Dec 6, 2007

Today is our last day so we'll wrap up the semester. I'll collect the Cell Phone papers, then I'll have just a few final words and take a few closing comments.

Then you're done!

Topics

Homework

Dec 4, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 29, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 27, 2007

Yet another brief day as all we have to do is see Luke's presentation from last week.

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 20, 2007

Today is a very brief day to let you start your Thanksgiving a bit early.

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 15, 2007

Topics

Homework

Nov 13, 2007

I don't think it's possible for the day to get any simpler.

Topics:

Scavenger Hunt:

Nov 08, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 06, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Nov 01, 2007

Topics:

• Real Life Sim Presentation by Heather
• Discuss: Virtual Itza
• Discuss: Virtual World, Real Life Lawyers
• Discuss: Second Life Faces Mobile Death
• Discuss: Beijing Police Will Patrol Web Virtually
• Discuss: Real Hope in a Virtual World
• Discuss: Dennis Kucinich Opens Up Shop in Second Life
• Discuss: How a Computer Game Glitch Could Help to Fight Off a Global Pandemic

Homework:

Oct 30, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 25, 2007

Today we tackle the issues surrounding the second half of your "final" project. ...among other things...

Homework

Oct 23, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 18, 2007

No Class in the classroom today.

Please take this time to work on your Software Simulation Instructional Design packet. They're due next Thursday!

Oct 16, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 11, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 9, 2007

Topics:

Homework:

Oct 4, 2007

Three Real Life Sims: Bobby, Alex, & Brian

Topics:

• Oddware Presentations.

Homework:

Oct 2, 2007

No SL Presentations today.

Topics:

Homework:

Sep 27, 2007

Two Real Life Sim presentations. Bobby & Jesse

Topic:

Homework:

Sep 25, 2007

• The Crooked House
• Virtual Hallucinations
• Myst Online

Scavenger Hunt : A pet of some sort. We'll meet at the Beach House and show them off.

Sep 20, 2007

Real Life Simulation Presentation by: Bobby

Topics:

• Hardware Prototypes

Homework:

• Oddware

Sep 18, 2007

Second Life Sim: Mike

Other places by Damian

Homework

• Optional: Jewelry with "bling."

Sep 13, 2007

Real Life Sim: Jerilyn

Topics:

• My 4th Newspaper Interview about UB and Second Life.
• Four interesting Second Life books.
• Second Life Terrorism
• Second Life Punishment
• Reuters in Second Life
• Disaffected!

Homework

• Play Disaffected

 

Sep 11, 2007

Today we meet in Second Life at 11am.
Jesse will be presenting his first Second Life simulation.

Sep 6, 2007

Here are the topics we will be covering today:

• Ricky's Real Life Sim Presentation
• Non-Computer Platforms
• Computer Based Platforms

Homework

• No Homework
• Optional: New Avatar Hair in Second Life

Sep 4, 2007

Today we meet in Second Life.
Regular class time: 11am.
Run Ventrilo and log in to the server.
(Get the server / port info from the blue panel.)
Log into Second Life and I'll send you a teleport
to our location.

Homework:
(Read the Class Requirements for fuller details.)

• Student Setup
• Scavenger Hunt #1
• Class Photo

APPLIED SIMULATION     
COSC330.SG1     
Fall 2007     

-Ventrilo Information-     
Server: 69.12.74.141     
Port: 4143     

Homework Assignment - Final Project Part Two: Production
Due: November 8

This is part two of your "final" assignment. Be sure to give it the attention that a regular "end of semester" final project warrants.

In the previous part, you played the role of an Instructional Designer and created a 4-step training process for some aspect of some software. Now, the Great Student Randomalizer will randomly redistribute the instruction design documents amongst the class.

The second half of your assignment will likely find you playing two roles.

Role 1: Take the document that is assigned to you and create the software simulation that is described. Use Flash if possible as that allows us the easiest way to view the final product. If Flash is out of your range, then Powerpoint or some other package will suffice. The key, however, is that you simulate the original package as closely as possible within the confines of your development package. Hopefully, your instructional designer has provided you with the desired graphics, sounds, and so forth. Regardless, you are taking on all the development roles we discussed earlier, so you are (for the most part) your own graphics, audio, QA, and programming team. Create the training, and "deploy" it in such a manner that we can view it in class.

Role 2: You are still the instructional designer and SME for your original document. If the person doing your programming is unclear on a step or process...or has some other difficulty with your design...he or she will need to be able to contact you for clarification. If you've picked some really odd software that is not readily available, you may have to provide the screenshots that your programmer requires.

Think and work smart! Yes, this is your big project and it's terribly important. But do remember:

When you're in programmer mode, try to avoid being a burden on your instructional designer! Your designer is also a programmer for someone else, and she needs her time to write her program. Solve what problems you can on your own and really only contact your designer if you just don't have a clue.

When you're in SME / ID mode, remember that your programmer may not have all the skills you'd like to have for your project. You might really, really want the thing done in Flash, but your programmer may not have or know how to use Flash. Be prepared to settle for a Powerpoint version of your training package.

I will take the wierd dual-job issue into consideration with evaluating your work.

But remember the goal of the whole process is to create a "workable" "simulation" of the original package. If the original button has a roll-over image, I'd like to see a roll-over image. If the button "pushes in" when clicked, I'd like to see that as well. (I won't scream and yell if I don't see 'em, but it's a bonus if you make it work.)

Remember that drawing and entering text in fields is difficult to check for correctness. Program around it if you can. A standard way is to say, "In this screen, you enter the client's name which is Susan Smith. Click the Next button and we'll do it for you." Then..when they click Next, you move to the next screen that shows the field with the text in it. Then carry on with your simulation. Do the same for drawings. Some other troublesome items (particularly if you're not a programmer are)

• Text
• Drawing
• Dragging items
• Checking to see if dragged items are dropped in the right place.

Also be aware that Flash--at least when running in a browser--doesn't support right-clicks. So if your program calls for right-clicking, fake that by saying something like, "In the real application, you'd right-click the <thingy>. For this simulation, just left-click it."