Internet Lectures Research: Notes

Internet Lectures Research:

Broadening the Audience for Live Slide Show Presentations

Sections:

Introduction

Benefits of Web lectures

Scope of opportunity

Barriers

Solutions

TFAO financial assistance

Other multimedia projects

For further study

Responses to inquiries

Notes

1. Web lectures can also be offered for a period of time exclusively to members and to non-members for a fee. If a museum already has an online ordering and payment module to support its bookstore, Web lectures can be part of the available merchandise in the form of a CD or online download. Web lectures can be offered as part of a suite of online services to members. For instance, member newsletters or magazine issues can be also placed online in the form of PDF files and archived for future access. CD copies of Web lectures may be placed in the museum's library for use by the staff of the museum's education department or the public.

2. On a computer monitor screen an image appears a set of virtual pushbuttons resembling those for a cassette, VHS or DVD recorder. Virtual buttons can be clicked on for:

Play (start the automatic sequence of segments)
Stop (stop the automatic sequence)
Beginning (Rewind slide show to the first slide or segment)
End (Fast forward slide show to the last slide or segment)
Previous (Step to the previous slide or segment)
Next (Step to the next slide or segment)
Close (Close the slide show)
Sound (loudness)

3. The method used to identify online narrative lectures was to review Web sites of likely museum sources backed up by numerous Google searches employing a variety of relevant keywords. The original survey was conducted in August, 2004. Since that time TFAO has continuously searched for examples of Web lectures from museums within the May 31, 2003 to June 1, 2004 time period. When and if examples are found the survey results will be amended. Also, TFAO is continuously searching the Web for narrated slide shows from other sources.

4. Virgil E. Varvel Jr., Computer Assisted Instruction Specialist with the Illinois Online Network of the University of Illinois, links to a short paper from the Madison Conference on Distance Education proceedings in the September/ October 2004 issue of Pointers & Clickers which discusses using storyboards in online course design. Also see Iowa State University Extension. Tips for storyboarding, Usability Net. (2003). Storyboarding, Adrian Mallon, 1995, Storyboarding Multimedia.

5. Moneta Kwok-Ching Ho, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology placed online her May 2004 thesis "From Physical to Virtual: Extending the Gallery Experience Online." In Chaper Four: Conclusion, (p. 52) Ms. Ho offers a suggestiion to exhibition team members of museums: "A good idea is to draw from academic contacts and partnerships with universities. Many students of new media art and design would be interested in developing Web sites in exchange for the portfolio and resume-building experience, school credit, or references and contacts that the museum can offer." She says"...these kinds of museum-academic partnerships are quite common" and gives examples of collaborations.

6. For examples see Scope of opportunity.

7. About LiveSlideShow:

On Apple Computer's web site a page about LiveSlideShow says "...Offers Macintosh and Windows users the most effective presentation tool for digital images available to consumers today. Being a QuickTime based product, slide show movies created with LiveSlideShow can easily be shared between Macintosh and Windows computer systems."

Creativepro.com says " LiveSlideShow is the easiest way to create a slideshow for sending via Email or posting on the Internet. Simply supply your images, specify between slide transitions and export your slideshow as a QuickTime Movie "

In a MacCentral article by Jim Dalrymple, dated November 7, 2001 the article reports that "LiveSlideShow 2.0 features a built-in voice recorder so you can narrate your entire presentation, if you wish"

On the LiveSlideShow web page there is a link for an "information flyer." The information flyer says that "LiveSlideShow's built-in voice recorder allows you to create voiceovers for each of your slides. This perfect for adding narrative descriptions..."

In a Kodak web page on the 2.0 version of the software, Kodak says "LiveSlideShow is the ideal slideshow creator for the digital photographer looking to make beautiful slideshows quickly and easily. With a vast range of features and options photographers are free to express their imagination."

An April 2002 article by MacAddict reports "LiveSlideShow 2 takes about 10 minutes to learn-no manual required. In fact, if you've ever used iMovie, you'll feel right at home in LSS. You import still pics and sound files into a media Shelf window, drag them to a simple Timeline in the order you want them to play, and then preview your show in the Layout window. You can define how long each slide should stay onscreen, and adding text captions (even scrolling ones), transitions (choose from 10 customizable ones), and sound to each slide is straightforward. With version 2, you can also add a background soundtrack to your slide show and generate HTML code for publishing shows to the Web." [pages accessed 10/29/04]

8. There are several sources of voice recording software. Express Dictate from NCH Swift Sound allows dictation to be recorded and then transmitted over the Web or by email. NCH's RecordPad Sound Recorder and WavePad Sound Editor are audio recording and editing programs for Windows. QuickVoice from nFinity Inc. gives Macintosh computers voice recording capabilities including: a digital voice recorder. For speech recording, a microphone such as the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone is an option. Also see "Selecting Microphones for Desktop Narrations." by Les Howles as referenced under the Solutions page. [pages accessed 10/28/04]

9. Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language. According to Jupitermedia Corporation's web site "SMIL was created specifically to solve the problems of coordinating the display of a variety of media (multimedia) on Web sites. By using a single time line for all of the media on a page their display can be properly time coordinated and synchronized." [accessed 10/27/04]

This research report was prepared by John Hazeltine, director, Traditional Fine Art Organization.

rev. 11/3/04

The above links, names and addresses are provided only as referrals for your further study and consideration. Please use due diligence in employing referenced consultants or vendors. Traditional Fine Art Organization, Inc. takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information from the named organizations or firms which may be inaccurate or out of date. Traditional Fine Art Organization, Inc neither recommends or endorses the above referenced organizations.