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C.B.L. Czech Appreciation Project info.

This is some of the information about our Challenge Based Learning project that will be used by the students who are presenting our work at the Friday evening event at the Lobkowicz Palace. But for everyone, this will help clarify the process that we've been doing and the challenge that we have taken up.

I'll start with the general introductory comments that Dr. Beiber will be making at the event, which summarize the project:

"US Technology Teacher John Rayworth, Facilitator
Big Idea – Appreciation of our host country.

· Guiding questions were collected and refined via wikis. They included things like “Why do so many people visit the Czech Republic?”, and “What are some important events in Czech history?” 

Using a variety of I.T. Design programs, the student did the following:
· With Flash and Actionscript, students created versions of the popular Internet game "The Impossible Quiz", with questions focusing on one of four themes:

• Music and the Arts in the Czech Republic
• Czech History and Traditions
• Czech Technology and Innovation
• A Tour of Prague

· Another group of students, using Autodesk Maya made 3D models of Czech castles, along with animated journeys through them.
· And the third group of students, using Logic Express, produced and re-mixed MIDI files of music associated with the Czech Republic, and the Lobkowicz Palace.

Tonight, the three parts of the project will coalesce. As you pass by the IT Design students, the 3d animations and Logic remixes will be finished up, rendered and exported.  And with that, the final pieces of the Flash Games will be ready to put into place. 

So you’ll be able to appreciate, live, the ease with which this generation of students applies I.T., in a collaborative way, toward a better appreciation of their world."

In terms of the CBL process itself, here is the breakdown:

I.T. Design CBL Project

Students in two I.T. Fundamentals classes have worked in collaboration with students in a Games Production class to produce Flash Games that incorporate 3D models/animation, and audio re-mixing.

Big Idea: Appreciation of host country.

Essential Question: How can we gain a better appreciation of our host country, the Czech Republic, through a project that applies various “I.T. As A Profession” software we are learning in class?

The Challenge: To create a Flash game with questions about the Czech Republic, which incorporates 3D models made in Autodesk Maya, and music remixed in Logic Express.

Sample Guiding Questions: Who are some famous Czech people?  What makes the Czech Republic an interesting place to live in?  Other guiding questions, and collaborative resources, are available from the links at the course website: www.JohnRayworth.info/jsr/CBL-Home.php

Solution-Action: The finished Games are to be promoted and made available to the school community through our intranet, as well as elsewhere on the world-wide-web.

Assessment: The rubrics drawn up for this project are very flexible, since the students decided individually how to approach the challenge, which applications to use and how to use them, and how to handle collaboration and group work.

Publishing: The Games will be available on various websites, both educational and game/3d/audio industry-related.

In terms of the Applications used and the process:

Audio:

Apple Logic Express was used. Several different approaches were taken to keep it a Czech theme. These included:

• Re-mixing MIDI recordings of famous Czech composer's pieces to make them sound better.
• Re-mixing the pieces but to make them sound more modern.
• Creation of MIDI files from notes, and adding original flare.
• Creation of MIDI files by listening to famous Czech songs.
• All of the above.

3D & Animation:

Autodesk Maya 3D was used.

• Several models were made in support of the Games, but generally they fell into two groups: Prague metro, and Czech castles.
• Other models and animation included hounds to chase away the losers of the Games, and a guard to either welcome or turn away a player.
• Models were made, and then animations were done to either be used as transitions between questions or at the point the player wins or loses the game.

Game Production:

Adobe Flash along with its scripting language Actionscript was used.

• A game was made that works similarly to the popular Internet game "The Impossible Quiz".
• As a soundtrack, music produced by the students using Logic Express was imported.
• For various points in the game, particularly the beginning, and when the game is either won or lost, animations of models made by students in Maya were imported.