Information Design 1

*** Norman (93) ***

[Chapter 2 - Experiencing the world]
Issue of motivation:The reference freqeuntly appears as to how the game developers 'have figured out' the ways to cleverly motivate and engage gamers in learning the rules and strategies, all the desired cognitive processes targeted by educators. However, the question remains. Did they really figure it out? Or is it simply that the purpose of design was so different that the resulting designinherently embedded different motivators? Perhaps it's the task delivered by the games isis motivating enough and the design strategies have cleverly followed through the pattern.Then what is the task? Problem solving? Challenge? Competition? This leads to the controversy of problem based learning VS direct instruction.
The assumed 'illusion' in comparing informal to formal learning. The table itselflists one as consisting of 'motivating goal' while the other as not. It could be illusory to assume that by replacing learning goal with incidental learning(a mere phemomena) experienced while striving for a goal other than learning would suffice.
experiential VS reflective thoughts

[Chapter 3 - The Power of Representation]
Power of representation comes from the potential of abstraction, as long as it servesto represent the essential information.
experiential VS reflective artifactsact upon represented world VS act upon representing world
Power of representation comes when reflective cognition is afforded by the representing artifacts to allow experiential cognition with no added reflective process.
Representing NumbersThe nature of additive VS substitutive representations
Naturalness principle-> perceptual principle: perceptual & spatial representations preferred (probablyreferring to minimizing cognitive load in processing perceived information)
The question about naturalness: reflective information with practice becomes experiential.Arabic numberal are discussed as 'unnatural' for it requires years of training. However,once it has become so familiar to us, isn't this an experiential congition?

[Chapter 4 - Fitting the Artifact to the Person]
Cognitive tools - representation tools as shifting the cognitive task from one to the other by sharing the cognitive capacity
surface VS internal artifactsthe example of book being a surface artifact is TRULY wrong for he is overlooking the layers of represetations embedded in letters!
'the more powerful way of representing'visual/perceptual graph is discussed as more powerful method of representation than a table or matrix. perhaps due to the experiential cognition taking over reflective?


*** Horn (1999) Information Design: Emergence of a New Profession ***
Information design: focus on efficiency & effectiveness
VLIcons - Visual Language Icons : integration of words and images to compensate for lackof information (thus possible communication failure) afforded by icons alone
Despite long history of information design, the field has only recently received attentiondue to emergence of IT technology.

*** Plass & Salisbury (2002) A Living Systems Design Model for Web-based Knowledge Management Systems ***
Due to the dynamic nature of a 'living systems' as if referred by the article, dynamic knowledge systems where knowledge is incrementally accrued, require different instructionaldesign framework. More interative and circular phase is suggested whereby evaluation (formativeassessment) and analysis of requirements are frequently conducted to revise the design ofthe system. This accounts for not only the learning and cognitive processes (and the needs)of the users but also their changing needs according to the dynamic nature of the system.
The context of the users is important for they would have their unique needs as well asfamiliarity to different interafaces.

*** Goldman, R. (2007). Video Representation and the Perspectivity Framework: Epistemology, Ethnography, Evaluation, and Ethics. ***
Points of Viewing : an attempt to minimize the hazard of bias, misrepresentation, missed-representation.
While video is an effective medium for educational research, problems remain regarding theepistemological framework (should this matter?), possible effects of presence of the camera (the problem of subordination), and understanding the utility of video as an effective mode of research.
reperesentation as "production of meaning of the concepts in our minds through language" (Hall)a 'process' rather than a 'thing'
Video as representational medium has great power in being able to convey more information(perceptual) than can be conveyed by any other medium. Doesn't this also lead to concernfor this very property readily conveys false impression of 'truthfulness' to the viewers.How could researchers overcome such problem? "points of viewing' or 'perspectivity' is providedas a resolution, where the researcher's perspective should be made apparent to the viewers.How does this translate into practice?

*** Hall, S. (1997). Representation, meaning, and language. ***
Representation defined: "production of meaning through language"Here, the word language is used to emcompass all symbols that allow communication.
Systems of representation consisting of1. concepts (conceptual maps)2. language (forming correspondance betweenconceptual map and set of signs)shared amongst the members of culture to allow meaningful representation.However, the meanig of social, cultural, linguistic conventions (cultural code) isconstantly changing.
3 theoretical approaches to explaining practices of Represetation:"where do meanings come from?"
1. reflective: meaning lies in the object or idea being represented2. intentional: meaning lies in the 'intention' of the communicator3. constructionist: meaning is constructed by members of society through conceptual and representational systems, independent of the actual world The relational connection exist between concepts and signs, reflecting the 'non-fixed' and arbitrary nature of representation. 3.1. Semiotic 3.2. Discursive