My Culminating Experience Project Video: The Impact of Student Perceptions on Academic Online Success (2 parts)

 

Reflections on creating my digital story: 

1. I have to say that using a storymap and storyboard really helped in very useful and meaningful ways. During development, greater focus can be placed in scene details without worry about overall fit (because you've thought of that!)..


2. Creating a digital story can be a tremendous amount of work! But, I guess it doesn't have to be either. The trick is in knowing the difference.


3. I'm definitely a new fan of this communications median. I hope to get better at it!

4. Unlike a few days ago, I was unable to post my video in 1 post - must have been too big.

My digital digital-storyboard story

Reflections on creating my digital storyboard:  1. Trying something new is always a bit challenging and this little project wasn't any different. Once I figured out work-flow, everything else fell into place. 2. Using the concept of "scenes", greatly helps when it comes time for production. Full focus on the scene at hand, while being confident it fits onto a larger picture sure makes life easier for the DST. 3. I had to use almost everything I know to make this product. It wasn't easy but I learned a great deal in the process. 4. I'd love to share my storyboard with all of you but the file is about 200mb (PDF)! 5. Now that I have all of the pieces basically created, next week I can focus on making everything come together for a finished video.  6. Hopefully, Ohler's simple magic works. The core prevails, and my stories-story shines through!

How to kill mold in your brother's swimming pool

 

My Reflections on making this video: Finding the 'story core' was a real challenge for me this week, the added question was how to accomplish that type of 'deep message' within the context of an How To Video? I have to admit it was a real challenge. Might have even knocked me off my game for a couple of days!? The central message that I wanted to send in this video is that 'helping' doesn't always have to be physical, yet to send that message within the context of a How to Video.  That's how I finally came up with the idea of 'helping' my brother clean his black mold.  I somewhat succeeded, I guess.Although I did fail in getting this video turned in last night!!  Felt fine all last week, now I don't. Hopefully it passes soon.

I've moved my technology development efforts to a new blog. My focus is on experimenting with Web 2.0 tools and mashups.

http://kevindaysedtechspecialtopics.blogspot.com/

Do you want to increase survey, assessment, or test response rates?

Scan me with your smart device.

Check out Kevin's Web 2.0-enabled mashup of Blogger, SurveyMonkey, ImageShack, and QR code technology.  Kevin's wacky online survey system is intended for survey administration where potentially sensitive information is needed - and therefore absolute anonymity of participants both real and perceived is an absolute must.

But this presents a problem. How do we induce or reward participants, if we claim to not know anything about them? More to the point, how do we deliver an "inducement" to an anonymous study participant - during a survey session? 

While it's true that SurveyMonkey now has a similar inducement system that happens during the survey session like the one Kevin is experimenting with, the mental link between survey and reward is NEVER broken because it's all taking place - in the same place. Especially when study participants (who've agreed to participate anonymously) end up having to enter an email address, in order to claim their award. Kind of blows the whole illusion of anonymity right then and there.

Kevin's experimental "participant inducement" or rewards system is truly different because it's truly anonymous. Leaving no links, traces, or other information that connects the survey, or answers given by participants, to any type of an inducement.

Remember that we asking people to willing give up potentially "sensitive" information. So keeping their name out of it is always a great idea, even when it comes to inducement fulfillment (getting their "prize" to them). If we truly want valid data from study participants, they must perceive the process used to get it to be absolutely free of any conflict of interests on the part of researchers. 

Perhaps more importantly, study participants must never perceive any attempt to suborn a particular flavor of answers - through inducements that seem to favor one type of answer over another type of answer. Awards-coded QR inducement is hopefully a solution.

Mobile-Barcodes.com, 2012

How? By embedding Quick Response (QR) code images  strategically within the online survey form, as demonstrated below (scanned directly from the computer display by participant's enabled smart device, try it!).

QR bar code readers are common apps on many Smart Devices and can be downloaded freely. This web site is just one of many. QR appearance also makes them uniquely attractive for using in surveys for the simple reason that the ubiquitous QR images do not violate any cardinal rules of survey design.

One use might work like this. Survey and test respondents are instantly and anonymously rewarded by scanning the URL-coded QR images that only appear as the survey or test progresses. The URL redirects the participants smart device to the coupon or rewards page.

Greater survey progress begets ever greater rewards. Once any particular participant participates past a certain point(s), they are presented with the option to retrieve a "reward". It's then up to them to scan the QR code image with a smart device, a la carte as desired. Or not (we just want the survey data!). 

The basic idea is flexible, not at all limited to any particular usage or strategy. Like other neat stuff, just another tool in our ever better digital toolboxes!

Be sure to catch Kevin's upcoming video that explores this idea in more detail, How to QR (Quick Reward!) Your Online Survey Participants.

http://imetstudentsurvey.blogspot.com/

Kevin is considering using Blogger to help him administer the survey required for the iMET Culminating Experience.

The image on the left is from his mockup site (used Jing to grab image, of course..).

What's in a digital storyteller's toolbox?

Consider the digital toolbox of the digital story teller for a moment. Indeed, the number of tools and ever changing technological churn can make even experienced practitioners nauseous. Perhaps we should watch how kids do it! They pick the new stuff up so easily!

Ohler, 2008

Free tools vs. tools that aren't. Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0. Technological acceptance. And sound pedagogy are only the beginning of the conversation.

And why I found Ohler's (2008) Chapter 13, The Digital Storytelling Toolbox, to be of great value. And for a very simple reason too. 

Instead of recommending specific tools, Ohler offers solid advice on basic requirements for hardware and software; and not for spending lots of money! The author advocates using what you already have and trying to find free ways of doing things; get good with what you have. I think that is some very good advice.