How do I set up my own reactable / reacTIVision etc?

I'm finding it hard to understand the set up process of making this work... Is there any user guide that is made for novice users like me? And I'm only using a Windows PC, not MAC.. most of the user guide i found is using MAC...

I'm still searching for this.. if anyone could help.. please please leave me some messages.. I have read the reacTIVision 1.3 web, but I am finding it difficult. Is it as easy as just installing all of them.. and it will work afterwards? Or.. do I have to add some of my own programming.. ?!?! owhh... confusing2...

this link is interesting to look at.. I can't read now.. but will look at this later...

http://ssandler.wordpress.com/my-software/

Tangible and Embedded Interaction 2008

A very recent research work that I did had led me to finding this particular Conference of interest. However, sadly to say, the conference was just held a month ago. But, I find it very interesting though, because the research area that I am interested into looking has its own predefined conference for discussions in its very own area.

Now, I have 2 conferences that I could target to for next year's paper submission. Very interesting and I am looking forward to it.

1. TEi2009 - 2008 webpage: http://tei-conf.org/index.html
2. IDC2009 - 2008 webpage: http://idc08.northwestern.edu/index.php

Following just the recently held conference is a Journal Submission of a very special issue on Tangible and Embedded Interaction in a new journal called "International Journal of Arts and Technology (IJART)".

From the research work that I have done, there are many interesting research findings that researchers had found. I am particularly interested in those involving children. Nevertheless, below are some of the current research work that I myself really admire (you should take a look on them, these people are so creative!):

1. Tangible Sequencer


2. Bubblegum Sequencer


And there are many more that you could find. The bubblegum sequencer is going to its first conference : CHI2008. I'm sure they will gain many interest after presenting their work.

More papers can be read through the ACM Digital Library. I will look into this further.

A 1:1 Session with the Librarian

Had just found out about this 1:1 session during our 2nd PROFOLIO course. And I personally think that this would definitely help my research findings. It was just a short session during Profolio, but it gave us enough overview on what it has to offer.

I managed to book a session for myself and I can't wait to go.

Before meeting the librarian, I gave her all the related keywords related to my research interest, and I really hope that it will gives a good outcome. I am still in search of a proper research question, therefore I really need to equip myself fully with information and knowledge. I need to register in my mind that PhD is a 3 year process of being a researcher.

I know that I am lacked of knowledge in being a researcher, as I have not experienced being one, therefore, I have got to focus a lot, being smarter in a way and THINK LIKE A RESEARCHER!

THINK LIKE A RESEARCHER!

Be like one... I know I am capable of doing it. I should be and I will be... Isn't that the purpose of taking this course in the first place? hmm...

I will become a researcher, therefore I can think like a researcher!

FOUND IT! FOUND IT!

I need to blog this in before I forget...

I FOUND WHAT I WANT TO DO!!!

i found my WHAT and WHY Question!!!

I found what I really wanted to find about...

yeay!!!

And I'm in the process of finding the background study, reading, research material so that I will be able to understand this more..

so that I will be able to do a literature review out of it!!!

thank you very much geraldine!

Themes.. themes.. I am still looking out for possible topics for my research...

I've read through (just the important ones) a book on childcare and education, but it is an old version one. But, I managed to get myself to understand some important elements needed to study children. Plus, a few theories involves, for example like play.

And then.. I'm also looking into stuffs related to TANGIBLE:-

tangible interface
tangible technology
tangible etc... etc... etc...

and I found this:

Tangible Sequencer on youtube.

Really cool!

Children & Problem Solving

So, can children actually solve problems?
How do they learn problem solving?
Was it a coincidence?

Nope, not really, they actually build up their problem solving skills by making their own hypothesis. And this actually started when they were first born into this world. Amazing isn't it?

But, how is that?

Example:

A baby cries when they are hungry. They know that if they cry, they will get milk, will be cuddled up by adults, and will keep quiet once they have got it.

They learn that, if they cry, they will get milk.

Next, since they can't talk verbally yet, therefore, they try other methods. They cry again, to get something, for example, to gain attention, to get toys, etc. If their hypothesis did not work, they will then try other methods like whining, or being upset, or making faces.

To understand this further, lets try more methods of mini experiments to see how children solves problem. My target will be toddlers at the age of 1-4 years old.

We will see what I got from this.


A new link that I just found, that might be useful for my further understanding:

http://www.aplaceofourown.net/question_detail.php?id=64

I hate the presentation I did...

It was not a good presentation, I know. There were some points that contributes to myself not presenting good enough:

1. The research topic is not of my interest anymore.
2. I am not keen of presenting it, because I am no more interested in it, therefore, I tend to doing it without much enthusiasm.
3. I did it, because I had to, for my coursework mark. (Even though it does not mean much as it does not contribute to passing my PhD course, but still, I want to do the best that I could.)

However, there were certain things that I noticed:

1. When I'm nervous, I tend to speak very quickly. I think I did this again?!?
2. I was holding a paper. In the first place, I planned to put it down, after finished using it, however due to nervousness and I forget about everything, I kept holding on the paper throughout the presentation.
3. Eye contact were still there, I think and I hope.

Well, above all, I've actually did many presentations in the previous years. However, due to lack of practices, the skills will slowly disappear, you know.

I remembered when I was doing this business presentations, and my manager was always saying to me, that practice will make perfect. Even though not 100% perfect, still, it will becomes better and better each and every time you do it. And I actually did improve a lot from not being able to stand in front of a crowd to being able to talk in front of thousands. But that was a bit different you see... it was in a different language.. it was my mother tongue, malay language...

There are certain things that makes a presentation very good, and these are some that I could think of:

1. Make sure that your eye contact with the audience covers all angle. Meanings, you don't speak with the audiences behind your back. And do not speak to the presentation slide/screen.

2. Make sure that you do not fidget with your hands. Audience will be distracted, and instead of looking at your slides, they will focus at your hands. This also relates to holding pens, papers, and even putting your hands in the pocket. Besides distracting, holding papers can also shows how nervous you are if you shivers.

3. Make sure that you are dressed comfortably. Not wearing something that you are not used to as this will distract your self from presenting well.

4. Slides are also of important value to the audiences. Make sure your slides are suitable, contains not of a lengthy wordings on one page, and are easy to understand.

We did have some discussions on one of our classes about presentation:

These can be seen in the images below (click on them to enlarge it):

About Presentation, what to do and what to avoid:

To summarize this, to be a good presenter, practice does helps a lot. Attending seminars and talks also gives some impacts towards how to prepare a good presentation. However it is, everybody makes mistakes and we have spaces to improve. That's what I personally think.