Notes for Ann: Director and Flash

Macromedia Flash:

• Multimedia authoring tool that creates files containing video, graphics, images, audio and 2D animation for use in the development of content for interactive websites, digital experiences and mobile content primarily based on the web
• Program designed to create and display small files on the web by limiting the types of images and media that can be displayed
• Includes tools to control how and when elements appear, move, sound and change while the flash movie/file plays
• Flash files are either called flash, SWFs (pronounced Swiffs) or Shockwave Flash
• Playback of files require a free Flash player which is already installed on 98% of desktops on the world
• Most widely deployed video platform on internet
• Flash files can be imported into Director to extend use of content to other distribution formats (i.e. DVD/CD, kiosks, etc.) or use as part of a director program/file

Macromedia Director:

• Multimedia authoring tool that creates files that incorporate a variety of media (video, graphics, images, audio, 2D and 3D animation) for deployment in different mediums (CD/DVD, kiosk presentation, web) and across different platforms
• Motto: Author once and publish anywhere multimedia authoring tool
• Includes tools to control how and when elements appear, move, sound and change while the director movie/file plays allowing for the creation of a single logical presentation and can create full-featured applications that access, launch , and control other applications within the file
• Director files for the web are called Shockwave files and require a free Shockwave player which over 390 million web users have installed on their desktops worldwide

Similarities and Differences Similarities:

• Incorporates animation, video, sound, graphics, text, font
• Tools to control how and when elements appear, move, sound and change while the movie plays
• Creates a web file
• Files can be included in html pages containing content to offer interactivity

Differences:

• Flash creates web only files that require Flash player
• Flash files are small compared to Shockwave files
• Director creates 2D and 3D animation but Flash creates only 2D
• Director can incorporate Flash files
• Director creates a file that can be distributed on CD/DVD, kiosks presentations and web. Director’s web files require use of Shockwave player.
• Director file can contain full-featured applications that access, launch, and control other applications

Ways to Use in eLearning

• To provide a visual representation of both concrete and abstract concepts, procedures, simulations and walk-throughs
• To aid in instruction that lends itself to narrative, animation, simulations and content interaction
• Interactivity could be added to a traditional html webpage by linking to a Flash or Shockwave file
• Flash or Director can create interactive tests, games, diagrams, or anything your imagination can dream of
• Use to develop multimedia presentations

Examples Flash Teaching Matters: The Scientific Process www.atschool.org/materials/principals/planning drag and drop items to design a classroom that incorporates technology examples of classrooms incorporating technology for Language Arts, Science, and Math- rollovers show more details of each item does not incorporate sound Phonetics: The Sounds of American English www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/ use of animation with sound and video with sound to show how to make a sound Beethoven Sonata: Syncopation http://wwwacad-prep.mtroyal.ab.ca/adc/conservatory/learn/movement/ use of sound and/or simple animation to teach principles of music Froguts Online Dissection http://www.froguts.com/ virtual biology lab subscription for several animals check out the demos Fertilization www.uchsc.edu/ltc/Fertilization.html animation without sound Director Multimedia presentation for a sales force within a company http://www.gregwalsh.com/portfolio/flash_pres.html moving text, sound, music, narration Planning Tool instruction elearning rollovers http://www.gregwalsh.com/portfolio/planningtoolrollover_85.html animation with rollovers and no sound