Very little - have been using a digital camera for about 4 years and editing pictures using photoshop elements, but that's about it. I have been using DreamWeaver for about a year. Now I have bought an education version of Fireworks / Flash and am rather nervous about getting to grips with it.
Both websites were viewed in IE6 and Firefox.
Cars - http://www.disney.co.uk/DisneyMovies/cars/#4_0 (opens in new window)
None given
Disney / Pixar
2006
Publicity website for the movie 'Cars', just released in the UK this month, including:
I think the use of multimedia on this site is superb. Disney has thrown a lot of money at it, and it shows. The animations are rather 2 dimensional, but that suits the subject matter. It appeals to all ages but expecially kids - cars can be selected, rotated, given custom paint jobs, specifications viewed. Video clips tempt one to see the movie and downloads for mobile phones, MSN icons, wallpaper and posters encourage site users to spread the word.
Download times were OK, but I use Broadband.
In summary, I consider that multimedia has been used in a very effective way in advertising the product.
The Ancient Indus Valley and the British Raj in India and Pakistan - http://www.harappa.com/index.html (opens in new window)
Omar Khan, Jim McCall and Andrew Deonarine
Harappa.com, San Francisco, USA
2006, for some pages, although it is not clear which ones.
The wesbite is a 'media spigot' to South Asia's past pre 1947. The objective is archaeological: literally in the case of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, metaphorically in the excavations of early modern media from the Raj period. It includes:
The website contains a rich source of images and information for scholars of this period and area. Atmospheric music accompanies some of the pages and there are some old films but most of the multimedia is in the form of still pictures. However, there a LOT of these - image sizes are not too big and they are fast to load, without compromising their quality.
The 'feel' of the website is that is has been created by enthusiastic amateurs, with contributions from a wide range of interested parties including specialist academics. It could be more 'glossy' and 'professional' looking - but I think its appearance is much of its charm - you wouldn't feel inhibited about adding your own material to it.
Aha! The difficult bit.
I think that multimedia should enhance a website and not confuse the user.
It should always have a clear purpose; in navigation, explanation, information or exploration.
Its functions should always be accessible to every user, either by providing tags, labels, transcripts, alternative pages etc.
Multimedia should be appropriate to target user groups and should not be intrusive or irritating.
Download times should be as fast as possible and the user experience should be the same, regardless of operating system and/or browser.
Both websites were viewed in IE6 and Firefox. Loading times were fast (using a Broadband connection).
Biz/ed - http://www.bized.ac.uk/ (opens in new window)
Biz/ed is based at the Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT), University of Bristol. JISC http://www.jisc.ac.uk/, the Joint Information Systems Committee (UK) provides the funding.
28th July 2006 (continuously updated with news items).
The Biz/ed site is a "unique combination of primary and secondary teaching and learning resources. Resource discovery is integrated with simulations, worksheets, glossaries, spreadsheets, resource databases, online chat with examiners and a series of Virtual Worlds to give a rich package of support" for "teachers, lecturers and students in business studies, economics, accounting, leisure, sport & recreation and travel & tourism". Resources include:
The quality of multimedia varies from the break even exercise which is just an illustrated lecture transferred to the screen, to the 'virtual developing country' with field trips, information, photos, maps and real life data sets. There is relatively little interaction, apart from a virtual factory with hotspots for different departments. The educational design is still fairly 'traditional' and focuses on exploring rather than building - so may not suit all types of learning style (Wild and Quinn, 1998).
Worsley School Online - http://www.worsleyschool.net/pgzero.html (opens in new window) Warning!! Turn off your speakers first, the music is terrible.
Bill Willis, Wunderland Website Design
Worsley School, Alberta, Canada
30th July 2006 (continuously updated with news items).
"As part of the Peace River School Division, we've been here since 1996; we're visited by teachers, students, and parents from around the world. We have over 2400 pages of resources, interactive lessons, information, and activities". These include:
The materials are very varied with many 'pen and paper' exercises but also many interactive games and lessons eg in the 'Numbers' section there is a downloadable 'loose change' programme, enabling adding of coins, making sums, working out change etc. There are online timed tests, picture journals of students making dough, games and experiments. Its a huge resource, freely available on the web. The wide variety ensures all types of learning styles are catered for and the computer can be used as a tool for teaching and learning (Wild and Quinn, 1998). The only criticism would be the 'music' on the title page, there's no button to turn it off.
Biz/ed, University of Bristol, (2006) http://www.bized.ac.uk/ accessed 30 July, 2006.
Disney / Pixar, (2006) Cars http://www.disney.co.uk/DisneyMovies/cars/#4_0, accessed 30 July, 2006.
Harappa.com (2006) http://www.harappa.com/index.html San Francisco, USA, accessed 30 July, 2006.
Institute for Learning Research and Technology (ILRT) (2006) http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/, University of Bristol, accessed 30 July, 2006.
Joint information Systems Committee UK (JISC) (2006) http://www.jisc.ac.uk/, accessed 30 July, 2006.
Peace River School Division (2006) http://www.prsd.ab.ca accessed 30 July, 2006.
Wild M and Quinn C (1998) Implications for the Design of Instructional Multimedia, British Journal of Educational Technology, Jan 1998, Vol 29, Issue 1.
Worsley School Online - http://www.worsleyschool.net/pgzero.html accessed 30 July, 2006.