I've had to build screen capture capabilities into a number of projects over the last few years and generally have a lot of fun doing it. Perhaps not the easiest task to begin with but broken down into a series of lessons should be doable. A simple tool could allow the user to drag out a selection area (using import snapshot) and then place the image in its own (resized) window. Once there let the user doodle on it (using a freehand draw graphic) and save the result to an image file. For extra complexity add in the ability to change colours and pen sizes.
Terry... On 12/08/2011, at 08:01 AM, Judy Perry wrote: > I have a vague notion of a hands-on assignment for my classes next term > involving having them use the 30-day demo and making something > semi-interesting (to them) in LC. > > Apparently I did a really sucky job of articulating this to the first person > I asked, so, here I try, try again, this time including my necessary caveats > and reasons why: > > If you had a month, meaning, 4 long sessions or 8 shorter sessions, to get an > absolute Joe Public to make something small but semi-interesting in LC, i.e., > something they couldn't do in PowerPoint, what are the top 5 things you'd > want them to learn about programming? > > I mean, I'm guessing it's something like IDE, Stack-Card metaphor, commands, > functions, conditionals, variables... but I'm looking for those categories > along with some specific examples per my caveats below. > > CAVEATS: > > 1. This is a General Education class meaning students either have to take > this "Computers and Society" course or some biology course involving > dissection. This means they don't particularly want to take this class but > it strikes them as less gross than dissecting worms or heaven know what. > But, seriously: nobody really wants to be there. > > 2. #1 above means that student engagement is a MUST. The point of the > assignment is NOT to make them hate using computers. #1 also means that some > of them barely know how to do attachments with email. It also means that > some of them are downright computer-phobic. > > 3. No "Hello World." Sorry, but "Hello World" is a distinct historical and > cultural artifact to which this audience simply will not relate. One of the > rules of interactive system design is that using a computer to do something > should always offer some seriously compelling reason to do it that way as > opposed to the way they know, and writing three lines of script to put "Hello > World" into a text field isn't likely to sound more compelling that simply > typing it in the field themselves. The point of the assignment is NOT to > turn them into programmers but to help them appreciate some of the things > that go into the applications they use everyday and some of the things those > programmers have to contend with/know. > > 4. Each step or lesson along the way needs to result in something that is > engaging to the learner. Current adult learning theory is that adults need, > yupp, instant gratification, or at least be able to see that they are getting > somewhere. > > 5. No standalone production (I don't want to have to guess at what they > didn't do correctly). We may do revlets though. > > Ideas, suggestions gratefully accepted; otherwise, I'll just wing it like I > usually do. ;-) > > Judy > > _______________________________________________ > use-livecode mailing list > use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription > preferences: > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > _______________________________________________ use-livecode mailing list use-livecode@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode
