Rebecca Petersen and Dr. Michael Call, Linguistics
My goal in creating this tutorial was to “bring to life” some of the sites and treasures studied in the Humanities 201-202 sequence, stimulating student’s interest in the topics and providing support to the faculty teaching the courses. I feel that the module I completed successfully achieves that goal. I created a module, currently accessible in the Humanities PC Computing Lab, entitled, “Vezelay: A Romanesque Masterpiece.”
Vezelay is one of the most magnificent Romanesque cathedrals in Europe as well as an important historical site. It is located in France. During the middle ages it was an important site for religious pilgrims. It was from Vezelay that one of the Crusades for the Holy Land was instigated. Along with the rich history, the visitor will enjoy a visual feast.
The intent of my tutorial is to provide the user with historical perspective in conjunction with a rich visual experience. The tutorial focuses on five areas:
1) Philosophy: What were the philosophies that shaped the erection and operation of the structure?
2) Function: What specific function did it perform in the context of the culture?
3) Design: Who designed it and what were the determining forces influencing the designer’s choices?
4) Siting: Why is it located where it is? How does this interact with other structures? Why does it matter?
5) Engineering: How exactly was it created? Methods, Material, Techniques?
Through the use of multimedia, incorporating text with sound and graphics, I addressed the five areas outlined above. To present the tutorial I chose Toolbook, a multimedia authoring program. Using this tool I was able to integrate all the different components harmoniously creating a tutorial that teaches and entertains, complete with a quiz at the end. Any user should exit the tutorial with a basic knowledge of Vezelay as well as of Romanesque cathedrals in general.
Students enter the tutorial through a representation of an altarpiece. Before the user can proceed with the program they must complete a short instruction section. The instructions are simple and concise instructing the user to click on pictures or graphics to obtain additional information. The program should be simple for anyone who can read and knows how to use a mouse. Help is available throughout by clicking a button. After the user completes the instructions, they proceed to the next step.
The altarpiece has been adjusted to serve as a table of contents. The student may proceed with the tutorial in any order. In chronological order, the first section deals with the history and historical significance of Vezelay. The second section provides a labeled floor plan. The user clicks on the labels to see graphics and hear explanations of the graphics. The third section focuses on sculpture and provides similar graphics and descriptions. The fourth section is the quiz. The user is tested on their knowledge and memory of the tutorial using a combination of testing techniques.
The tutorial was tested by several students unfamiliar with the program and the subject matter. They understood significantly more about the topic after completing the tutorial. Additionally, these student testers were integral in determining the usability of the program. Several changes were implemented after the user testing.
The many students who will never have the opportunity to tour Europe firsthand, enjoying the beauties of the magnificent cathedrals and rich history can experience a “tour” of Vezelay through this tutorial. The tour will provide the students with a personal experience, facilitating a greater appreciation for and understanding of the subject. The user enjoys the tutorial at their own pace and on their own time. Students completing the Humanities sequence, studying the beauty of art, literature and architecture, have an additional resource.