I have already received a few emails asking about the new mondaydotstips, tricks, downloads link in the side bar. So it is official! I am launching a separate blog for creators interested in using mondaydots. My favorite how tos and downloads so far are:
One of the major advantages of dots is that you can use them to simplify complex situations. I am currently studying the Iraq situation in great detail and I wanted to see if I could model the situation for someone who knows nothing about the situation in under 6 minutes. This is a living model so if you have suggestions of feedback please let me know; my intention (as should be the aim of any good presentation) is to start a dialogue.
Transcript from "iraq pullout debate" mondaydots model:
In order to understand the instability in Iraq, you must first understand the different players, their motives, and location of the country. So let's meet the players. You have the Sunnis from the West and the ShIia from the South East. These two groups have not got along for over 1400 years because of fundamental religious differences. Then you have the Kurds from the north who don't get along with either the Sunni or Shiia and the U.S. from halfway around the world trying to figure it all out!
My friend Neal over at Fastworks has been doing some exceptional work with mondaydots. He recently did a post on his blog about the new direction his company is moving. I loved what he did with the dots, but I saw "the model" a bit differently.
With his permission, I used his audio to create a new model. It is really interesting to look at the differences between the two, and the first thing you will notice is how my model more strictly follows the narration. The major advantage is that if you are new to the material, the visual representation makes it easier to follow along. The major disadvantage is that it limits the ability for interpretation. If the dots move more loosely with the narration it gives the viewer more opportunity to fill in "the gaps" with imagination and their own experience.
So you must walk a fine line with the pacing and detail of the animation as it relates to the narration. If you go too much in either direction - you lose the viewer.
Tip: I have found the best slide size for export is 1024 x 768. You will notice that the above video has some text cut off. I was experimenting with slide size and found that a slide and wider than the 3:4 ratio does not export well out iMovie for display on YouTube or Vimeo.
* This video posted on Vimeo due to YouTube 10 minute time limit and YouTube not being available in China. I am working on shortening the video for YouTube playability and will add to post when ready.
When you boil education down to its most essential form it is simply the transfer of knowledge from teacher to student. Because we have not figured out how to implant knowledge telepathically, the information has to be transported via some sort of transfer mechanism. If we go back far enough in time, the transfer mechanism was the story around a camp fire and images on cave walls. It was simple, elegant, and most importantly it worked. But our society has evolved and so have our communication tools Lately there has been an explosion in communication technology, and as a technology professional who specializes in education, the question I hear most is: How can I use this technology to better reach my students?
Most education institutions set off to improve the transfer mechanism. We started with the chalkboard and then moved onto the overhead projector. When the bulbs in the overhead projector finally burned out, we moved onto powerpoint slides, and to broaden our reach we have begun to teach online and podcast. Some have even integrated clickers into the classroom.
Just when we exhausted every new technology to improve the transfer mechanism, our students are still telling us that we have missed something.
