but nonetheless it is entertaining.  Probably the toughest part of the tweening was to get the button and stops to work properly.

Idea/Concept

The idea I used in the final works of the project were not the ones I originally planned on using.  The idea of asking a student how they are feeling did not seem to me like something the school board would care about too greatly.  I changed my idea from that to something more productive to learning.  I feel as though a screen for every student is a more one-on-one learning experience, and more familiar to the students through the technology they are used to.  It is a bit like using a smart board, but instead of lessons for the whole class, lessons are slightly more individual and personalised.  I included a smaller touch pad on the desk as a kind of answer sheet.  Students would have a more difficult time cheating off of one another if the screen is placed the same as a test would be one a desk.  It could even be hooked up to a classroom central processor to enter marks from tests that were done from these pads.  It would also give the students an equal chance at success if the teacher set a speed for the questions to appear on the screens.

Influences

No real artists gave me inspiration for me project, but I did take some of the points from a smartboard like slide show abilities they have and devised a more individualised approach to learning using their concepts.  The only other people that gave me inspiration for this are the late Steve Jobs and his hardworking staff.

Composition

I did not so much pay attention to the fashion of this project so much as it's function.  I tried to balance the swirls on the screen, but other than those the balance in this assignment is virtually non existent.  The most balance I used was to have the British in their red coats fighting the French in their blue coats.  The French are led by Napoleon. 

The movement I used is limited to basically the literal movement between words.  The fade in and out is well done and smooth, but this is some of the only movement I used. 

Motivation

My biggest piece of motivation for this assignment was to create something both relevant and fun.  My biggest issue with school is that there is never anything that interests me.  This I feel would be interesting because it brings together cutting-edge technology and a splash of excitement that entices students into looking forward to class.  Through this view, the one from a student's eye, I can see that this would most likely increase attendance to classes that use this piece of technology.