Tong's powerpoint for Dissertation Proposal

Hi all,

In the following they are my powerpoint for dissertation proposal.

Looking forward for your comments and suggestions.

Thanks a million.

Dissertation Proposal Tong Xu.Ppt

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Refletions on User and User Interface

Today Ye and I discussed User and User Interface with our classmates on class. Actually I am not satisfied because we were not perform good enough to be the guides. However, thanks for the aid of Gabriela and the active participate of classmates.

Now I want to talk about the reflections on this discussion. Most of us’ start page is Google, and me as well. Especially iGoogle has many personalized features in which I put my gmail and lasted news on the top of the webpage,so that igoogle contains the contents that I am most interested in , that is why everyday I am opening igoogle as start page.

Most people have blogs, and most people tend to “decorate” them to show that is “my” blog. Take me as an example. Last week I changed the color of my blog from green to orange, because I think orange expresses my emotions better these days—straightness, flame and notice. There are also many formats used to express themselves, such as a girl uploaded her pet as the cover of the blog. Various layouts are one charming for me to browse the blogs, where we can meet everyone, each has its own identity and shows his/her characteristics.

On class, we were asked whether we went to a website just because of the good interface. For me, the answer is yes; I am crazy about a comic web about Garfield(http://www.garfield.com/comics/todayscomic.html ). When I look at the brilliant colors and beautiful flash, it seems like I went back to my childhood. But I also admit that I bookmark it as a template to make a flash website.

In the video Future User Interface, we can see the use of touchscreen. The files can be circled to compile together, or scattered separately. These functions are cool, but from the perspective of user interface, they are too “beautiful” to be used. And I am also confused about the popularity of touchscreen. It seems like touchscreen is a trend for user interface, but in my opinion, touchscreen is too sensitive to perform the task. Sometimes I mean to touch one time, but touch twice unconsciously, and that results in performing different tasks.

At last, I want to explain why we choose the article the user-derived interface. We think the user-derived interface is something like user-generated content, I mean both of them pay attention to the users. The User-Derived Interface follows the generally natural behaviours of novices, follows the expectations of people for the system, so the system generated this way tend to be more usable in practical use. To make it impartiality, I think it is essential to cover the participants from different background, and when used in other areas, it is necessary to test the system again.

Reflections on user-generated content Media

Nowadays there are various kinds of media whose contents are produced by users for the public. Take me as an example, I often go to Youtube to find the latest news, I cannot study without the resources on moodle and wiki, I log on the blog regularly to see what happens for my friends and write down my reflections these days, just as what I do now!

Websites tend to collect information from the public to guide their future development, and users are also likely to comment on the content to interact with other users on the internet. Personally I have a habit to vote my emotions after reading something on the web. I choose my emotion from a serious of choices like sympathy, happy, sad, boring, etc. In this way, I can see what is the general response from the public and sometimes find someone sharing the same emotions. This kind of settings offers me a good user experience.

However, I meet with something annoying these days. This term we work on moodle for one course. Moodle itself is powerful and usable software, but the problem is that moodle is connected with our emails. Any posts on any forum in moodle will be appeared in our emails, so our inbox is flooded with various kinds of chatting, suggestions while many of them are none of our business. This situation will make students reluctant to the slew of emails pouring from the moodle to everyone’s inboxes.

Blogs are also very famous in China. On the one hand, blogs are free to register and use; on the other hand, people need an exit to release their emotional tension or comment on something in public with less restrictions. Blogs like personalized website, on which everyone write something that s/he is interested in. Thus various users offer multifarious information that covers different kinds of social life. We can even say that blogs create a large database, and an open source database. However, as one kind of user-generated content, how to manage blogs properly is becoming more and more urgent. Some people use blog as a method to make them famous. For this reason they even post something sexual or pornographic resources regardless of the ethical modes.

Despite of these drawbacks, we cannot deny that user- generated content has become a trend and plays more important role in human life.

Reflections on Art and Design

This topic is interesting as art and design are closely connected with our daily life. How can we arrange our room? What color do we choose for the declarations? etc. They are all related with art and design.

The line between art and design is blurring. When we express art, we need to design the proper methods and expressions to maximum the effectiveness of art. For example, it is necessary to design gestures and facial expressions to exhibit the performance art. Similarly, the design process contains the adoption of tactics of art.

The aesthetics is becoming more and more important to attract consumers. It is often the case that we go to PC World to buy a fixed computer, but when we leave we carry another computer just because we are attracted by the appearance. Nowadays, people have more choices and most customers are not so rational, so it is common for us to choose one which can give us aesthetically pleasing.

For the role of art, I think of one example. I have seen a photo taken by Shela---a photo of an arm. Frankly speaking, I cannot understand the meaning of the photo, but I love seeing because in my opinion, the photo is beautiful and contains some taste of beauty. Therefore, artist should not expect the pubic feel the art the same way. If an art can evoke reflections, it is a good piece of work.

Thanks to the Creative Web

Life has changed so much for me these years. Even four years ago, I had to go to my aunt's to log on the internet. I had my Xiaonei account (Facebook in China) two years ago, and personalized iGoogle last year. Now everything has changed, even though there are just few years.

Checking my Xiaonei account (www.xiaonei.com) is my daily habit, and a bridge to connect my friends and me. Through it I can talk with my cousin in England and get in touch with friends regularly.

Skype is a convenient communication tool. I rely on it because I need it to chat with my family in China online. When my mother sees me through the internet, she is excited as if we live together.

In daily life, I often browse Youtube and Slideshare to search for topics related to studies. But I don't have the account for these two web, in that too many accounts are a burden for me.

I have a confusion now: although there are lots of social media, many of them are overlapped functionally. So my question is: how can we manage so many online accounts and why these websites are popular even though they have similar function?

Brief Introduction of Dissertation

1. The Purpose

I want to build up a website on Interactive Media education, for the purpose of helping students to get information about this major in advance.

There will be several sections: module descriptions, staff of IMedia, achievements of students, map travel in campus, and so on.

2. Techniques:

For module descriptions, I want to use flash video to make prospective students feel as if they were in class! For the introductions of professors, I will use the photoshop to make the cartoon figures of professors.

The knowledge of PHP programming language is badly needed for me to make the website more usable.

To add the interactivity, I want to set several templates which have different colors so that users can personalize the website. Moreover, "Shouts" will be set up to let guests leave their suggestions and questions. I hope I can learn technical knowledge to support users to creat their accounts.

3. The Difficulty

I don't have the technical background before I study this major. Therefore, the most difficulty for me to finish my dissertation is the related techniques.

Dissertation Proposal

1. The Subject of my Dissertation

The subject of my dissertation is to make a cultural communication through internet links. Accurately speaking, it would be one expression of cultural spread on interactive media education. Limited by my capacity and influence, the practice will be restricted in a small scope and the mode to realize it will not be too complicated. However, I still feel it significant and worth a devotion.

In general, what I plan to do is to establish a stable cooperative relationship with one university and one high school in China, for the purpose of granting them the convenience to obtain information on iMedia education here.



2. The Implementation of my ideas


2.1 Setting up a website

When it comes to details, firstly, I will set up a website mainly on iMedia education in our university, including introductions of our courses, relevant essays and homework, and videos on professors’ lectures, our presentations and discussions, and so on.

The application of techniques in this part:

Videos of professors’ lectures will be edited in Final Cut, where the lower third should be added for non native speakers to facilitate the understanding of the content;














Figure1: Add a lower third for the lecture

The use of Photoshop to create cartoon figures
When students watch the video of a professor, it is very likely for them to search for more information related, therefore brief introductions of professors are necessary. To inspire students’ passion of the course and animate the website, the descriptions will be displayed as visual as possible. Here I will pay attention to the cartoon figures as representatives of professors. The figure below is just a vulgar example. The cartoon figures on doors in IDC building are fantastic and exactly capture the characteristics of each professor. I hope to have the opportunity to learn this technique and create figures myself. It is quite interesting to think of characteristics, where sweet face and artistic beard are most prominent for Luigina and Mikael respectively.















Figure2: An example of cartoon figures

The use of flash to present works of art of current iMedia students in UL, including photos, movies and websites. The purpose is to evoke imaginations of potential students and let them to reflect on them.












Figure3: Use flash to present works of current students


2.2 Inserting my links to Chinese websites

Then I’ll try to achieve an agreement with some colleges and high schools on inserting my links to their websites. I’ll renew resources in my website timely and just through a click, they could know the simultaneous information of our education here.

The figure below is the website of Shandong University in China. After negotiation I wish to add the tag “iMedia in UL ” at the end of the menu bar, which has been circled out in the picture.














Figure4: Add links to websites of Chinese Universities


2.3 Contact Information

Additionally, I’ll leave our contact information (see Figure5) on the website so that they could communicate with us on topics they feel interested in or questions they meet with. Microsoft Entourage will be automatically started when users click the email or MSN messenger on Contact Webpage. (see Figure6)












Figure5: Webpage of contact (example)














Figure6: Webpage that produces when click the email or MSN


2.4 More Interactivity

Last but not least, I will open up a new field called “More Suggestions” (shown in orange circle) to increase the interactivity on the website, where users can upload their own suggestions about iMedia modules and reflections of the website as were shown in the picture. Moreover, other users can add tags such as “I support it” or “I oppose it” to other’s suggestions, or leave a comment in Shoutbox (shown in blue circle). The tags are also illustrated in images visually (shown in red circle).
















Figure7: Webpage of “More Suggestions” (example)



3. The Motivation to choose this Subject

There has always been a power motivating me to do this job since I first stepped on this island country. After graduation from my university in China, I chose to seek further education abroad and luckily enough I got the opportunity. I’m conscious how precious it is for me, which not only helps open my horizon but also learn world-leading knowledge. As my valuable experience is both the result and reflection of the culture communications between China and Ireland, I feel obliged to do some contributions in return. What’s more, In China there are still many students dreaming to have the chance to study abroad and learn what universities are overseas. However, not every one can enjoy it, and that is another reason that promotes me to do something for them.

In China, Interactive Media, as a newborn thing, has developed for just few years. And it breaks into university classes until recently. Compared with such courses in Europe, iMedia in China’s universities are just at the preliminary stage. Therefore, it is vital for Chinese people to learn some advanced measures and philosophies from developed countries. After half a year’s study, I am greatly impressed by the creative and free style of lessons here, which forms a sharp contrast to that of China. So I consider it meaningful to introduce our lessons to China universities for them to absorb some nutrition.

And why high schools? Frankly speaking, education in current China is still at a developing level. Students in high school make every effort only for the entrance of university, and all attentions are focused on courses contained in the entrance examination. Scores are the only indicator to test a student’s qualification, with personalization and creativity depressed. I hope through the description of iMedia education in our university, on one hand, they will form an interest in this major, on the other hand, they may draw an impression that learning could be such a happy experience. Through the process their personality may be liberated as well.

The website is just a plan and I am clear that there is still a long way to reach my target. However, I’ll stick to it, with a heart of thanksgiving and in the hope of more cultural communications between two countries.

Welcome!

Hello everyone! I am coming!

I am Tong Xu, a Chinese girl who is studying in University of Limerick, Ireland.

Now I have my first blog which is my home on internet from now on!

Welcome all my friends to visit my blog, and hope to meet with more friends thorough this blog as a platform!