New path at Joy school

Here we go

Today I discovered that my job at joy cram school might be taking a slight change for the better. I'm going to reduce my hours in order to spearhead the technology in teaching drive at the school. This means that I will take charge in planning and organizing the classes, of a digital medium.

The types of digital interactions include but are not limited to, interactive whiteboards and tablets... of any kind which connect to the internet. The two sets of students that will be catered for are quite different age groups, tales of joy & super joy. Both with completely different philosophies of teaching.

Plan of action

Create a syllabus, or basic lesson plan for each case... one which is more extreme in its use of technology, one which utilizes more recognizable methods. Ease of use is paramount as it must be used by a range of technophobic teachers.

Big bezel for drawing on my tablet...

Ok... So the galaxy note 10.1 is an ugly bugger, but actually it's an amazing drawing tool. For years I dreamed about purchasing one of those wacom  graphics tablets with an inbuilt monitor, but they always had a price tag above £1000. Along comes the 10.1, it is reasonably cheap and does so much more. Great.

But, there are some flaws... One such flaw it's the small bezel, which means you have to curl up your hand like a strange sloth in order to draw in the corners.

My mockup hack solves this to an extent. It's simple corrugated plastic cut to a larger size and blue-tacked. Easel. There just might be a market for this. I want my 3d printer!!!

iPad one modded for teaching

Case Examples

I've created a simple digital teaching augmenting device. Simply put, it's an old iPad which has a series of rare earth magnets on the back to connect it to the ubiquitous whiteboard located in all of the classrooms at my cram school in Yuanlin Taiwan.

I've used it in many scenarios of teaching different types of student, ages and levels. One of the first things which does grab students attentions is the basic fact that it is an iPad... it is technology... it is stuck on the board. I have used it with video, in small groups. Simple gif animations for flash cards... but the main use I've gotten out of it is the simple cue card creation on the fly. Using my finger on the touchscreen instead of wasting dry erase markers scribbling on paper.

Visibility is the only issue in terms of using the iPad in this way, one modification I have made is putting a non glare textured screen protector on the device. But all in all the maximum brightness lcd panel is very visible, possibly more so than pen and paper.

I'm sure there have been countless more technically in depth creations using the iPad in simple educational settings, using collaboration, active student involvement, hands-on configuration of interactive media. But, this is just my down and dirty prototype. As older tablets become commoditized to the extreme, then we can take advantage of this by using them in more adventurous situations where the device can be flung around, and interacted with.

At Yuanlin bus station...

On the way to the airport. Waiting at the station.

The plan of action

The bones of an undefined plan, no flesh... But not fleshless...
What is achievable, but not predictable, take advantages of the advantages I have. Furniture stands out, but me without the credentials, but lacking credentials in all areas of generic design too. Although, the experience i do have and the unique angle i can create, potential. Taiwan has a highly technically skilled masses, but rehashing what is old and stale. A conveyer belt of what has gone before, unpolished, unstructured, and little or no UCD. Of course a generalisation, and no doubt some efficiencies here translate into refined UCD, numerous pop examples.
Without doubt there are opportunities here... A consultancy perhaps.
So what next?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Alley 47, Lane 160, Yùyīng Rd,Yuanlin Township,Taiwan

A test post, from a new app

＊a guubesPad post＊

Location:Testing testing 123

Idea

Found this from 3rd of December 2009... Great way to start my mind thinking once again:

Installation:
mapping of peoples conversations in a room.
mapping of peoples movements.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqgEM27Y2o0
this is awesome: