Machinima Group Work.

When given the task to research Machinima and create a presentation, the first thing discussed was which aspects of Machinima should be included in the work. For example, this history and tools used to make the films.

Each member was given a section to research and collect information from which could then be put into the presentation. Having been given the task of researching the 'tools' used to make Machinima I then had to gather the information and bring everything into Fridays lesson for the group to add to the presentation.

Strengths for this assignment include timing, everything was in when requested by the team which meant that all the work could be compiled into the presentation without it being to rushed.

The research done on the tools of machinima was very in-depth, I produced enough information for the presentation and also plenty more to talk about. By the time everything had been brought together it felt as though we had a solid piece of work.

Having feedback from our presentation it became clear that not enough information was given to our chosen speaker. Although just handing the work in seemed enough I believe I could have gone over my section and given them the extra details. When giving the presentation this would help them not have to look at notes and lose the attention of the viewers. Making the presentation a much more convincing and professional experience.

I feel I could have included a few more examples of the techniques used to create this films, perhaps adding small videos into the presentation showing camera position etc. would have made it slightly more interesting.

Overall I feel that a little bit extra could have been done to help make the presentation a little less confused. All the information was there, I just needed to give the speaker the knowledge I had from doing the research.

Learning Styles.

To find out my learning style I decided to use the VAK learning styles questionnaire, upon completion the results showed that my preferred style is Visual learning. However when answering the questions I found that some of the answers I gave also pointed to Kinaesthetic and Auditory learning styles, in order to work to my best abilities I need to understand all three learning styles and base my work around the styles that suit me best.
A visual learner can be described as someone who prefers to be shown what to do through the use of explanations and pictures, or even handouts. Working from written instructions, directions and lists while listening to a teacher/lecturer explain the work is the best way for visual learners to understand the work they are given. When working with handouts and documents visual learners may also find it useful to highlight phrases and sentences that will also help them remember or understand the information. Although these may be the best ways to learn for someone who considers themselves completely reliable on visual learning styles, I think my learning style would also include a mix of areas from Auditory and Kinaesthetic.
Someone who prefers to take in information through listening would be considered an Auditory learner, they would much rather have someone talk them through the task/give them instructions on what to do. Auditory learners tend to be active participants in debates and lectures and if they don’t understand a particular concept, they find it easier if it is explained to them verbally as opposed to using drawings or diagrams.
Kinaesthetic learners prefer to put things into practice, they learn more effectively if ideas and work and can be tackled hands-on. They need to be able to do this so that the information presented to them appears ‘real’ and is of relevance to them. Good examples include those who like to go out on field trips where they can learn from demonstrations or, similarly, in a lab setting. When work in presented in this way it helps kinaesthetic learners gain a better understanding of the information and again makes it appear ‘real’.
In some cases I would rather try the work hands-on rather than it being explained through handouts and presentations (Kinaesthetic). When using the Unreal Editor, it is obviously more interesting to experiment and try all the functions out first. However using and understanding these functions requires a lot of knowledge and experience and so I would also find it useful to have this explained vocally by someone with knowledge and experience of the programme. This would also give me the opportunity to ask questions about areas I don’t understand and maybe gain further advice on work which hasn’t already been explained during the lectures. (Auditory).
I think with this mix of the three learning styles I will be able to experiment with the way I gather information until I find the best way to work, for now though I think the best style for me would be Visual learning as I can relate to most of the aspects of this style when compared to the other two. I prefer to read through tasks and information so I have a basic understanding before I start the assignments. However knowing that my learning style involves certain areas of Auditory and Kinaesthetic styles will be useful for working in groups and with friends as some assignments may involve a combination of more than just one style of learning, and so we will be able work off each others learning styles and hopefully produce the best work we can.