Wednesday, July 11, 2007

July 9,2007 Dr. Stan Ruecker

The presentation on data visualization was a stretch for the mind! It was refreshing to see a cross disciplinary approach . It is powerful to see the effects of engineering, computer science and the humanities combine to produce tools. The power to manage extensive amounts of information will be necessary to manage the “info-glut” of information that is building. Visual data representation has the capability to organize and process information. It helped me further visualize the development of Web 3.0. The multiple products Stan shared- from pill identification, to task analysis in the oil field, to organizing the works of female Commonwealth writers were interesting to view. As these products develop and enter the “mainstream” culture it will be intriguing to follow their evolutionary development. Some examples within elementary education where visual data representation could be useful: Math statistics and probability units, Social Studies comparisons of data between regions, provinces and countries and Health patterns and trends.

I also was interested in the more “cognitive” aspects of the framework- organizing information and watching it move on the page . Stan’s remarks about how the human mind likes to see the information remain on the page but responds positively to rearrangement was intriguing. In web development, I’m interested in the roles colour, movement, and organization and their consequent effect on cognitive function . Being a visual learner, I positively respond to the organization of information in such a visual format. Watching the presentation did bring to mind Joy’s article from Wireless magazine “Does the Future Need Us?”- artificial intelligence takes a giant leap forward in data visualization. Where does that leave the roles of humans in a Web 3.0 world?

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