Comments on: The Iceman must be turning in his grave http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/ Thoughts on teaching, learning, technology and life in an era of change. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:30:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: John Larkin http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-205 John Larkin Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:34:14 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-205 Thank you for the gracious comments Ali. I appreciate the manner in which you couched your response. Hope you did not find my observations too harsh. Perhaps they were. I have worked on a number of multimedia and international eLearning projects prior to my sea-change from Singapore in 2004. The teams of which I was a part always went for 'clean' designs. I know that has imbued myself within an inherent bias. I think my own web site is too cluttered these days however as you mention regarding your own work I am also experimenting to see how these online tools function in terms of usefulness. Some work. Some do not. As I agreed with Joanna I think it is positive that the ANMM is indeed getting out to its audience and engaging a young audience in a positive manner. You should engage Joanna and explore the possibilities of Second Life. She is a world authority in that area of educational technology convergence. Kind regards John Thank you for the gracious comments Ali. I appreciate the manner in which you couched your response.

Hope you did not find my observations too harsh. Perhaps they were. I have worked on a number of multimedia and international eLearning projects prior to my sea-change from Singapore in 2004. The teams of which I was a part always went for ‘clean’ designs. I know that has imbued myself within an inherent bias. I think my own web site is too cluttered these days however as you mention regarding your own work I am also experimenting to see how these online tools function in terms of usefulness. Some work. Some do not.

As I agreed with Joanna I think it is positive that the ANMM is indeed getting out to its audience and engaging a young audience in a positive manner. You should engage Joanna and explore the possibilities of Second Life. She is a world authority in that area of educational technology convergence.

Kind regards

John

]]> By: Ali Gordon http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-204 Ali Gordon Tue, 18 Dec 2007 04:48:03 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-204 Thanks for your comments. At the Australian National Maritime Museum, we're exploring different ways to engage new audiences online. Our aim is to provoke interest in people who may not have otherwise visited the museum or our website. The museum is exploring, it's MySpace now, but who knows what's next? As far as experiments go, this was fairly low risk, but has generated significant interest and the potential to build ongoing relationships with new audiences. Ali Gordon Marketing Services Manager Australian National Maritime Museum Thanks for your comments.
At the Australian National Maritime Museum, we’re exploring different ways to engage new audiences online.
Our aim is to provoke interest in people who may not have otherwise visited the museum or our website.

The museum is exploring, it’s MySpace now, but who knows what’s next? As far as experiments go, this was fairly low risk, but has generated significant interest and the potential to build ongoing relationships with new audiences.

Ali Gordon
Marketing Services Manager
Australian National Maritime Museum

]]> By: John Larkin http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-203 John Larkin Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:02:51 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-203 Hi there Jokay, Thank you once again for the reply. I agree too that many young people are engaging in the ANMM pages. That is very good to see. The ANMM did exactly the right thing there. In a previous existence I worked with Barry Harper, John Hedberg and Rob Wright at the Interactive Multimedia Learning Laboratory (now emLab) at the UOW designing web sites, CD-ROMs and engaged in HCI ~ situated learning based research. Some of the products the team produced did rather well. I am humbled to have been a part of that. Later I worked with ICUS eLearning in Singapore and co-designed eLearning solutions for Singapore Airlines, Nokia and JP Morgan Bank. They had exacting requirements. As a result I can say that I also agree with you that pretty does not necessarily equate with superiority. No issue with that. ANMM are taking it to their audience. They are doing a good job in that respect. They are connecting. I agree there as well. I simply feel that MySpace as a medium lacks good interface design. Just my feelings. That is all. Cheers John Hi there Jokay,

Thank you once again for the reply. I agree too that many young people are engaging in the ANMM pages. That is very good to see. The ANMM did exactly the right thing there.

In a previous existence I worked with Barry Harper, John Hedberg and Rob Wright at the Interactive Multimedia Learning Laboratory (now emLab) at the UOW designing web sites, CD-ROMs and engaged in HCI ~ situated learning based research. Some of the products the team produced did rather well. I am humbled to have been a part of that. Later I worked with ICUS eLearning in Singapore and co-designed eLearning solutions for Singapore Airlines, Nokia and JP Morgan Bank. They had exacting requirements. As a result I can say that I also agree with you that pretty does not necessarily equate with superiority. No issue with that.

ANMM are taking it to their audience. They are doing a good job in that respect. They are connecting. I agree there as well.

I simply feel that MySpace as a medium lacks good interface design. Just my feelings. That is all.

Cheers

John

]]> By: jokay http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-202 jokay Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:54:58 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-202 Yes... but how many young people are engaging in those pages? (And I mean choosing to engage rather than being forced to by their teachers!) I am a designer - so aesthetic is important to me... and yet.. I can't agree that something is inherently superior because it's prettier. We can create all the pretty Wordpress blogs we like or employ flash designers to make lovely animations - but do students actually engage in that content by choice? It seems to me the ANMM are taking it to their audience rather than expecting their audience to come to them... and isn't that part of their job? Yes… but how many young people are engaging in those pages? (And I mean choosing to engage rather than being forced to by their teachers!)

I am a designer - so aesthetic is important to me… and yet.. I can’t agree that something is inherently superior because it’s prettier.

We can create all the pretty Wordpress blogs we like or employ flash designers to make lovely animations - but do students actually engage in that content by choice?

It seems to me the ANMM are taking it to their audience rather than expecting their audience to come to them… and isn’t that part of their job?

]]> By: John Larkin http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-201 John Larkin Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:38:25 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/2007/12/13/the-iceman-must-be-turning-in-his-grave/#comment-201 Hi Jokay, Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated. I agree that MySpace is indeed used by a phenomenal number of people from a diverse set of disciplines. I feel that is a positive yet I still also feel that the Otzi MySpace page is unattractive. I consider that the following sites are examples of good design. The New Ice Age http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/newiceage/main.html SS Misr - 1947 Journey http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/misr/slides.html Theban Mapping Project http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/ If you would like any additional info on Otzi please drop me a line. Cheers, John. Hi Jokay,
Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated. I agree that MySpace is indeed used by a phenomenal number of people from a diverse set of disciplines. I feel that is a positive yet I still also feel that the Otzi MySpace page is unattractive.
I consider that the following sites are examples of good design.

The New Ice Age http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/newiceage/main.html
SS Misr - 1947 Journey http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/misr/slides.html
Theban Mapping Project http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/

If you would like any additional info on Otzi please drop me a line.

Cheers, John.

]]>