MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2014 Activities by Category - Educational Technology

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Design and Development of Media for edX

Sebastian Seung, Professor of Neuroscience

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/03
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions

Come design the future of education.

In IAP 2012, the Seung lab hacked conventional approaches in neuroscience research by bringing it to the people. Since, we've inspired 100,000 people around the world to join the quest to map the brain - check out eyewire.org. Now, we're hacking education.

9.01 Intro. Neuroscience is being taken online like no course has before. We believe that best in education doesn’t just mean the best in content. It means the best in people. Over IAP, we’re bringing together people from all areas of expertise to design, develop and star in media (games, simulations, videos) for 9.01X. You'll meet and work with people from Mass Art, Harvard, MIT and Berklee, and the work that you do in class with be featured on edX and in promotional materials. You'll also get a survey of the educational technology landscape with a speaker series throughout the course, featuring professors and designers of existing online courses.

If there's a particular resource that you need in order to make your idea happen, we can work with you to make it available. Anything is possible :) 

To get an idea of what we're working on, check out our demo video

Interested? Contact us and let us know how you can contribute to the best online course in the world.

Sponsor(s): Academic Media Production Services, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Media Arts and Sciences
Contact: Claire O'Connell, 46-5065, 650 380-5955, CEO@MIT.EDU


Facing the Music: Recreating Performances from the Past

Gary Van Zante, Curator, MIT Museum, Teresa Neff, Lecturer in Music

Enrollment: Advance sign-in preferred
Sign-up by 01/02
Limited to 25 participants
Attendance: Attendance at all preferrred

Museums are mostly about visual experience and increasingly about interactive and immersive learning environments that engage visitors with objects and their history. Conceptualizing and designing exhibitions about music presents a special challenge.  

Descriptions of a musical performance can be supplemented by documents, graphics, and visual material, but the “artifact” is not a physical object, but the experience of listening. The only records of most historical music performances are musical scores, reviews, and commentaries.  When describing these performances, it can be difficult to engage the imagination without resorting to technical terminology, which can alienate a general audience.

Listening is at the heart of music and if the focus is music of the past, then how can we experience this in a museum or any other setting?  Can a past performance be recreated?  Can participants (other than the curator) manipulate elements of a performance to fit their idea of what a performance from the past might have been?  Can the participant be part of that performance?

 This IAP class will begin to develop a dynamic application for interactive historical performance. Utilizing Messiah performances by the Handel and Haydn Society, we will recreate and manipulate these performances in reverse chronological order ending with 1815. And we will investigate whether this same process can be used not only in museum settings, but to disseminate live concerts in a more enticing way today.

Sponsor(s): MIT Museum, Music and Theater Arts
Contact: Teresa Neff, 10-263, 617 452-3212, TNEFF@MIT.EDU


Facing the Music

Jan/09 Thu 01:00PM-03:00PM 4-160, Bring your own laptop
Jan/16 Thu 01:00PM-03:00PM 4-160, Bring your own laptop
Jan/23 Thu 01:00PM-03:00PM 4-160, Bring your own laptop
Jan/30 Thu 01:00PM-03:00PM 4-160, Bring your own laptop

 This IAP class will begin to develop a dynamic application for interactive historical performance. Utilizing Messiah performances by the Handel and Haydn Society, we will recreate and manipulate these performances in reverse chronological order ending with 1815. And we will investigate whether this same process can be used not only in museum settings, but to disseminate live concerts in a more enticing way today.

Gary Van Zante - Curator, MIT Museum, Teresa Neff - Lecturer in Music


Fair Use & Images: Quiz Tool Beta Test

Ellen Finnie Duranceau, Program Manager, Scholarly Publishing & Licensing

Jan/30 Thu 12:00PM-01:00PM 14N-132

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/20

Test the Libraries' new fair use quiz in its 'beta' version and, if you are one of the first 10 undergraduate or graduate students to register, get an Amazon gift certificate for providing feedback.  There will also be a drawing for two other Amazon gift certificates.

The quiz is brief -- just a few questions. It is intended to shed light on some key concepts regarding use of other people's images under US copyright law's fair use provisions, and related legal issues about use of images on your website, blog, or social media.

Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Ellen Duranceau, 14S-216, 617 253-8483, EFINNIE@MIT.EDU


Introduction to Evernote and Skitch

Kari R. Smith, Digital Archivist

Jan/17 Fri 03:00PM-04:00PM 14N 132 DIRC, Create an Evernote account prior to class

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 25 participants
Prereq: None

Do you like to jot notes on the go?  Do you want to include photos with your notes?  Do you like to draw diagrams as much as typing notes?  Are there webpages you don't have time to read now but would like to capture the content as more than a bookmark?  If yes, then Evernote and Skitch may be an option for taking, organizing, and sharing notes.

During this introductory session, we will cover the basics of Evernote options, capabilities, multi-platform use and synchronization across devices.  Sign up for an Evernote account in advance to make the most of the session.  Bring your laptop or use one of the machines in the DIRC teaching lab.

Please register at:  http://libcal.mit.edu/event.php?id=489473

Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Kari Smith, 14N-118, 617 258-5568, SMITHKR@MIT.EDU


Learn with Your Fingertips 24x7

David Hosmer, Manager of Learning and Development

Jan/17 Fri 10:00AM-02:00PM 32-144
Jan/22 Wed 11:00AM-03:00PM 4-145

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: Optional: Bring your laptop

For STUDENTS, FACULTY, and STAFF

Want access to free courses, books, tools, and job aids on hundreds of business skills topics that will help you succeed in school and at work?

Join us for an Open House to learn about MIT's new online learning option for non-credit courses, Skillsoft. Demonstrations and on-site help will be available for you to create your learning plan that can be done when, where, and how it best suits you!

Skillsoft includes:

Free snacks and raffle when you join us!

Sponsor(s): MIT Human Resources
Contact: Ronnie Haas, E19-215, 617 258-9699, RHAAS@MIT.EDU


Making a TV Show Without the TV

Dazza Greenwood, Visiting Scientist

Enrollment: Come to 1st session or please contact project lead to join later
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Attend relevant sessions and we can schedule flexibly in advance.

This project is to create a web-based participatory "show" in the style of a television variety show. The content focus is "Social Physics and the New Field of Data Science"  featuring ideas of Media Lab Professor Sandy Pentland's new Social Physics site and book.  The show will be made of short segments, including mini interviews with experts, fun segments like "person on the street views on big data" and a design challenge engaging participants in design and innovation. 

The IAP project will be led by Dazza Greenwood of the MIT Media Lab and co-led by Stephanie Rowe of the Sloan School. In-person sessions will be hosted at the Media Lab but most sessions will be conducted online.

Participatory functions and features of the show will be melded with the content and the intended user experience path. The collaborative services and tools initially expected include Google Hangouts, TouchCast, Twitter, GitHub and a CMS such as Wordpress or Drupal to act as a front end frame for the show. The design challenge will focus on the process of innovation and exploring methods and mechanisms that catalyze creativity. 

This project is appropriate for people interested in developing a) web-based tv production and online engagement, b) the topic of data science and "Social Physics", which is the substantive content of the show, or c) engaging people in design and innovation.

For more information on this project, see: ecitizen.mit.edu/TheShow

Sponsor(s): Media Arts and Sciences
Contact: Daniel "Dazza" Greenwood, JD, E15-384b, 617-500-3644, dazza@media.mit.edu


Project Planning/Review Standup Meetings

Jan/08 Wed 01:30PM-02:30PM E15-384b / Lounge, Bring laptop
Jan/14 Tue 03:30PM-04:15PM Online, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/21 Tue 03:30PM-04:15PM Online, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/28 Tue 03:30PM-04:15PM E15-384b / Lounge, Bring laptop

The weekly project standup meetings focus on production planning and review.  The kickoff meeting is for introductions, questions/ideas/discussion, selection of project roles and we will demo an ultra-fast example of a complete production cycle showing how a segment is created, published and managed in a minimal prototype format. Our workflow enables project and production work to happen mostly online.

Stephanie Rowe - Sloan Fellow, Dazza Greenwood - Visiting Scientist


Video/Web Content Production Sessions

Jan/10 Fri 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/17 Fri 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/24 Fri 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/29 Wed 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/30 Thu 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready
Jan/31 Fri 01:30PM-02:30PM Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready

The Video/Web Content Production Sessions focus on a) producing, post-producing and provisioning video and other media assets for the show, b) managing participant questions/contributions and c) administering/managing the online sites, apps and services comprising the show.  The show workflow enables all these activities to be conducted online allowing participants to be physically dispersed.  

Stephanie Rowe - Sloan Fellow, Dazza Greenwood - Visiting Scientist


Overview of Spring '14 Learning Modules

Jeanne Chiang, IS&T

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

IS&T will soon release the updated beta versions of the Materials Module and Membership Service.  Features to be demoed include:

Membership Service (Jan 14th & Jan 23rd):

Materials Module (Jan 23rd only):

This IAP session is intended for interested and confirmed beta users, but all are welcome.

Sponsor(s): Information Services and Technology
Contact: IS&T Education Systems, learningmod-support@mit.edu


Jan/14 Tue 01:30PM-02:30PM 1-134, RSVP preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
Jan/23 Thu 01:30PM-02:30PM 1-134, RSVP preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

Samantha Medeiros - IS&T


Splash for Us

Chelsea Voss, Ray Hua Wu

Jan/21 Tue 08:00PM-11:59PM Building 36, Floor 1

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

Splash for Us is a one-evening IAP event where MIT students present classes about anything they want. Come to teach or learn or both, and explore a variety of unusual, entertaining, and edifying topics!

Where: Building 36, first floor
What: Teach anything, learn anything! By MIT students, for MIT students!
When:
January 21, 2014. 8:00pm-11:59pm.
How: If you want to learn, just show up whenever you want! We plan to serve pizza and other snacks while supplies last.

What classes will be taught? Visit here to see an up-to-date schedule of the classes that will be taught at Splash for Us.

Teaching?
Interested in teaching? Visit here to sign up to teach a you want to teach a class for Splash for Us. Classes will be scheduled on a first-come first-serve basis until classroom space is filled up.

If you don't want to teach a long class, you can also sign up to teach a 5-minute lecture during "Firestorm", our series of short lightning lectures.

Sponsor(s): Educational Studies Program
Contact: Chelsea Voss & Ray Hua Wu, splash-for-us@mit.edu


Visualization in Education: Creating Animations

Violeta Ivanova, PhD, ARTEMiS

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: None

Learn how to create graphics and animations using software tools such as Maya and After Effects. This workshop introduces principles and techniques for visual communication and provides opportunities to acquire practical skills in the digital visual arts, including, but not limited to: creating 3D models, materials, and keyframe motion animation in Maya; creating 2D graphics and animation in After Effects; and editing a short animated movie. The focus will be on experiential learning, therefore participants will learn primarily by producing their own models and animations. In addition, the instructors will demo in detail the production workflows of educational animations and will provide resources for further learning following the workshop.

Sponsor(s): Office of Educational Innovation and Technology
Contact: Violeta Ivanova, artemis-www@mit.edu


Jan/27 Mon 01:00PM-04:00PM 56-191
Jan/28 Tue 01:00PM-04:00PM 56-191
Jan/29 Wed 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139
Jan/30 Thu 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139

Betsy Skrip, MFA, Violeta Ivanova, PhD - ARTEMiS


Visualization in Education: Creating Interactive Media

Violeta Ivanova, PhD, ARTEMiS

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Limited to 12 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: None

Learn how to create graphics and interactive media using software tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Unity3D. This workshop introduces principles and techniques for visual communication and provides opportunities to acquire practical skills in the digital visual arts, including, but not limited to: designing raster and vector graphics; storyboarding a game; creating 3D game objects; and scripting a graphical user interface and interactions. The focus will be on experiential learning, therefore participants will learn primarily by producing their own creative work. In addition, the instructors will demo in detail the production workflows of advanced educational games and will provide resources for further learning following the workshop.

Sponsor(s): Office of Educational Innovation and Technology
Contact: Violeta Ivanova, artemis-www@mit.edu


Jan/21 Tue 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139
Jan/22 Wed 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139
Jan/23 Thu 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139
Jan/24 Fri 01:00PM-04:00PM 26-139

Betsy Skrip, Violeta Ivanova, PhD - ARTEMiS


Writing in Digital Margins - Annotation Studio Workshop

Kurt Fendt, Executive Director MIT HyperStudio

Jan/28 Tue 01:00PM-05:00PM E51-095

Enrollment: Please Register Here: http://goo.gl/diyD6O
Sign-up by 01/25
Limited to 20 participants

Writing one’s thoughts, comments, or associations into the margins of books is a familiar, centuries-old practice. Now that more and more texts are read in digital form, what happens to these notes in the margins? Can we preserve this practice, or even better, can we enhance it with the affordances of digital technology?

Annotation Studio, an easy-to-use web application for education, engages students in close reading through annotation, allows them to add multimedia links to comments in order to cite sources, variations, or adaptations, and to share annotations with fellow students.

In this hands-on workshop you'll learn how to create, tag, link, and share annotations, how you can integrate digital text annotation in your teaching, or - if you are interested in the development or deployment aspects - how the underlying open-source technology opens up exciting possibilities for new functionality.

The workshop will include:
- Introduction to digital text annotation in education
- Hands-on session with Annotation Studio
- Panel discussion with instructors about classroom experiences with Annotation Studio

Break-out sessions will include:
- Classroom integration and creating assignments
- Reading and loading your own documents; creating, viewing and sharing annotations
- Introduction to the open source codebase for developers
- Administration, infrastructure and support

Please register to attend, and check the break-out session topics that interest you.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Gabriella Horvath, 617-715-4480, ghorvath@mit.edu