I'm an old and old-fashioned person, and I often find video's too fast and
too glitzy. But what about really good documentation in plain old written
form with good illustrations?
I learned how to cook with Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French
Cooking. In the digital world, Microsoft Access many years ago had an
outstanding tutorial using its Northwind database (also about cooking).
Peter Robinson has had a real flair for documentation. His Anastasia
publishing program takes you step by step through the building of a simple
database, using both explanation and hands-on instruction.
One of the problems of videos is that they suggest that things are easy
and can be learned in the time it takes to watch the video. This is the
Big Lie of computer applications. These things may not be as hard to learn
as playing the violin. But they are typically a lot harder than learning
how to ride a bicycle.
The people who write the code typically are not good people to write the
tutorials, for the same reason that great basketball players don't make
for good coaches. They don't have an intuitive sense of what newbies find
difficult.
But my hunch is that in the long run investment in really good "words and
pictures" documentation will work best. It may include the occasional
video.
Martin Mueller
On 7/18/11 8:29 AM, "Gabriel Bodard" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Thanks, Dot. This might be an interesting idea to play with some time.
>I've considering doing something similar using the iLab here at KCL some
>time, but haven't had time to set it up.
>
>My reaction to the idea of instructional videos was the same as your,
>initially: that the vast majority of productive time at EpiDoc workshops
>involves face-time and individual help, rather than standing at the
>front of the room lecturing. On the other hand, though, if someone could
>set up recording equipment at an EpiDoc workshop, I personally would be
>more than happy for videos of the main presentations to be made available.
>
>One weakness of the e-workshop idea (just to complete the circle) is
>that once you factor in the real costs of running such a session, as we
>inevitably have to these days, that includes the instructors' paid time,
>and in that case the cost of travel and accommodation--even going
>halfway around the world, is a small part of the overall cost of the
>event. However good the technology, I don't think it will ever be quite
>as good as face-to-face, so even if it's, say, 25% cheaper, is that a
>real economy?
>
>Having said all that--a resounding yes to let's try all of these ideas.
>I'll ask around for video equipment in advance of the September workshop.
>
>Thanks,
>
>G
>
>On 2011-07-18 14:02, Dot Porter wrote:
>> I'm not sure instructive videos would work. In my experience TEI
>> workshops are most successful when there is a lot of time for
>> questions and answers, substantial interaction between learners and
>> teaches. I haven't attended an EpiDoc workshop but (given it's a
>> subset of TEI) I expect it's the same. Virtual workshops might work,
>> though, if you could deal with potentially having people located in
>> several different time zones. Indiana University Libraries uses Adobe
>> Connect for virtual meetings and lectures, it has the ability for
>> sharing screens and type-chat and voice-chat. If it could be used for
>> virtual EpiDoc workshops I would be more than happy to act as host
>> ("host" meaning that I set up the system - instructors and students
>> could log in from anywhere).
>>
>> Dot
>>
>> On Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 10:52 AM, Schwendner, Gregg
>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> Wouldn't a series of instructive videos be in order, on demand from a
>>>website e.g.?
>>> I guess it's to be expected that academic prestige and air-miles go
>>>hand in hand, esp. here in (academically) class conscious America, but
>>>information and skills training need not.
>>>
>>> Thanks so much to Scott, Notis, James, Tom, and Gabriel for their
>>>messages.
>>>
>>> Gregg Schwendner
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jul 17, 2011, at 6:03 AM, Gabriel Bodard wrote:
>>>
>>>> There is a further question that arises from Gregg's original message,
>>>> which is the availability of EpiDoc training in the US (or better
>>>> decentralized training materials in some form). This is probably
>>>> something that needs discussing on the Markup list, but folks here on
>>>> Digiclass may have thoughts about how to keep up momentum in a
>>>> distributed project at times when there is no specific resource
>>>> dedicated to public engagement(*)...?
>>>>
>>>> (*) For context: for several years, EpiDoc training sessions were
>>>> provided both in the UK and worldwide by virtue of dissemination funds
>>>> as part of the AHRC-funded Inscriptions of Aphrodisias project. In the
>>>> aftermath of this project, we're no longer in the position to donate
>>>> several person-days worth of paid time, travel and accommodation
>>>> costs, etc., and travel around the world several times a year. I would
>>>> urge anyone who is in the process of applying for funds to run an
>>>> EpiDoc-related project to think very carefully (and consult the Markup
>>>> list) about including the true cost of bringing qualified trainers in
>>>> to run such a workshop as part of your project.
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>> Gabriel
>>>>
>>>> On 17 July 2011 10:54, Tom Elliott<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>> On 7/17/11 4:09 PM, James Cummings wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I would, of course, second this recommendation. This uses the
>>>>>>standard
>>>>>> TEI-C stylesheets to move between formats (e.g.docx to tei). I
>>>>>>thought
>>>>>> that EpiDoc was moving to being a pure TEI P5 subset rather than an
>>>>>> extension. If that isn't the case, if the EpiDoc community produces
>>>>>>both
>>>>>> a pure TEI P5 to EpiDoc and an EpiDoc to pure TEI P5 XSLT
>>>>>> transformation, we could include it in the OxGarage set of
>>>>>> transformations so you could go direct from docx (or format of
>>>>>>choice)
>>>>>> to EpiDoc.
>>>>>
>>>>> James, just to clarify: EpiDoc is now a fully conformant P5
>>>>>customization.
>>>>> We're not doing anything above-and-beyond.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Tom Elliott, Ph.D.
>>>>> Associate Director for Digital Programs
>>>>> Senior Research Scholar
>>>>> Institute for the Study of the Ancient World
>>>>> New York University
>>>>> http://isaw.nyu.edu/people/staff/tom-elliott/
>>>>>
>>>>> want to meet?: http://tungle.me/paregorios/
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Dr Gabriel BODARD
>>>> (Research Associate in Digital Epigraphy)
>>>>
>>>> Centre for Computing in the Humanities
>>>> King's College London
>>>> 26-29 Drury Lane
>>>> London WC2B 5RL
>>>>
>>>> Email: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 1388
>>>> Fax: +44 (0)20 7848 2980
>>>>
>>>> http://www.digitalclassicist.org/
>>>> http://www.currentepigraphy.org/
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>--
>Dr Gabriel BODARD
>(Research Associate in Digital Epigraphy)
>
>Department of Digital Humanities
>King's College London
>26-29 Drury Lane
>London WC2B 5RL
>
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 1388
>Fax: +44 (0)20 7848 2980
>
>http://www.digitalclassicist.org/
>http://www.currentepigraphy.org/
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