Digital Cheeseburger

[GraphDesProject]

Designing a Learning Activity: Digital Cheeseburger
At first, I was really happy to do this task, especially as I’m currently designing very short activities to be used at education conventions (not necessarily HE ones). However, after thinking about this all week and trying out a few things I have come to the conclusion that the time scale of 15-20mins is way too short to be able to do it properly, especially if I want to use the cycle of absorb, do, connect. So this activity is basically just a part of a wider set of activities. It’s a graphic design technical (rather than conceptual,  aesthetic or reflective) activity for complete beginners – get used to the idea of layers in design software by building a digital cheeseburger! I tried it out myself, not being at all familiar with Gimp – it took me 35 minutes to build my layers cheeseburger, but I was so pleased with the result! My 11 year old then built one in 10 minutes, without a tutorial, having been looking over my shoulder. Hmm.
PS: We have always encouraged our f2f design students to find their own tutorials and to then teach these to each other in formal sessions (they also do it on a need-to-know basis and help each other when needed). This activity was really aimed at none f2f learners.
•Title of activity
Becoming Familiar with Gimp Layers
 •Intended learning outcome/s
For learner: To begin to find way around the free photo manipulation software, Gimp
For tutor: To demonstrate that online tutorials are ideal ways of getting information and learners don’t have to rely on or wait for tutor input.
 •Activity description
Watch the layers tutorial about Gimp on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ThCiEK6r3s  (absorb) (10 mins) and then look at the Gimp image screen to locate the tools needed (absorb and begin to do).
•Time
30 minutes
 •Prerequisites
1)      Download (very straightforward but does take time)Gimp software http://www.gimp.org/
2)      Watch a tutorial on finding the tools in Gimp and anchoring them to the dock http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB2dQcpTZHE
 •Link to technology used
Internet for tutorials and then the Gimp free software
 •Links to additional resources
There are many basic tutorials about Gimp on YouTube (such as  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUMiHZScthE) and, amongst others, the website of Gimped Tutorials which are very clear and easy to follow http://gimpedtutorials.com/ .
·         Follow Up
The follow up would be a further “do” activity of about 30-40 mins to watch the tutorial again, pausing it to do the actions mentioned. Then a similar session around placing type. Then there’d be a “connect” to professional practice/community of practice activity of making something like a simple poster or postcard using the layers facility ie doing what designers do.
– If anyone has the time (yes, doubtful) to have a go and let me know what they think (beginner designers, preferably!) I’d be very grateful. And the challenge of a 20 minute stand-alone online activity is still on…..
Sancha (@GraphDesProject)

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