Using Simple Animation Tools in Education

The growth of multimedia in education across the world is well documented, in particular the increase in film and animation. Governments and educational bodies in America, Europe, Asia and Australia are encouraging schools to use innovative technologies in the classroom and to boost media literacy. Film-based media courses continue to attract increasing numbers of students at both college and school level. Students, meanwhile, are showing increasing fluency with audio-visual media through their constant engagement with online video services such as YouTube and the ubiquitous availability of basic filmmaking tools such as camera phones and video editing suites included with both Windows and Mac computers.

iDMAa names Olin new Executive Director

Los Angeles– December 12, 2011 – The International Digital Media & Arts Association (iDMAa) today announced that Joseph Olin has been appointed Executive Director to give the association new strategic direction and focus as it positions itself as a champion for educators and creators in the growing digital media arts arena. Olin previously led the Academy of Interactive Arts as president and during his tenure grew the membership from 3,000 to 20,000.

Big Data and My Big Gut

“Locating Satellites.” Nope, it isn’t a B-52s song. It is what my “watch” is telling me. Quotation marks because the one thing that big digital device on my wrist can’t tell me (at least not that I have figured out, yet) is the time of day. Up at 5:30A for my morning run. I drag myself out of the sack early—I have to get rid of this big gut. iPod? Check. Favorite running shirt? Got it. Expensive high tech running shoes? Laced and ready. My new favorite running friend, my Garmin? The huge screen strapped to my wrist reads “Locating Satellites”—over and

The Digital Future of Magazines?

I have a confession to make. I love magazines. You could say I am a magazine addict. This doesn’t really fit with my image as a digital media professor, but I can’t help myself.

Maybe it has something to do with the smell of a new magazine, that unique combination of glossy paper and ink.

Maybe it has something to do with my upbringing. I first subscribed to a

“Where do you stay?”: Making sense of a new sense of place

A red silk shirt with blousey sleeves.  A black ascot.  And a black beret.  It was an outfit tailored to make a skinny white kid with stringy hair look like a goober.  In seventh grade, I was one of the first students bussed across town to help integrate the Rockdale County school system. Although I wouldn’t have said it then, being in the minority was a powerful learning experience.  But poor Mr. Hudson, a former professional jazz musician, was relegated to special circle of hell where he had to teach ungainly white kids like me how to