[Year 12 IPM] Re: OT Kahootz, 7-10 IT and Has VELS got it WRONG?

[Peter Maggs]

Dear List Members,

I had the post from Stephen Digby regarding Kahootz forwarded to me from
the 'Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'
Mailing List. I appreciate his frank assessment and would like to take
this opportunity to respond to his comments on behalf of the Kahootz
Team.

As most secondary ICT teachers would appreciate 3D software has
traditionally been seen as too complex and advanced for many students at
primary age (and in some cases early secondary) to use and master.
Kahootz attempts to provide both primary and secondary age students with
an open-ended set of 3D construction tools that introduces concepts such
as 3D manipulation, keypoint and timed based animation, linking, spatial
understanding and perspective.

We believe Kahootz introduces students to a range of generic
construction and authoring concepts that will allow them to develop and
refine skills across a range of digital media. Currently Kahootz does
not provide complex authoring or professional 3D modelling capability.
The reasons for this were twofold:

- The complexity involved may preclude many students (and non-ICT
teachers) from using these functions, especially outside of ICT classes.

- Students will naturally progress to higher-level authoring tools as
they master the generic Kahootz concepts.

One of the clear rationales for DET in placing Kahootz into Victorian
Government schools was to provide every school with an entry-level 3D
application that would hopefully lead to the exploration of more
task-specific and sophisticated software applications. Feedback from
teachers at both primary and secondary level would seem to suggest this
is occurring.

I'd now like to address some of Stephen's specific observations:
 
1. Slow Loading Xpressions

The load speed of Kahootz Xpressions is largely dependent on the
processor speed of the machine and the number of 3D Objects that have
been placed in the saved Xpression. Whilst I agree that where there are
a large number of Objects included, the Xpression may be relatively slow
to load, it would be uncommon for an Xpression to take longer than 30-60
seconds to load.

2. No Online Help

The Kahootz pack came with the 'Kahootz User Guide' that provides
detailed instruction in the use of Kahootz. Each Victorian school should
also receive a 'Kahootz Tutorial CD' from DET early in Term Three that
provides simple instruction in the basic Kahootz functions.

3. Minimising Kahootz Window

Whilst Kahootz does not use the standard Windows minimise function,
Ctrl+H is all that is required to minimise Kahootz and switch between
applications.

4. 'Stock' Images Limit Students

At first glance it may appear that the construction process is limited
to the existing library of Worlds and Objects. We have found however
that students through the use of manipulating the depth, width, height,
etc of the Objects and by grouping multiple Objects, are effectively
able to create 'new' Objects that do not exist in the library.

The Swatching function also allows for Worlds and Objects to be
substantially transformed in a visual sense. Importing 2D images and
saving them as a Swatch also allows for the student's own artwork,
scanned images or digital camera photos to be 'swatched' to the 3D
surfaces of Worlds and Objects.

5. Inability to Import Images

We accept the limitations you raise regarding the importation of
animated gifs and other similar formats. It is something we are looking
at in terms of future development.

In the case of your students being unable to import or create animated
flames, this could have been achieved by Swatching an Object with one of
the 'fire' surfaces in the Animated category of Swatches.

6. Import/Export Flash

This is something we are happy to look at as part of our future
development of Kahootz.

7. MovieMaker Function

List members are probably aware that we recently released a downloadable
Update Patch that allows for individual Kahootz Scenes to be exported as
either AVI or QT movies. We are already seeing schools use this
functionality to combine Kahootz with other applications such as video
and sound editing programs to create integrated 3D video presentations.

8. Lessons and Examples

The 'Teaching Activities' area of the www.kahootz.com
<http://www.kahootz.com >  site is definitely geared towards providing
non-ICT teachers with simple tutorial instruction in the use of Kahootz.
We make no apology for this.

The 'Showcase' area at www.kahootz.com <http://www.kahootz.com >
provides a range of teacher-created examples of unit outlines that
illustrate how Kahootz has been incorporated into various areas of the
curriculum. Whether these are 'shallow or speculative' I will leave that
for others to judge, although the feedback we have received from both
primary and secondary teachers has been overwhelmingly positive.

We are continually looking to improve the quality and breadth of our
teacher resources. Any suggestions in this area would be greatly
appreciated. The ACTF has been working with DET to generate additional
materials that will arrive in Victorian schools shortly that will
further illustrate how classroom teachers have been integrating Kahootz
across the curriculum.

9. Motivational Tool for Students

If I am correct Stephen seemed to suggest that whilst Kahootz may have
been a, "motivational tool for fun exploration of animation", this was
possibly a diversionary and unjustified objective in a crowded primary
curriculum. I'll leave that for others to judge. However, below are just
a sample of links to Kahootz Project Spaces created by Australian
primary and secondary teachers demonstrating their students' work using
Kahootz and the way it has been integrated across the curriculum.


Roxburgh Homestead Primary School
Teacher: Maree Leopold
Year Level: 6
Subject Area: SOSE
Topic: Three Steps - Strategies to Prevent Bullying
Project Space Link:
http://roxburghhomesteadps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpres
sions.vm/pro_id/589/teacher_id/1009?navitem=school%2Fbrowse

Ararat Community College
Teacher: Jo Tate
Year Level: 8
Subject Area: Science
Topic: Endangered Species 
Project Space Link:
http://araratcc.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpressions.vm/pr
o_id/337/teacher_id/396?navitem=school%2Fbrowse

Belconnen High School
Teacher: Nanette Bragg
Year Level: 9
Subject Area: ICT
Topic: Changes in Technology, Environment and Lifestyle
Project Space Link:
http://belconnen.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpressions.vm/p
ro_id/427/teacher_id/548?navitem=school%2Fbrowse
<http://roxburghhomesteadps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpre
ssions.vm/pro_id/589/teacher_id/1009?navitem=school%2Fbrowse > 

Princes Hill Primary School
Teacher: Rita Jokubaitis
Year Level: 5
Subject Area: History
Topic: Stolen Generation
Project Space Link:
http://princeshillps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpressions.
vm/pro_id/678/teacher_id/5209?navitem=school%2Fbrowse
<http://roxburghhomesteadps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpre
ssions.vm/pro_id/589/teacher_id/1009?navitem=school%2Fbrowse > 

Wheelers Hill Primary School
Teacher: Simon Broecker
Year Level: 6
Subject Area: English
Topic: Recreating a Novel as a Kahootz Movie
Project Space Link:
http://wheelershillps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpressions
.vm/pro_id/586/teacher_id/4656?navitem=school%2Fbrowse
<http://roxburghhomesteadps.kahootz.com.au/kz/template/school%2CListXpre
ssions.vm/pro_id/589/teacher_id/1009?navitem=school%2Fbrowse > 

I would be happy to provide additional links to work being uploaded by
teachers using Kahootz in diverse ways.

10. Contacting the Kahootz Team

I'm sorry to hear that Stephen wasn't able to contact us directly. The
info at kahootz.com <mailto:info at kahootz.com >  email address was provided
with the documentation that each school received when Kahootz was
delivered by DET late last year.

The 'Help Guide' link at www.kahootz.com <http://www.kahootz.com >  also
provides you with the capacity to email the Kahootz Team directly. I
would be keen to hear from any other teachers who have been unable to
touch base with us.

We appreciate that Stephen has taken the time to air his thoughts
regarding Kahootz. Kahootz was developed in Melbourne with the support
and assistance of Victorian teachers. We intend to improve and develop
the software with the continued involvement of Victorian teachers. If
anyone on the mailing list would like to discuss any of the issues
raised with me directly, I would be happy to have a chat at any time.

Regards,

Peter Maggs
Head of New Media
Australian Children's Television Foundation
Email: peter.maggs at actf.com.au <mailto:peter.maggs at actf.com.au > 
PH: (03) 9419 8800

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