Learning Log 1: Sharing Resources Using Delicious

my new account for WBL: http://www.delicious.com/amalfm

Delicious social online bookmarking tool is useful when saving website links away from my personal computer.  I started to use online bookmarking since 2007 when my system crashed and I lost all my bookmarks that have been saved on my local hard drive. Since then, I keep saving my bookmarks on different online service accounts depending on what the use they are specified for; e.g. I use Google Bookmarking service for personal bookmarks, Licorize for work bookmarks and Delicious and Diigo for educational and learning resources. Online bookmarking tools are extremely useful when reviewing and sharing websites later on. They never get lost; they can be viewed anywhere in any computer with internet access and they are always stored and ordered by the date saved with tags and notes.
Sharing resources using online social bookmarking tools make sharing resources easy and accessible through the web anytime for anyone or for specific group of people.

What I can do when using Delicious bookmarking tool as a research collaborative tool to share resources:

1. Access other people bookmarks that have the same subject of interest.
2. Share my bookmarks in multiple places
3. Get notified by RSS feed and be updated with new added links from same source, people or tag and keywords.
4. Post my bookmarks to my blog or webpage
5. Share it in different social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, groups and lists.
6. Bookmarking any website from different machines and browsers
7. Personalise bookmarks tags and add notes to make searching bookmarks more easier for users. 

I think using Delicious online social bookmarking, as a group tool to share resources will be beneficial in many ways to construct an ever-growing library of many related resources.
Participants can actively contribute, collaborate and share knowledge by subscribing to each other RSS feed to be updated with new entries or by adding them to their own online social network that can even be viewed with mobiles and smart phones for mobility.
 In this way we can build a circle of trusted sources between the participant group who provide information of relevance or interest to our subject and work. 

Bookmarking at Workplace:
http://licorize.com

At  workplace, we use Licorize online bookmarking tool for sharing resources over work projects on the go. It’s really useful tool to share ideas, links and projects related to different tasks between the project team.

It has something more to offer for business and workplace needs, such as to do list, ideas, milestones, action plans, meeting, status update, cost, budget, notes, messages, reminder, tags and calendar.
It turns the bookmarks into a work documents that can be shared and annotated with notes and ideas. It also can be an active part when importing links from our local machine or Delicious and the possibility to share project links, ideas and notes through Facebook and twitter.
It also can be connected to skype, Linkedin and Read it Later. It supports most common web browsers and mobile devices.
I would really recommend it for people whose work depends on Internet surfing and resources search.

Apps for online Bookmarking using mobile devices (iphone and iPad):
•    Licorize
•    Gbookmark
•    Yummy
•    Read It Later
•    Stumble Upon

Recommended Social bookmarking tools for Knowledge sharing community and social network:  http://www.diigo.com/

Diigo V5: Collect and Highlight, Then Remember! from diigobuzz on Vimeo.

1.    Online bookmarking ad information management tool
2.    Highlight & sticky notes on website, online docs reading
3.    Group-based collaborative research
4.    Personal Learning network for sharing and discovering

Resources:

1. “8 Innovative Uses for Delicious” are much more innovative seen from Licorize for the web worker tribe, Pietro Polsinelli, October 11, 2010, http://blog.licorize.com/2010/10/11/8-innovative-uses-for-delicious-are-much-more-innovative-seen-from-licorize/
2. Social and asocial bookmarking ,Pietro Polsinelli, September 2, 2010 ,http://pietro.open-lab.com/2010/09/02/social-and-asocial-bookmarking/

Rationale For My Award Title

 BA (HONS) Professional Practice (Graphics & Multimedia Design)

Graphics and Multimedia design is my real passion that I live within everyday as part of my daily life. I grew up in a Middle Eastern environment that was filled with rich historical, artistic background. My father was the main link who fed my passion since a very young age.
Since the day I followed up my hobbies, my passion grew up with me with more determination into observing creativity around me.
By being fascinated about animation, I got interested about the great people’s work that influenced me deeply to look closer to visual media with excitement.
I wasn’t really quite sure what was graphic design at that time; I thought it was computer-generated art, which goes along with drawing and painting. Short courses in computer graphics were the initials to experience CG.
At that time, I used to work part time for a small radio station as a web ads promoter. My job was focusing on designing ads for their website. The training that they have provided to me at the workplace increased my interest in web design.
My curiosity about computers, web and information age enabled me to gain my double award GCE applied ICT certification; accordingly it qualified me to apply for graphics and multimedia foundation degree course.
To begin with, the course gave me the fundamentals to graphics and multimedia design. It channeled my natural abilities to wider prospects by using technology to communicate ideas and giving me the start I need in a competitive industry.
For now, I’m working on a small design agency and my role at workplace is putting my creativity and problem solving skills together for daily tasks.
The BA WBL Professional Practise course allowed me to explore the professionalism of my major. It really helped me to realize how to practice my skills and develop them in a professionalised way.
Graphic and multimedia design can’t be separated; words and pictures work together in motion to inform, communicate or persuade. I think graphics design and multimedia can do what nothing else can do by visually communicating with the world at large.
Choosing this title for my award is preferably the right choice; it’s evoking a wide range of propositions to mind; for instance web design, interactive media, layout design, typography, illustration, printed media, audio, video and animation.
The title also include digital image manipulation, visual design (electronic imaging and production) and dealing with computer design applications.
The title also reflect my passion and my current job and I hope that I meet the demand for more experienced creative professionals, which is highly required in nowadays career business world.

Critical Commentary On Learning Module 3835

Since the beginning of my WBL programme, I I’ve been developing my practical skills through the modules materials that have great beneficial effects to my workplace.
Learning module 3835 was really important as key part for my work and my role as practitioner-researcher. The module equipped me with necessary skills to undertake work-based project to research for further developments.
 

The research constructed the project planning, designing and approaching using suitable research techniques. The outcome of this module prepared me in a very practical way to accomplish the fundamental elements of the programme and assist me to become more capable and productive at work through all the developments of my research skills. As a result of that, I became aware of the practical research requirements; such as approaches to conduct the research and collecting data, also the development issues when dealing with questions to be researched.
Documenting my learning diaries was extremely advantageous to my learning journey by tracking my knowledge and recording my progress in the module. The other advantage was to share and exchange thoughts and ideas via comments with others on the course.
The online network enabled me to share resources, experiences, problems and solutions. As a result, the improvement of the knowledge for participants in the network will lead to more developments and experience. I think that was a good communicating facility to support the practitioner researches.
 
At workplace, the experience developments come from practising the work itself with colleagues to solve everyday tasks problems, I think the experience itself can express the knowledge, which needed to be shared through the community of practice for more learning developments and innovations.
Through all my blog entries about this module, I’m really impressed on how my active experience has been developed to reach the final required objectives. I think my documented diaries organised my reflected knowledge into a practical steps; I went through proceeding the project proposal.
Donald Kolb’s learning styles and experiential theory was applied to my learning dairies. The cycle I went through to reflect my learning and experience started from:

1. Planning the project proposal; determining the general area of my project and developing the research questions.
2. The search experience to conduct the proposal, considering the ethical issues and defining the research approaches and tools to collect data.
3. Reflecting on the experience by reviewing and analyzing the collected data.
4. The conclusion of my learning from the search experience, which has been reflected and presented on the project proposal.

After all, there were huge progression noticed on my ability and confidence from the earlier part of the module. At the beginning, I thought that it would be hard to manage and conduct a work based research that require a lot of considerations and profession, but after stimulating my practical reflection upon the module research process and developing my knowledge and understanding to all research issues; it was worthwhile becoming research-minded and competent. Similarly, the research development experience professionalized my thoughts intellectually, which will result better competencies. As an evidence for this, the chosen project proposal topic was a bit concerning for me, but when the topic has been developed and proposed properly, it got accepted and approved by the supervisor at workplace. The approval gave me the belief to prove my ability and experience to deliver this project successfully till the end.

Learning Diary 5: Writing The Project Proposal

The last four weeks were majorly about expressing, interpreting and presenting my thoughts about the project proposal. Of course, planning the project is most important step to prepare and success in conducting the project.
The proposal objectives and ideas have been developed to meet the workplace interest in a professional context; for example, the style of the animation and the techniques that should be used in the production. Furthermore, It outlined what the reviewer might want to know about the topic that I’m searching and the approach used along with clarifying my decisions.
I think my proposal title is reflecting the content of the research subject. The title is Animation Cultural Influence, which consists of animation that has cultural influence on young people. This shows it has the technical, cultural and hypothetical sides combined, which made the research topic deeper.
The online network, offered by WBL team, enabled me to review all the notes regarding on writing the project proposal. The presentation slides of the campus session 4 helped me to understand how to present my project proposal and how to apply my ability and knowledge when writing it.

The main sections in my project proposal:

1. Title sheet
2. Introduction
3. Research Problem
4. Research Questions
5. Research Purpose
6. Expected Outcomes
7. My Role As Worker-Researcher
8. The Research Approach
9. Data Collection Techniques
10. Project Feasibility
11. Ethical Legal Considerations
12. Project Report/Product
13. The strength and potential weakness of my research proposal
14. Reflect upon the experience of taking this module
15. Appendices
16. References

What I need to do next:

• Critical commentary on learning this module
• Rationale for my award title
• Organizing my resources in the project proposal
• Filling the two forms

Learning Diary 4: Ethics

What ethics means?
“Ethics, also known as moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice”

The ethics come from judgments made on our values and beliefs and our experience in life of what’s right and wrong. The research project raised ethical concerns, especially where individuals are directly involved.  As a practitioner-researcher, I should be aware of these issues and how I might respond to them.

•    Ethics at work:

“Work ethics include not only how one feels about their job, career or vocation, but also how one does his/her job or responsibilities. This involves attitude, behaviour, respect, communication, and interaction; how one gets along with others. Work ethics demonstrate many things about whom and how a person is.”

Here are the main ethical issues that is required to conduct my project research at workplace:

1. Approval to carry out the research.
2. Permission to get access to confidential data (client’s data).
3. Anonymity when recording and using the certain data.
4. Use the data as its required and supposed from me to use.
5. Access the data in work time at workplace.
6. No distributing, manipulating, publishing and exchanging the data.

•    Ethics when conducting my research:

When planning my research project, I’ll need to consider the following:

1. Anonymity to questionnaire respondents.
2. No follow-up or tracking individuals.
3. No personal data will be recorded or collected that could lead to their identity.
4. The research team will confidentially review the research results; no one else will be involved.
5. The research objectives and aims should be clear to the participants
6. Informed consent for participants in research before conducting on the survey or interviews.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics
What are work ethics? http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/what-are-work-ethics-faq.htm

Ethical Issues Relating To Project Proposal

As a worker-researcher I must constantly be aware of the ethical issues and values we hold and be conscious of how they might affect my research project. One of the ethical issues that I need to consider for my research project is accessing to the client data.  Therefore, I must be attentive of ethical and data protection issues.
The work Ethics guidelines require working towards protecting the clients’ data against any form of misuse of data or malpractice (regards to the processing and sharing of personal information).
The importance of the role of ethics and data protection is to ensure that I comply with the regulations set out by the Data Protection Act 1998, and that certain sources of information that I collect is during work time. Storing, transporting, processing and handling clients’ information is the workplace responsibility, and steps should be taken to ensure that this is done with confidentiality and efficiency.
The proposed project has been approved and I received an e-mail notification from the supervisor directing me to log on to the company shared server database. That gave me the permission to access the database to the current published version of client business proposal during work time. So that I can review the client current updated configuration and check the new added details to the business proposal.
It is important that those participating in the research questionnaire and interviews understand its targets and objectives and that informed consent is declared. The research tools collected anonymous data that cannot be linked back to individuals. All collected information that is revealed in the context of a professional or research must be held, stored or handled in anonymous form and should be confidential.
All work that will be used in the project product (video animation), musical compositions, sound effects, video, text, photographs, etc will need to have permission or license from the owners to collect.
I need to be aware of the factors that are the result of poor working practice under Computer health & safety regulations. 
These regulations are applied when I’m working at home or workplace and using a VDU (Visual Display Unit) for a long period of time.  Also, I need to make sure my work environment is safe to assess and reduce any risks of VDU workstations to meet safety requirements.

Research & Development Materials: Activity 7

The purpose of this questionnaire is to measure the influence of Anime culture in youth lifestyle nowadays. The questionnaire is for marketing research purpose, which will support the idea of using the Anime style for the campaign animation.
The targeted audience has been identified in the questionnaire and they are the creative young people who study or work in creative environment. I expect to receive 20% response rate from E-mails and online survey. I used web-based product called SurveyMonkey to design my questionnaire and share the link online. Web based questionnaire are accessible to the majority of any population and they tend to attract young and more active people.

The other expected 80% response rate will be handed out personally. Face-to-face questionnaire are straightforward and cost effective as they deliver the required questions directly to the targeted respondents.
The “List” type will be used for my questions, which has several lists to tick in the appropriate box. There are many tools to analyse the collected quantitative data and present the final results of the questionnaire. 

I think the best way to illustrate the data is by using “Scale” format. It is the suitable way to demonstrate the results, for example using vertical bar chart.
The questionnaire is printed in good quality, also consisting of only one page. It isn’t dense with the way it’s presented to the respondents, but it’s clear and simple and will capture their attention; making them interested in completing the ten easy-to-answer questions. 

Iused closed-ended questions, which are straightforward and written in plain English format. The questionnaire pilot and the instruction are written with different colour and font. Also, the tick boxes are in line and aligned to the right side of the sheet that will fasten ticking the responses. Separating each question from the next with a black line also help to make the questionnaire easier to read. The instrument method used to collect data from participants has a particular set of ethical values that have been considered before proceeding any further.

Justifying the aim of the collected data and to whom it is beneficial have been briefly explained at the top of the questionnaire. Defining the instrument purpose will make the subject understandable and determine the conclusions that can be drawn from it.
Privacy, anonymity and confidentiality are given absolute importance while collecting the data from participants. It’s used in place of identifying required information to protect responses data as it’s not linking individual responses with participants’ identities. Providing anonymity of information collected from research participants means that the project does not collect identifying information of individual subjects (e.g., name, address, Email, Student ID etc.). 

Maintaining confidentiality of information collected from research participants means that only the individuals of the research team can identify the responses of participants.
I piloted the questionnaire on the same group of participants. Using the questionnaire pilot, I asked them if the questions seemed straightforward. After finalizing the questionnaire according to results of the pilot, most of them agreed that:

• Answering the questionnaire took less time than they’ve expected
• The questions were focused into the subject of the research
• Questions were understandable and easy to answer
• Examples and meaning were clear
• No questions made them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed
• The layout was acceptable and simple to follow and read

The questionnaire pilot process checked the designed instrument reliability to assess to what extent it’s likely to be reliable. Validity of the instrument came through the questions that measured and described what it is supposed to investigate.  The questionnaire provided briefed definitions and examples for any terminologies has been used in the questions. All the questions were answered which meant that the instrument offered interpretations for respondents to follow from them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
The questions have been ordered logically and follow each other sequentially, so that made the respondents feel more comfortable. The transitions between questions are smooth. The first question was general as an entry to follow-up into the other specific ones to avoid confusion.

The imbedded assumptions within the instrument:

• The respondents are aware of their privacy and anonymity (no personal information will be collected).
• The targeted audience are young creative people aged 16-24 years old.
• The questionnaire will be in English.
• The questionnaire’s period is only four days.
• The questionnaire has two formats, printed and web-based instrument.

Learning Diary 3: Designing Research Tools

My research topic resolves what techniques I should use to collect data from different sources.  Therefore, using mixed-research approaches in my research will classify the practice of integrating qualitative and quantitative research tools.
The potential research tools I can generate knowledge from:
•    Literature and Documents: the main published work concerning my research topic /question. This work may be in any format, including online sources.

1.    Primary Sources:
Documents provided and recorded at workplace.
2.    Secondary Sources:
Books, articles, my learning diaries, reports, journals, Internet (electronic sources of information)

•    Interviews: held interviews with:
1.    Professionals in animation: the interview will answer the questions that relates to animation techniques, styles and production.
2.     Professionals in design field: the interview will answer my questions that about the practical skills and professional experience required at workplace.

•    Survey: The survey will be used to answer the hypothesis and collect statistical data about animation styles for marketing research purpose. The research instrument will provide a series of questions for the objective of gathering information from young creative people aged between 16 to 24 years old.

Both tools should include:
1.    Identify the important areas of the investigation
2.    Survey structure format: I’ll use the list format to list items which maybe selected.
3.    The survey should have two versions: be typed – word-processed and online – electronic version.
4.    Both interviews will be open type to give the interviewers the freedom on expressing their experience in work.

I’m planning to create a survey that will consist of 10 easy to answer questions for young creative people whether they are studying or working in a creative environment.
The place that would be suitable to find the participants is in art and design colleges. Students who are involved with media, art and design courses are the main focus to answer the questionnaire. Hens they will give out more accurate answers than any other people studying other courses. The other thing is that they are representing the targeted audience for the client’s campaign itself, so their responds will be useful for the marketing research.
Also, I’ll need to look for one of my colleagues or clients at workplace who would be interested to do the interview. Preparation for what kind of questions, subjects to be talk about and consent forms should be considered before conducting the interviews.
These ranges of research tools will explore my research questions and enhance the validity of my project findings.  All data collected will be recorded, analyzed and interpreted.



Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire
Doing Your Research Project, USA, 4th Edition, Judith Bell, 2005

Activity2: Influences on the Worker-Researcher

My position as a practitioner-researcher will be reflecting the values, actions, rules and procedures within my research process.One of the potential advantages that can improve my work practice is being able to collect data from the primary sources.
The supervisor and my colleagues are the most valuable resource to help me completing the task. The collected data from the primary sources will draw the strategy, which enables priorities to be determined and replaced at workplace. From this point, searching for new techniques to implement the animation associates my position and that will address the efficiency of production in workplace for improvements. ­

The Research Development & Process

The Research Development/Statements/Boundaries: 

The proposed research will address the Japanese Anime culture wave and its effect in UK and US in general. The research will label the period of time that the Anime culture started in the UK & US form 1930's. The research development will keep the spotlight on:

1. why this animation started in Japan?
2. when, why did it got to the western media attention and 
3. how did this culture start to take another form in people lifestyle around the world.

Furthermore, it will focus on the youth lifestyle in the beginning of the late of 20th century and nowadays. 

The research is significant because it will delimit the connection between the youth lifestyle and Anime culture wave as well as using this culture style to get their attention to the campaign's actions. Besides, the fact that it will encourage young people to detect their creativity and carry forward through the campaign, the research will help me to develop my work experience academically and practically.

The Research Feasibility:

The timescale assigned the period of time required to carry on my research process. The research timescale started from the beginning of December 2010. From the 2 weeks, I set up 4 days to collect data from different resources. I saved some collected resources as drafts in my blog that haven't been reviewed and analyzed yet. Once I get to them, I'll gather the missing parts before publishing.

Since the resources are relating to data collection, the type of resources required depends on the nature of the research proposal.  I'm planning to use a qualitative approach and plan to transcribe the data myself then there will likely to be little need of additional resources. I might need to use a quantitative study that involves analyzing survey and questionnaire then resources will likely to be needed too. 

Statement of the resources required to complete the project:

1) 2D/3D Software training

2) Traveling to some places in London (Questionnaire & Survey)

3) Expert assistance in workplace

4) Library Materials (books, CDs, DVDs, videos, audio,articles, reports)

5) Internet resources and published materials.

6) Access to information related to the client business proposal 

The proposed project must either be approved or rejected for more modification by the supervisor.  Once it's approved, I will receive an e-mail notification from the supervisor directing me to log on to the company shared server database. That will give me the permission to access the database and, if so, the current published version of the client business proposal will be accessed during work time.By then, I can review the client current updated configuration and the new added details of the business proposal.

Practically, the supervisor will guide me if my research proposal isn't as aimed to develop the ideas and skills related to work. Also, there will be weekly meetings to discuss the research project and training improvements. The other support available in workplace is from my colleagues. They will provide me the campaign logo and information related to the video specification for the website e.g.the display size. 

The area of my expertise is mostly graphics design and multimedia. Sometimes I do photography and web design depending on the task given. Whenever it's needed at workplace, they provide a useful accredited training programmes. 

Issues to consider when choosing how to undertake my research:

1/ What do you want to find out?

• Does really "Anime" culture affect youth lifestyle nowadays?
• What ways does it affect & why?
• Examples of affection in UK & US
• Anime culture wave (around the world)
• Japanese animation background
• Anime style in market
• Animation history
• Animation process & production
• Animation techniques & tools

2/ How can you fully capitalize on existing skills and knowledge?

• Academic skills to collect data and analyze it for workplace production improvement.
• Graphic skills in manipulation and design
• Marketing and advertising skills
• Presentation skills
• Effective communication skills
• Effective meeting and recording supervisonal tutorials.

3/ In what ways might the research add to your skills and knowledge?

• Time management
• New production techniques
• Develop my knowledge in animation 
• Critical thinking & writing
• Observation
• Planning
• Referencing
• Administering questionnaires
• Learning diary

4/ What opportunities are available to collect data as part of your work?

• Client business proposal (Client background and Campaign information)
• Campaign slogan 
• Campaign web video specification (e.g. display size, quality and frame rate)

5/Do the research questions you have identified suggest a particular family approach?

Yes, the research approach suggested to be used is Qualitative.

6/ What data do you need to collect, in what format and from whom?

I'll need to collect data from:

1. People (in professional-workplace-& public sectors-general places to hand & collect questionnaires)
2. Library (books, articles, reports,CDs, DVDs ..etc)
3. Internet

7/ How will your position as worker-researcher affect your research?

• The research will be practical in the same time. 
• It will improve my understanding of the practice so it will be more effective
• The practice influence will be reflexive in my research

8/ Are you in a position to influence and evaluate change?

Yes, doing this research will give me the courage to indicate the recent animation production process certified in workplace; and to determine the impact of change that will be made on production. Due to the fact that the process need to be replaced; by that it will improve the efficiency of production. In addition, the research will attempt changes and monitor the developed results.

9/ Is it appropriate to combine approaches or families?

Yes, the research will need to combine 2 approaches to conduct the research proposal. The first research family to collect data is qualitative and then using quantitative family to analyze the data.

10/ How can you ensure that you are not being unduly dependent on one source of data?

I'll use mixed approaches to conduct the research. Also, I'll use 2 different data collection tools which are reviewing and analyzing documents, literature and questionnaires.

The Research Process:

1/ The Research Purpose:

My investigation will be focused on whether using the "Anime" style in a video animation can capture the young's attention to the campaign.

2/ The Research Questions & Theory:

• How animation started in Japan and when?
• Why did it get to the western media attention?
• How did this culture start to take another form in people's lifestyle around the world?
• Are there any differences in lifestyle in the beginning of the late of 20th century and current lifestyles that were influenced already?
• What ways does this influences appear?

3/ The Research Methodology/ Approach: 

Mixed approach: that involves the mixing of quantitative and qualitative approaches.

4/ Data Collection Techniques:

• Reviewing and analyzing documents and literature
• Questionnaires

5/ Analysis Data:

All data collected will be recorded, analyzed and interpreted. Each instrument has its applicable way to analysis.  

6/ Presentation to Stakeholders:

After analyzing the collected data and getting the results ready, I'll do a presentation to the team showing them the results and the recommendations.

Research & Development Materials: Activity 1: Glossary Of Research Terms

Technical:

Scene: a consecutive series of pictures that constitutes a unit of action in a film

Compositing: Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for compositing is variously called “blue screen,” “green screen,” “chroma key,”

Flash: is a multimedia platform that is popular for adding animation and interactivity to web pages. Originally acquired by Macromedia, Flash was introduced in 1996, and is currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems.

After Effects: Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics and compositing software published by Adobe Systems. Its main purpose is for film and video post-production.

2D animation: Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways.

3D animation: These animations are made using a variety of techniques such as modelling in clay and plasticine or puppets. 3D animations can also be made using computer software to create three-dimensional characters and scenery.

4D animation: 4 dimensional Animation and production studios have taken this developing technology and run with it, marketing to audiences movies that can be interpreted in 3D, while the images appear to jump off the screen.

Layers: are used in digital image editing to separate different elements of an image. A layer can be compared to a transparency on which imaging effects or images are applied and placed over or under an image. Today they are an integral feature of image editors.

Key frames: A key frame in animation and filmmaking is a drawing that defines the starting and ending points of any smooth transition. They are called "frames" because their position in time is measured in frames on a strip of film.

Storyboard: Storyboards are graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence, including website interactivity.

New:

Visual Communication: Visual communication as the name suggests is communication through visual aid and is described as the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon.

Social network: is a web-based service that provides ways for users to interact, such as file sharing, blogging, and discussion groups, to build communities of people who have common interests. 

Animated documentary: The animated documentary is a genre of film which combines the genres of animation and documentary. This genre should not be confused with documentaries about movie and TV animation history that feature excerpts.

Aimated/ visual music: Visual music, sometimes called "colour music," refers to the use of musical structures in visual imagery, which can also include silent films or silent Lumia work. It also refers to methods or devices which can translate sounds or music into a related visual presentation.

New Media: New media is a term meant to encompass the emergence of digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies in the later part of the 20th century.

Motion Graphics: Motion graphics are graphics that use video and/or animation technology to create the illusion of motion or a transforming appearance. These motion graphics are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects.

Cultural:

Otaku: (o-tah-ku) In Japan, otaku is a fairly derogatory term used to describe an obsessed fan of something (not necessarily anime). In North America, however, the term is often a badge of honor for hard-core anime, manga, and video games fans. Sometimes also used to refer to anime fans in general.

Anime: Anime in English usually refers to a style of animation originating in Japan, heavily influenced by the manga (Japanese comics) style and typically featuring characters with large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs, exaggerated facial expressions, brush-stroked outlines and limited motion.

Manga: a non-animated cartoon, especially one done in a Japanese style; A professionally produced Japanese comic. and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th century.

Academic:

Quantitative Research: quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships.

Qualitative Research: Qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts.

Theory: a logical, systematic set of principles or explanation that has undergone testing or validation from careful observations and has stood up against attempts to prove it false. A scientific theory can be used to make a variety of predictions of what will happen under different circumstances.

Hypotheses: A prediction which needs to be tested to tell if it is correct.

Research Proposal: A research proposal is a document written by a scientist that describes in details the program for a proposed scientific investigation.

Cinematography: the art and technique of making and reproducing motion pictures

Animation: Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways.

Commercial: A television advertisement or television commercialoften just commercial or TV ad (US), or advert or ad (UK/US), or ad-film (India)is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message.

Promotional: a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution.
Entertainment: an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention.
Concept: an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
Advertising: Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to take some action.

Resources:

wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compositing
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cg_(programming_language)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macromedia_Flash
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Effects
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2D_Animation
www.nfsa.gov.au/whats_on/elastic_reality/animation-terms.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_5600761_4d-animation_.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layers_(digital_image_editing)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyframe
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storyboard
www.animecritic.com/resources/glossary.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/manga
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_communication
hallman.nccommunities.org/glossary
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animated_documentary
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_music
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_graphic
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_research
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative_research
www.astronomynotes.com/glossary/glosst.htm
www.spaceday.org/index.php/Glossary-of-Aeronautics-Terms.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_proposal
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cinematography
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercials
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising

Learning Diary (2): Defining Data Approaches

According to my research topic, choosing a research method will classify the perspective behind the research to collect and analyze data. Also, it will detect the appropriate practical skills or tools required to conduct the research.
Referring to the campus’s second session that held on 3rd of March (presentation published online on Paula’s blog), I looked into the research approaches concerned with the collection and analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative data.
Qualitative research is designed to identify a target audience’s range of behavior and the attitudes that drive it with reference to specific topics or issues. It uses in-depth studies of small groups of people to direct and support the explanations of hypotheses. The results of qualitative research are descriptive and circumstantial rather than predictive.
Quantitative research refers to the systematic experimental investigation of phenomena and their relativity to develop and apply statistical theories and hypotheses relating to the phenomena.
Quantitative research includes surveys and clients questionnaires that can help companies to improve their productions and services by making informed decisions.
I think using the combination of the two broad approaches is more appropriate to conduct my research.
Firstly, I’ll need to collect data through qualitative methods such as documents and literature.
After that, I’ll use the quantitative research approach to analyze the collected data by using a survey.
The advantage of using both approaches is to add more depth to my research and to ensure that I’m using more than one source to collect data. Plus, that will help me to break down my thinking on how I’m going to undertake my project and use a suitable research technique.

References:
http://www.qrca.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_research

The Chosen Topic & Planning The Research Project

Work Project overview:

 

Client's Background:

ST***Media Group is a small growing company that specializes in marketing, communication, media and event management. The company has been involved in a diverse range of projects from business consulting to music production. It's also focused on taking advantage of changes in the media marketing industry and providing the highest quality and most progressive solutions to their customers internationally. ST***Media Group runs many successful events and organizes workshops around the world that are aimed to encourage the youth to find their own aspect of creativity. They are also engaged to work with young creative people aged 16 to 24 to invest their talents and improve capabilities by providing a practical approach in the real business world in order to meet their short and long term efficiency. 

Creative Youth Campaign:

The ST***Media Group has decided to raise a promotional campaign called Creative Youth for young creatives that hadn't found the courage yet to bring up their inner creativity outwards. The campaign will open up a host of new opportunities for young creatives through a planned strategic investments, thoughtful educated programs and workshops. 

What's the campaign's objectives?

• Inform about the new opportunities that the company had offered for the creatives.

• Expand their creativity aspects through the workshops & events. 

• Encourage them to pursue their creativity and to take part in a creative environment. 

The Campaign requirements: 

• Bring up creative and imaginative ideas to advertise this campaign to capture young creatives interest.

The short Video Animation:

Creative Youth Campaign will require an advertising items to be designed such as slogan, website, poster, flayers, T-shirts, business stationary, etc. As I said before, the director divided the work task between our team, so everyone has his own task to work on. My responsibility is to create a short advertising video animation that will be embedded in the front page of the website.

Brainstorming, Ideas & Planning:
 
I've read Bell's book "Doing Your Research Project” It clearly outlined where to start & how to think about selecting a topic and identifying the objectives of my study by following the project planning checklist.

A) Keywords: 

Before I started thinking about listing my topic ideas, I held my pen & started writing any word that passed my head while thinking about doing this task.

I ended up filling 2 A4 sheets with many inspirational keywords that would lead to a new topics. Surprisingly enough that was more than what I've expected. So I started crossing out irrelevant keywords, otherwise my research topic would open up to unlimited research.

I guess it's one the disadvantages that the researcher should be aware of; by not going further over the idea you work on.

Surely, these keywords will help me build up my research glossary ( Research & Development materials :  Activity1).

B) Topic Ideas & Questions:

The brainstorming helped to think of using the Asian Pacific (Japanese) animation "Anime" as my animation style. Here's my brainstormed ideas:

Here are some generated ideas to think about before choosing and developing my final research topic. I listed the things about " Video & Animation" with considering the shared elements for both work & academic research:

• Effective process in small / big commercial production companies
• New & old animation techniques
• Entertainment market
• Animation industry,studios, festivals, competitions
• Animation revolutionary 
• New media role
• Effects used in animation production
• 2D/3D/4D animation
• Commercial TV adverts & web video Adverts
• Culture affection on media
• Asian Pacific (Japanese) animation
• Asian Pacific culture, media wave
• Online promotion video marketing

C) The Chosen Topic & Developing Questions / Related Objectives & Hypotheses:

Pacific Asian (Japanese) animation "Anime":

• What's the impact/influence of Asian animation on the youth lifestyle? 
• what is the "Anime" culture? 
• what are the key elements that make "Anime" culture absorbed by other countries that have different culture?
• History of "Anime" culture
• will using this type of animation culture be straightforward & help me to deliver the campaign message to young people? 
• How did Anime begin?
• What is the difference between the Amercian animation style & the Japanese animation style? What type of animation that is more influenced by the audience?
• What is "Otaku Nation" flow? what are their influences about Japanese animation culture?
• What is the media role marketing for "Anime culture"?

D) Purpose of Study:

"In the beginning, Anime was actually a substitute for the live action western films that Japan could not afford to make. So instead they replaced these live action films with animated cartoons since the 1930's. This was a cheaper alternative than real actors and a real set.Anime gained huge popularity in Japan, spreading all the way to America. Today anime is a staple for kids who watch channels such as Cartoon Network. Popular TV shows like Inuyasha, Pokemon, and Full metal Alchemists are anime styled cartoons. Even western film have adopted some of the characteristics of anime." (1)

"Many of the anime properties brought over from Japan and dubbed into English are aimed at older teens and adults, not at children." (2)

This study aims to:

• Prove if the "Anime" culture has a real influence in youth these days

Alternative: 

• If it's proven, then using this style of animation will be the right choice for using it as the "Creative Youth" campaign video animation.
• If not, then try to use another style of animation.

C) Expectation:

I think using the "Anime" style of animation will help me to deliver the campaign message easily to the targeted audience. Anime had been covering in many television shows and programs for adults and kids continuously from a very long time. They will be very distinctive and fairly easy to recognize, therefore attracting the audience's attention will be worthy.

Project Outline / Initial Plan:

 Timescale:

Deadline for module 3835 & 3861 (6/1/2011)

Deadline for video animation work (3/1/2011)

Consulting the Supervisor & Record of Supervisory Tutorials:

Discussing the Japanese animation style for the creative Youth campaign with the director through the phone gave a pleasant impression. 

He approved to use this style after I explained to him how this will benefit the workplace efficiency. I recorded a memo of what we have discussed so far through the phone and sent a copy to the director via email. 

Here are the points of what we have talked about:

 What impact will it have on my job, my work colleagues, the sector in which I work?

1. Experiencing new techniques and concept.
2. Conducting new software training
3. Different perspectives and views value diversity will Increase innovation in design strategies
4. Increased capacity to adopt new methods
5. Communication in workplace and public

 Now,What will I need to find out?

• Historical background about animation
• Western Animation
• Japanese Animation
• Examples, types of animation & styles
• Masters/ Famous animators
• Japanese culture influences in youth/ other countries
• Animation techniques & purposes (old & new)
• Equipments & tools (Hardware & software-2D, 3D,4D)
• Animation companies & purposes (entertainment, advertising, promoting, other?)
• References, collect materials & examples of new animation

Why will that make a difference to my work and career?

Increased competition in today's design and animation global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers.

 Can I disseminate what I find out anywhere?

Yes, I can disseminate what I'll find out,but without mentioning the client company data (Data Protection Act 1998). It should form part of the contract between our design company and the client.

 Will my project have some sort of impact?

1. Practice a new techniques of animation
2. Methods of collecting, conducting or analyzing information
3. Deductive a research approach to conduct the project
4. Regulations, ethical issues understanding
5. Enhance workplace production
6. Communicate with difference design sector, professionals
7. Provide new experiences and training
8. Track the influence of Asian Pacific culture in youth lifestyle

 Am I going to develop some new service? a new product? a learning resource?

• Develop new training scheme to learn 3D design that will enhance the workplace production proficiency.

Resources:

1) Anime: Japanese Animation Style, Talem, South Carolina, Hup Pages,2010, http://hubpages.com/hub/Anime-Japanese-Animation-Style 
2) Children and Anime, Lesley Aeschliman,BellaOnline's Anime Editor, 2010,http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art9859.asp
http://learnhigher.ac.uk/Students/Assessment.html

Reviewing my Project Plan to the Supervisor

I finished writing the project initial plan, I just need to review and consult it with the supervisor tomorrow.

 What will be consulted about:

• Research topic ideas & all objective issues relating to it.
• The chosen topic &:  
•       - Explain how it's related to the given work task (identifying the key questions).
•       - Supports the purpose of study & focus of work. 

• Initial project plan. 
• Project Time scale.
• Record of what will be discussed & agreed in supervisory tutorial.

Learning Diary (1): Researcher as Professional

My research is relating to what we are currently doing at workplace. We are working on designing effective campaign for a client who runs a small advertising company based in London and US.

The director divided the work task between our team, so everyone has his own task to work on.  In addition, there’s a deadline to meet up with everyone & show the developed concepts, so we can discuss & choose the final idea.

I always have a passion of interest for animation & video production, and there were not very often chances taken in workplace to explore & develop my interest on it.
It will be more than pleasure for me to choose it as my research subject. There are many things I want to come across & dig up into animation & production.

Thinking about choosing this task in work will support me to feed my interest, experience and knowledge, as it will be beneficial to my workplace whenever we have an animation related tasks from clients in future.

So, I discussed that with the director & explained to him how important to develop the animator role at work to experience new techniques and improve efficiency.
Also, I told him how enthusiastic I am to base my project research on it. Luckily, my director agreed to that & gave me the permission to work on the animation video part.
Now, I can peruse my studies by starting to prepare & plan for my research project.

Getting back to Module WBS3835

I’ve been taken away by busy life circumstances, and now I’m getting back to catch up with the rest of the group. In the last three days, I’ve been going through the group blogs and checking what were their potentials, thoughts and questions to complete the WBL 3835 module.

There were many blogs that hold in between inspirational, informative entries, which gave me the insight to think about what will my research project be based on & what topic to choose for it.

The big “Thank you” goes to Paula, who kept motivating me to push my thoughts into the right direction & guide me through this educational journey. Also to the great WBL stuff, that still tracks our blogs to give responsive feedback & supportive, helpful resources.

 Also, another big “Thank you” to nowadays technologies that let me get access to all the uploaded project materials whether were PowerPoint slides of campus sessions, audio, video & scanned images of ideas, illustrated methods & inspirational keywords. That really helped me a lot to generate what I’ve already missed out in group sessions & lectures. Also, being able to access the library online & search the resources needed to accomplish this project.

Well, for my research project, there were a lot of topics that were already stuck in my head through my everyday career life. Every time I got a new task/brief from a client, I go through researching the task & gather information about it.

As a designer, I’m required to research whenever I start a new task to trace out the latest ideas/solutions that have been designed out there.

It’s my first time working on academic research with totally different procedures to carry on the research itself and for academic purpose, which is not what I used to work on while doing a research for a client task brief for a business purpose. 

 The difference between academic research & work/Business research:

Academic research:

• It’s conducted for purely academic purposes as part of my studies.
• It’s a “Qualitative” research: (Qualitative research is used to explore and understand people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behavior and interactions. It generates non- numerical data)
• The Writing style is based on thesis, statement, literature review, documentary & supporting an argument, using quotes to prove an evidence & convince the general public (society), public researcher or learning community (audience).
• It’s public
• Long writing
• More facts supporting it

The work Research:

• Private Research, the research is based on the consumptive of a customer which make up the Business 
• Its based on a business problem or situation with the consumer
• Business audience for a business research is the top management.
• Business research related with actual management and business problems occur in real world
• It’s “Quantitative” research: (Quantitative research generates numerical data or data that can be converted into numbers)
• Writing style is based on multiple business purposes such as: a meeting memo, task plan, evaluating the statistics (that is depending on the market/sale/customer/company purposes)
• Short writing, direct writing
• Less facts backing it or retelling facts
• Less argument (specially or advertising)
• Customers/Audience are targeted& limited
• They inform audience to persuade them

Resources:

http://www.snapsurveys.com/techadvqualquant.shtml