CBMT 2103 INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGY MAY 2009 SEMESTER

NAME MATRIC NUMBER PROGRAM LEARNING CENTRE TUTOR EMAIL ADDRESS PHONE NUMBER

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QUESTION 1 PATTERNBLOCKS3 Description Title Producer Address Users Topics Cost Reference Objectives The stated objectives of this program are to teach basic mathematics in such a way that no prior knowledge of computers is required and to provide learners with confidence in the use and understanding of a hands-on simulator. Content Description This program offers great fun for early learners in mathematics. Within this area, available options include the following modules: File, Examples, and Help. Within these modules, the sub-area will range from creating new design, to sample designs available, and also guidelines in creating the designs. It is : PatternBlocks3 : Gingerbooth.com : 633, Longfellow Drive, Branford, CT 06405 USA : Younger generation (kindergarten) : Early mathematics : Free (available online) : http://gingerbooth.com/flash/patblocks3/patblocks3.html

designed in way that follows a 3-step process: principles are introduced and illustrated, learners work through the sample designs, and exercises built upon the sample designs.

Content Evaluation This program, when used in the companionship of parents or teachers, offers a correlation with modules that were taught in preschool curriculum. Information is clearly presented in the tutorial format through the Help module and sequencing is appropriate. Liberal use of well-illustrated examples combined with learners interactions and subsequent step-by-step guidelines result in appropriate learning experience to meet the stated objectives. Technical Design Description Neither sound nor inverse lettering are used, however color and graphics are used to draw attention to educational purpose. Technical Design Evaluation Displays are appropriate, uncluttered, consistent and easily interpreted. Speed of access is dependent upon network speed but is generally satisfactory. Below are several screenshots of the courseware:

Figure 1 This is the Title for a menu to set design info title, author, notes. Saving a file brings up the same menu.

Figure 2 the File menu is used to save the work and manage saved files. File | Open brings up a list of files saved before via File | Save.

File | Save saves the design to the local computer. File | Email sends a picture, plus a link so the To: addressee can edit a copy of the design. This saves the design to the webserver, but never stores the email addresses. File | New begins a new design. Examples | Blank does this, too. File | Delete deletes the current open design. File | Save As Picture saves a snapshot of the design. File | Print was found to not working as yet. Instead use Save As Picture, and print that file.

Figure 3 - Examples is a list of already-made designs to load. Learners can use Examples | Blank (or File | New) to start a new design. Help is a menu of help topics.

Figure 4 this is an example of a background of jelly beans that was set with the desired background color and pattern. When the background box was clicked, it opens up a bigger Background menu as shown. In there, learners can select the desired background patterns and colors based on the classification provided.

Figure 5 in painting shapes, learners can drag and drop the shapes to the drawing area. Shapes will snap together at corners. The action to rotate is by just clicking, and moving by dragging the mouse. Colors of the shapes can also be chosen from the color slab as Figure 6 below:

Summary Statement This program is generally a good learning package which learners should be able to operate independently (provided there is an overview by teachers or parents, prior to the usage). It requires only Internet access with very minimum hardware specifications.

A. Create a table to compare TWO types multimedia authoring software of your choice based upon the features of each software, system requirements and price.

For this assignment, I have chosen the courseware titled Adobe Captivate, manufactured by Adobe and Camtasia Studio by TechSmith. Adobe Captivate courseware can help rapidly author professional eLearning content with advanced interactivity, software and scenario simulations, quizzes, and other engaging experience, with no programming or multimedia skills required. Adobe Captivate (formerly RoboDemo) is an electronic learning tool for Microsoft Windows which can be used to author software demonstrations, software simulations, branched scenarios, and randomized quizzes in .swf format. It can also convert Adobe Captivate generated .swf to .avi which can be uploaded to video hosting websites. For software simulations, Captivate can use left mouse clicks, key presses and rollover images. Adobe Captivate 3 cannot simulate right mouse clicks without editing the files that are generated, but with Adobe Captivate 4, this is now possible. Captivate builds and edits interactive software demonstrations, simulations, podcasts, screencasts, games, program demos and lessons. For software demos, it can either record in real time or use an event-based screen capture that snaps a sequence of still images and then builds mouse movement simulations to create the appearance of a running program. By using Adobe Flash Tweening technology, Captivate is able to create screencasts in a much smaller filesize than needed for a real full-motion screen capture movie. Captivate users can edit Captivate presentations to add captions, clickable hotspots, text entry boxes, rollovers, videos, etc. Authors can edit the content (including mouse pointer path, position, image) and change the timing for each item to appear and disappear. The hotspots can branch to other slides in the

presentation, or to outside webpages. E-learning authors can also provide multiple levels of feedback using multiple interactions per slide. Its competitor, which is the Camtasia Studio. Quoted from Wikipedia, Camtasia Studio is a screen video capture program for Microsoft Windows. It is published by TechSmith. The user defines the area of the screen or the window that is to be captured before recording begins; it is also possible to capture the entire screen area. You can also talk, and use a videocam. The first new thing which caught my attention in Camtasia 6 was something called SmartFocus. This is a tool which, in effect, gives you a virtual cameraman that follows your screen activity and automatically zooms in on the areas of interest. SmartFocus can be applied when you edit a previously recorded movie. This means that you can record a large area of the screen and then let SmartFocus produce a version of the movie in which your actions are tracked. As you move around the screen, the movie will zoom in on any areas of interest. You dont have to use SmartFocus if you dont want to. However, as a way of cramming a large-screen recording into a small-screen playback area (say for Web viewing), this is incredibly useful. In terms of functionality, I really dont have any major criticisms of Camtasia 5. My main gripe is that the sound tends to break up a bit when played back in the editor. This can make it difficult to do precise editing based on the soundtrack. This does not affect the quality of the sound in the finished movie, however. In addition, I think there is scope to make Camtasias various component parts more tightly integrated. There are separate applications for making menus of various sorts and editing audio. Even though Ive used Camtasia quite a bit over the years, I still dont know my way around all the Camtasia applications. If all these

standalone applications are really needed (and I am not entirely certain that they are), Id like to see them integrated into the main editing environment. The comparisons by specifications between these two can be seen in table below: Software Latest stable version Latest release date OS Software license Open source Price Camtasia Studio 6.0.2 2009, 01/06 Windows Proprietary No USD 299 Adobe Captivate 4 2009, 01/20 Windows Proprietary No USD 799

The comparisons by features between these two can be seen below: Software Open source Audio recording Whole Desktop Full Screen OpenGL Full Screen DirectX Win32 Camtasia Studio No Yes Yes Yes on Yes Adobe Captivate No Yes N/A N/A N/A

QUESTION 2 a. Definition of Multimedia

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Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media integrated together. Media can be text, graphics, audio, animation, video, data, etc. An example of multimedia is a web page on the topic of music that has text regarding the composer along with an audio file of some of his music and can even include a video of the music being played in a concert. Besides multiple types of media being integrated with one another, multimedia can also stand for interactive types of media such as video games CD ROMs that teach a foreign language, or information kiosk at KL Sentral. Other terms that are sometimes used for multimedia include hypermedia and rich media. Multimedia has become a huge force in our culture, industry and education. Practically any type of information we receive can be categorized as multimedia, from television, to magazines, to web pages, to movies, multimedia is a tremendous force in both informing the public and entertaining us. Advertising is perhaps one of the biggest industry's that use multimedia to send their message to the masses. Where one type of media, let's say radio or text can be a great way to promote an item, using multimedia techniques can significantly make an item being advertised better received by the masses and in many cases with greater results. Multimedia in education has been extremely effective in teaching individuals a wide range of subjects. The human brain learns using many senses such as sight and hearing. While a lecture can be extremely informative, a lecture that integrates pictures or video images can help an individual learn and retain information much more effectively. Using interactive CD ROM's can be extremely effective in teaching students a wide variety of disciplines, most notably foreign language and music.

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b. Online Shopping Quoting from Wikipedia, Online shopping is the process consumers go through to purchase products or services over the Internet. An online shop, eshop, e-store, Internet shop, webshop, webstore, online store, or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or in a shopping mall. The metaphor of an online catalog is also used, by analogy with mail order catalogs. All types of stores have retail web sites, including those that do and do not also have physical storefronts and paper catalogs. Online shopping is a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-business (B2B) and business-toconsumer (B2C) transactions. From the point of view of shoppers, the internet has introduced some significant changes to the selection and buying process, including far greater ability to search for and buy products from anywhere in the world at any time of day; as well as easier and more rapid access to large volumes of information on products to inform their choice. Area Search choice Advantages Disadvantages and People can shop at any time People may find it hard to and process large volumes of from any location, including information home Shoppers can access Consumers may need to invest in previously remote sellers technology if they shop from home, as well as develop new skills

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High flows

speed

information can

reduce search and switching costs Search intermediaries such as engines comparators and search price can Methods for of search and and how

results are ranked, including paid prominence inclusion, may not always be clear

provide rapid access to large numbers of retailers and products People information user reviews discussions Interactivity Payment stored, reducing future transaction costs details can be and forum can access on

multiple items, including

As with other distance channels, lack of physical interaction may make it harder to assess products, build trust and achieve redress. Buyers need to trust that remote parties will treat

their personal details securely Buyers can leave feedback Many other parties may be involved and share others their views in addition to buyers and sellers with (such as ISPs, search engines, product comparison sites, payment

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providers, delivery companies). This may lead to complications in the transaction After-sales service (such as Shoppers preference for ease of manuals) can be provided transaction might limit switching online Delivery leave home to shop or delivery between retailers For delivered goods, able to take the shoppers away

Consumers do not need to have to wait rather than being good take immediately. For some products (such as medicines) this may not be convenient As with other Buyers can sometimes track deliveries Some delivered instantly, such as downloads or e-tickets for travel A variety of delivery choices store collection or collection at a Post are often offered such as ingoods can be distance sales

channels, buyers are reliant on effective delivery and need to make arrangements to receive goods problems with delivery can create hassle

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Office, along with services such as gift wrapping There are advantages and disadvantages of online shopping on traditional stores and shopping malls. Area Advantages Disadvantages Sellers can reach a large number customers, of Businesses need to invest in irrespective equipment, connectivity and skills

of location Sellers may include a greater Search and choice as there variety A lack of physical presence mean and branding are likely is to be more important in their online catalogue, advertising no need for showrooms Sellers may include a greater as there variety Low search and may selection mean costs low is in their online catalogue,

for buyers no need for showrooms retention rates Sellers can quickly and cheaply change prices and other details Sellers Interactivity payment customers quickly can receive Bad fragile publicity so

may

spread may be

more more

from quickly,

brands

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Companies quickly customers

can to needs

react their

increased importance of or The branding may require substantial concerns Collected data can allow spend on marketing targeted advertising and tailored offers Businesses can easily set up, without the need for physical Delivery outlets may and distribute goods) Businesses that only sell online (pure players) can locate in areas, reducing costs costs Distribution low products directly internet tickets) (such over as cheaper their are for delivered the e(although retail they still As on for effective other companies logistics distance are as well sales reliant as

channels,

require a means to store

delivery providers

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Real time matching of supply demand may inventory costs c) Give example of how multimedia has affected or influence: i) Your local community Multimedia, since its introduction to the local community many years back, has been here to stay for sure. The development of the town from being difficult to access to how people do their groceries have changed in numerous ways. One example is on the learning industry. Students are spoiled with options when it comes to education. During those years when we were in school, the only source of education is books. We might have the experience to search high and low for the right book to furnish our learning period. We seek information from various hardcopies, and we need to search page by page. With the evolution of multimedia, we have the beloved Internet as our best friend. We also have the access to numerous types of multimedia, from CD ROMs to conference papers from the countries in the world. Another example is on the news. With the presence of multimedia, news are communicated easily and speedier than before. We do not need to wait for days before news from the other parts of the world, or even Kuala Lumpur, to reach us here in the northern region. We can get them in real-time. A good example is on the news of the breakout of the Influenza A H1N1 virus. By easy access of the information, we can get our own country and community to get ready and get prepared for whats to come. and reduce

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Theres a downside to it though, since rumors can spread at the same speed as well with the arrival of multimedia. ii) Your personal life I am part of the community, so the influence of multimedia covers the range of the influence to the community as well. However, what interest me most is how easy it is now, with the help of multimedia, for me to get access to numerous information on items to shop! From variety of websites to browse, to samples and presentations from the merchandiser, I am spoilt by choices, in which the pocket will suffer. To my opinion, multimedia has cost me dearly, and money has become a necessity to accommodate to the uprising technology market. REFERENCES 1. Multimedia, Making It Work, Seventh Edition, Vaughan,Tay, McGraw Hill, 2008, USA
2. www.wikipedia.org

3. The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, Mayer, Richard, Cambridge University Press, 2003, New York
4. www.adobe.com 5. http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp 6. http://gingerbooth.com/flash/patblocks3/patblocks3.html

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