Generators

These "Event Generators" are something I've been working on for a while as a quick and easy to use tool that can get ideas flowing in a workshop. They are both totally customisable in terms of the "outputs" which are contained in a text file you can chane to suit your needs.

The original idea comes from John Davitt; the tools over on his site have been a real inspiration.

Anyway, there are 2 examples of the generator in action here; one is a general tool while the other is specific to a Digital Photography workshop. Although these tools are both web based and available as a downloadable standalone application for your computer, where you can edit the 15 possible outcomes, I'm also working on a native symbian app that you can install on your mobile phone (bear with me on that one!)

How Does it Work?

Well, it's pretty straightforward really. Just input the task into the box below and click OK to start the generator. The element of randomeness can really contribute to the enregy and fun in a workshop as well as encouraging participant to think creatively about the task and how to capture it.

The capture format is dependent on how you wish to run the workshop, or as a a lot more fun, ask the participant to come up with their own way of capture based on wahts around them; mobile phone, pen and paper, just whatever is handy or in your pockets!

This task can be run quickly in order to generate the most creativity and fun. Sometimes I've run it in just 10minutes.

The outcomes are many and varied but can have an impact on digital literacy as many of the outcomes are captured using digital media. These outcomes (and therefore workshop aims) include:

Using a mobile phone as a:

Video camera
Stills Camera
Audio Recording Device

Transferring data between devices using USB and Bluetooth protocols:

phone to phone
phone to PC
PC to phone

Although I do have to say that the best part of this tool is the sense of fun and creativity it provides.

So go ahead and have a go, or DOWNLOAD your own generator and come up with some new outcomes!

1. General Purpose Generator

2. "Lucky Dip" Digital Photography Workshop Generator

This Generator is designed specifically for our "Luck Dip" Digital Photography Workshop.

The great thing about digital cameras is they usually auto number the photographs that you take and this workshop we can take advantage of that numbering system in order to produce a "contact sheet" that byit's nature has a narrative form attached.

Although this generator is the "taking pictures" part of the workshop, I'll run through the thinking behind the contact sheet.

Like it says on the generator the first photo in the set is a photo of the actual word itself, generated at random (in this case) from a list of 15 words, or from a "lucky dip" bag of words. The participants are then asked to go off and photograph their interpretation of their word.

Every 20 minutes or so participants are asked to draw a new word from the bag and thus a new stream of photos begins starting again with the photo of the selected word.

After a series of these "draw and shoot" activities, which provide a great opportunity for participants to get to grips with the basics of using a digital stills camera, we return to base and get the photos onto a PC, where, using freeware apps we are able to produce a printable "story" of the photos that are prefixed with the word that was used to inspire them.

It's only a very short step form thsi to participants being able to produce an audion story based around these photos.

Again this generator is available on the DOWNLOADS page.