Fall 2009

In This Edition

Resources

Other Notes

The Creative Method!

The New Nano iPods—Boy, What a Deal!

Resources

With each edition of the Multimedia Resource Center's Newsletter, we will provide teaching / learning resources. These will be on the web site but are noted in this publication to give them more attention.

While researching material on the Creative article that you may use or you may share with your students.

CREATIVITY

•Understanding the Mind
•10 Steps for Boosting Creativity
•Creativity Quotes

PUBLICATIONS

•Handbook of Creativity

•How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day

•Fuel Your Creativity

•How to be Creative

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

•TED talks:Tim Brown on creativity and play

•TED Talks:Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Other Notes

Microsoft New Windows 7.0

Vista was, from its very beginnings, problematic. Even after all the upgrades,it was, quite frankly, a joke. But, Windows 7 may be the best operating system that Microsoft has ever produced. It may even rival Mac OSX Leopard (I have not seen Apple's new Snow Leopard so my comparison can only be to Leopard). I realize that the people that know me cannot believe That I just said that!

Three new features in the interface are really worth mentioning—Aero Peek, Aero Snap and Aero Shake. They’re window-management tools, similar to Apple’s Exposé in Mac OS X.

Aero Peek is the most significant: When triggered, the feature displays outlines of all your open windows behind your active window; each outlined box contains a thumbnail previewing its corresponding window to help you choose.

To activate Aero Snap simply drag a window to the right or left side of the screen and Aero Snap will automatically adjust that window into a rectangle that takes up the entire side which leaves the other side for a different project.

Aero Shake is a cute feature, click and hold onto a window and give it a shake, and any visible windows behind it will disappear. It minimizes, not closes.

Now, I going to say something about a Microsoft product, that I thought I would never say, "Try it, You'll like it—but on second thought, I would wait until at least Service Pack 2 before I would update!!"

Multimedia Resource Center
E-Notes. . . . . October 2008

This is the the Multimedia Resource Center E-notes. E-notes will be published twice yearly. If you would like to contribute materials or projects to either this newsletter or to the web site, go to Submission and follow the directions. It is hoped you enjoyed reading this issue. The next issue will be in the Spring semester of 2007. Back issues of this newsletter will be placed on the Multimedia Resource Center Web site.

2006-2009
Ron Bruner of the Multimedia Resource Center. All rights reserved.

The Creative Method!

Tags: The Creative Method, creativity, education, teaching.

The Scientific Method is a simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-teach technique for scientific thinking. It can be used by young grade school students and by the most experienced and accomplished scientist. However, a short, easy-to-use Creative Method has never really been produced. Psychologists have listed numerous steps trying to define the creative process, but most of these lists are clumsy, difficult to understand (for anyone except other psychologists) and impossible to teach and use.

The business community has joined the fray to define a creative process, but their ideas are mostly for commercial inventors and are inappropriate for other creative endeavors.

The following method is offered for discussion, in hopes that the end product is an easy to understand, easy to use and teachable Creative Method.

1. Idea or Concept. Thinking of a new or original idea and/or concept is considered very difficult, but children do it almost all the time. Without much encouragement, they choreograph, dance, write, play act, paint, draw and sculpt, etc. Adults call this "creative play." It is simply creativity.

Don’t be afraid of being child-like and trying some “playtime.” Creative ideas can come from playing children games like “Let’s pretend!” or “What if?” Brainstorm with yourself or with others. Use a sketchbook to note all or any thoughts. A small inexpensive digital voice recorder, a digital camera or a camcorder can also be used to record the ideas.

2. Roughs. I prefer the use of the term “roughs” as it directly relates to the terms rough drafts and rough sketches, but it should also relate to storyboards and proof prints. Roughs begin to provide substances to the idea. It is the process of connecting, disconnecting and recon- necting elements in multiple ways. It is constructing, deconstructing and reconstructing or to write, rewrite and rewrite again. This is one method of creative problem solving. The more I recreate, the more I work through problems.

Multiple roughs are important to more completely explore any concept. Some of these additional multiples may also prove to be the beginnings of other new projects.

3. Production. Production is simply the creating or making the final rough into an end product. It is the construction of the machine or robot; the painting of a painting; the carving of a sculpture; the writing of a poem, a short story or a novel; the composing of a song or the taking and printing of a photograph. This list could be extended almost infinitely.

4. Finalizing and review. This is literally putting the “finishing touches” on a work, but more importantly it should also include an ending review to assure the producer that the work meets their expectations. This review could be simply a smile and a realization the work is finished or the cause of major changes and alterations. Many master paintings, when x-rayed show the evidence of massive changes even to the point of a complete over painting. Classical music pieces often show reworking by the composer sometimes even after they had been performed in concert.

5. Presentation. This can be referred to as an opening, roll-out, exhibition, publication or simply a showing. Flat works–paintings, drawings, 2D design– take little space to exhibit and with some little alteration almost any space can be readied for a showing.

If space is not available or if a space cannot be altered for an adequate exhibition, the internet is an outstanding alternate place to present. Free or low cost sites and blogs can be used to exhibit any creative materials. For more information see the Mmresourcecenter Newsletter.

Rather than electronic publication, some writers still want the more traditional printed publication. Short-run print publication can be done on the internet at very reasonable prices. For more information see "Frequently-asked Questions About Publishing Books on the Internet."

For Teachers Only!

Discussion, critique, evaluation and assessment are important for educators. This method provides very obvious places or times for teacher/student interaction. A formal or informal critique should occur at the finish of the roughs. As stated above, critique should happen continually during production time. A final assessment should always take place as part of the review process.

If you would like to comment or respond to this article, email Creativity.

The New Nano iPods—Boy, What a Deal!

It always seems that anytime other MP3 players begin to rival the iPod, Apple rolls out a totally new and more exciting machine, and Apple usually does it first. And so it is with the new Nano iPod.

The iPod has always stored and played both music and videos but with the addition of a small microphone and camera the new Nano can record video. Apple call this new feature Video a-go-go. Many users will use this to share new fun materials on social networks such as YouTube, FaceBook or MobileMe, but for educators the video and audio podcast of educational materials has just become a "no sweat" production. The iPod even has fifteen video effects so you can add a little "Hollywood" to your production.

Apple has added the Genius Playlists to the new Nano. With a few clicks, the iPod will take your favorite loved song and generate a whole new list of other tracks that go with that song, You can listen to the new list immediately, save it for future play or save the list for later updates and/or additions.

FM radio is third addition to the iPod. This has been a long time coming and, to me, should have been one the very first enhancements. But Apple added more. It also has " Live Pause" which allows the you to pause at any time and restart at the exact place. With "Live Pause " you'll never mess a beat. You can also tag any song that you would like to download from the iTunes store.

Lastly, for the health minded this iPod includes a sports kit— a pedometer. It will count your steps and tell you how far you've walked. You might want to set daily goals and see if you achieve them.

All in all, a outstanding group of new features!!!