For this week's assignment, we were asked to describe features we liked and wished to borrow from traditional texts and how they can be implemented in hypertext/hypermedia.
There are several features I like about traditional texts. Two of these features are:
- the smell and feel of a book
- the ability to highlight and jot notes in the margins
Ever since I was a child, I've always enjoyed holding a book in my hands and slamming shut just so I can get a sniff of the book! 
[Yes, I've just reread that statement and realized how much of a crazy that makes me sound.. yet I assure you, I'm not the only person who enjoys the smell of books, especially that new book smell!] However, this feature would be difficult to implement in hypertext/hypermedia unless you think of Mickey's PhilharMagic show located at Disneyworld. The show was able to incorporate the smell of a fresh baked apple pie into their 3D film. Anyway, that was my fun but impossible and pointless feature..
[Yes, I've just reread that statement and realized how much of a crazy that makes me sound.. yet I assure you, I'm not the only person who enjoys the smell of books, especially that new book smell!] However, this feature would be difficult to implement in hypertext/hypermedia unless you think of Mickey's PhilharMagic show located at Disneyworld. The show was able to incorporate the smell of a fresh baked apple pie into their 3D film. Anyway, that was my fun but impossible and pointless feature..The second feature I really liked from traditional texts was the ability to physically mark up a text. Personally, I try not to highlight my books because I've got major OCD issues, but that's beside the point. There are many people I know who will highlight and underline key words in texts while they're reading or studying. While we can highlight hypertext with a mouse, we still cannot jot down notes in the margins whenever we are read hypertext. Yes, with the growth of technology like SmartBoards in the classroom, it is possible to create an "Ink Layer" 
over the copy of the screen. Then you can highlight information and jot down notes in the margins, especially if you are teaching note-taking skills to the children. However, this option is not personal enough. The children do not have access to personal SmartBoards to highlight and jot down notes. Even then, there really isn't a way to save the page to refer back to at a later time.. unless you take a screenshot but then there's the whole hassle of saving it. Perhaps a new program could be created specifically for note-taking. All you need to do is open the program to create a frame around the current hypertext. Once you are done jotting down your thoughts and highlighting key information, you can just hit the save button to save your notes for a later time. With the growing trend of tablets and PDAs with stylus pens, this would be a great feature to implement with hypertext. With today's growing technology and children, this could be a great way to teach students to take notes in a manner that can engage them. Who knows. Maybe someone will come up with this program within the next 5 years and we will soon see them in use in the classroom, along with personal tablets for each student. I mean, there are schools who give out laptops and iPads to their students, so this idea isn't too far-fetched, right?
over the copy of the screen. Then you can highlight information and jot down notes in the margins, especially if you are teaching note-taking skills to the children. However, this option is not personal enough. The children do not have access to personal SmartBoards to highlight and jot down notes. Even then, there really isn't a way to save the page to refer back to at a later time.. unless you take a screenshot but then there's the whole hassle of saving it. Perhaps a new program could be created specifically for note-taking. All you need to do is open the program to create a frame around the current hypertext. Once you are done jotting down your thoughts and highlighting key information, you can just hit the save button to save your notes for a later time. With the growing trend of tablets and PDAs with stylus pens, this would be a great feature to implement with hypertext. With today's growing technology and children, this could be a great way to teach students to take notes in a manner that can engage them. Who knows. Maybe someone will come up with this program within the next 5 years and we will soon see them in use in the classroom, along with personal tablets for each student. I mean, there are schools who give out laptops and iPads to their students, so this idea isn't too far-fetched, right?
No comments:
Post a Comment