A game: Minecraft Mania; a 3D Purple Mash game presented by Matt Wilson and Kayleigh Thaver

Latest Video Posting: They explore the basic structure of 3D game development (Purple Mash). This May trial on the 6th is an experiment using: Google Hangouts, Kayleigh Thaver and Matthew Wilson -a dynamic range of wonderful features. The coding presentations explores the basic structure of developing a 3d game, Purple Mash Game 2DIY3D.

The game uses Minecraft like features. Scores are given as various objects are touched. Lives are lost or points subtracted when colliding with + or - objects. We all appreciated the audio features -which promoted a multimedia dimension in the whole composition.

They used Google Image search to find and download the right images -to give different qualities. The images were taken, merged with Purple Mash 2DIY3D from the desktop.

these images were discussed to evaluate whether they suited the feed the general composition (Minecraft qualities). Interesting to see that Minecraft became -again the source to imitate.

We initiated our sound -through hangouts; though unexpectedly struggled with the results viz., in terms of quality.

Found At: https://youtu.be/ZYOwlJOsAEc

Bryneven Purple Mash lesson: Gr 6 Princess and the Frog

Latest Video Posting: We have developed our initial introduction into using the timer control. The experience explores mobile objects come into contact, with the collision event.

This lesson -focussed on their change when they are touching one another. Activation code triggers or directs the object's motion, the frog and the princess. Within this lesson we use appropriate event blocks to initiate direction in the movement of objects (on click event). This is a collision event.

We explore how the timer control is placed inside the collision event code blocks. To trigger the signal code (motion, we use the time period of 2 seconds) we use a timer. The lesson also explores the variable image of an object -the code can be defined, to change its appearance. Thanks to Riley Dove -who assisted in this explanation

Found At: https://youtu.be/Liv1L_BGGiA

Bryneven presents Communicating: groups in email (Purple Mash)

Latest Video Posting: Teachers can reach the learner groupings by establishing groups that suite the particular need e.g., remedial, extension, teams for sports and so forth.

This lesson is targetting staff to develop an interest in engaging and effectively using the communication possibilities within Purple Mash. April 30th, the Day before May 1st: Gauteng Education teacher at Bryneven, Mr Bradley (Mr B) explores the groups that enable effective communiction -via the emailing section of Purple Mash.

The objective of this video is to pursue the education of twenty-first century, with pushing for a more comprehensive use of this digital system. The content adds into the resources and experiences -possibilities made by using Purple Mash's teaching and learning resources.

We appreciate your input into all of this.

Found At: https://youtu.be/b_5x3TG0cps

Staff Training: Data Dashboard Tracking scores, rewards and tasks

Latest Video Posting: This afternoon's football was cancelled due to the weather (Thursday, 25th April). My under 10 practice session is substituted the a training video for teachers. It an exercise, exploring the dashboard feature. The Data dashboard allows the educator to easily scrutinize and track work: tasks, scores and rewards of the subject or class. I wonder if ths feature can be equivalent to a dusty grey label, the old mark book. This feature makes Mash more attractive for a teacher; bringing the work to hand, life enriching -thanks to being so convenient. I hope it might you to see how it can alleviate some of the administrative overload -which often strains the teacher esp., motivation. I hope this video will feed the technological trend and perspective (TTAP) of teachers. You might begin to see a TTAP bringing a means to overcome many of the difficulties. Let allow teachers focus more on teaching and learning practices. So they can concentrate more on the child, teaching and learning. Purple Mash is child-centred creative approach should be used to promote learning. Found At: https://youtu.be/ed12xNevD6s

Matthew Wilson Bryneven Primary Scratch Pen Project tutorial 1

Matthew Wilson is a talented student in the Sixth Grade Bryneven Primary School. The lesson presents a further scratching into code: here programming with artistic effects. Matthew's project includes the use of the pen effect, extensions in Scratch Programming. We examine the features expressed through the Pen extension (pen up, down, color) with many creative aspects brought to the fore. In this lesson, Matt explores how to create and define the characteristics and behavior of sprites (the buttons in this case are with a green ball). These buttons are connected to blocks, random variables and more. Matt guides us -providing examples of messages being broadcast -that affects pen behavior. The coding class uses the request object block, to determine the selection of what to draw. Reference is numbering variable, which affects the speed, colour and movement of the drawing. The direction along the X and Y axes is marked with the message transfer to hide or display the point to be painted (green sphere sprite). ============= Bryneven Primary teacher, Mr Bradley (GDE Gauteng Dept of Education) provides the means to display knowledge. In this case how to construct automated art. Most appreciate Matthews input and efforts in doing the series of lessons. Thanks for watching. Link: https://youtu.be/WaTMm80F0EI

Man and Machine

The man decided to use a machine to train himself. He gave the machine all the words, he knew. 

He asks the machine "What did you learn?" The Machine recited a long list of words. 

“You are so clever,” he said, “I could not read the whole list, so fast.” 

The machine replied: "I have learnt the words, you taught me."

He asked, "What are you now going to do, with this knowledge?"

The machine answered, "I can say all these words, but I do not know what they mean."

“Therein lies the mystery,” he thought, “this machine is questioning!"

He wondered: “Sooner or later, this machine will know God,” he said, to himself.

“This is a very difficult situation,” he said to himself: I will do it alone.

Purple Mash: System Modelling Example

Scratch Lesson: Time Table Game

Human: extended version

Human

A film that will reestablish you ,with your connection, to others. What is it that makes us human? And how best to ensure that we all get our fair say? For director, photographer, and environmental activist Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

Crystal music

Touch of all that is human

Today, is the 21st January, I celebrate the return of a good friend who has wandered across the vaste expanse of human experience. Returns bring stories of strange peculiar lands, cultures, myths and so on. I ask you to redefine your part in the complexity of form. Touch on lost aspects of your past, after all, nature is looking for a place - a connection -you are the vessel for such potential to be realized.

Here we have the return of the separate pieces, independent, once again meeting, a celebration on returning: the home coming pattern -where they belonged throughout, had it not been for human complication.

We are essentially natural spirits,  return, bringing back a bit of what was missing in your heart. This music will strike a subtle note, touch you within, touching you inside.

Language and signs

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25814327-the-first-signs

Robotics

Teaching robots
Reverse curriculum: approaching the teaching of robots and automation.

Self sustaining robots
An interesting article was published in the new scientist on the 5th of November 2016. In this publication we read of self-sufficient soft robots. These are robots that digest food sources which provide them with the energy to do work.

They have a mouth made of a soft polymer membrane. The robot can suck in a whole belly full of water and biomatter. The system has an artificial gut, termed a microbial fuel cell. This microbial fuel cell is filled with microbes that  break down the biomass and convert chemical energy into electrical energy. This electrical energy then powers the robot.

In this way the robots provides itself with enough energy to be self sustainable. The advantages of a self sustaining robot is that it does not need to be charged or even have batteries. Its power source is consuming biomass.

Such machines will be able to exist in inhospitable environments. Huge potentials in collecting garbage. Also Feeding in agricultural, Irrigation Systems and application in applying chemicals to crops.

New Scientist, 5 November 2016, page 24

Film: Longing for some Essence

Metropolis: The ultimate by Fritz Lang

The ultimate in film, peer into the world of Metropolis -as it is with content, a universal message; forever carrying poetic into the age of technology. It is the best, especially in light of its prophetic nature.

Metropolis and Narcissus seeing beyond himself

The ultimate in film, peer into the world of Metropolis -as it is with content, a universal message; forever carrying poetic into the age of technology. It is the best, especially in light of its prophetic nature. I am fascinated esp., considering its production, use of limited tools; and considering that the film was released in the late 1920s. Expect to be blown away, with what it is, in essence.

However this production is cherished, as a combination, put together by artistic genius, its an expression that transcends  the limits of technics and time -underlining an essential point: effective use of primitive tools, based on essential truth,  blows aside facades -esp., the masked, the overly coloured superficiality of kitsch and false art and so forth (characteristic features of so many modern art forms).

Here we have the truly genuine i.e., searching for an essence, the needed expressed forms of life, discovering itself, in finding the mediator (industrial life angst). 

Metropolis is a reflection in the pool of Narcissus: though in this piece man transcends himself -finds expression, peers upon some essential truth, throughout the reel, the moving stream: onwards towards -life that is all colour, in as much as Metropolis, is all colour wanting to explode from the limits of its own greyness.

Though here, the spectator is lost, within an underlying colour in monochromaticity- in the whirling depths of its message. In essence, at the base, or crux -we observe this artistic piece from two ends. Within the depths, ever busy industrial dwarfs; above, the rainbow. 

In Metropolis you ought to find your pot of gold. The work's value is not a painted depiction of an eternal working fairy. It is the miraculous transformation of an idea into living form. It is the Creative Force, lying in things, the worker -the coordination, the movement of head and hand. 

Nostalgia: Tarkovsky

A film that looks at backward looking aspects in the urge to discover some hidden essence in the imagination.

Andrei Tarkovsky

Probably one of the masterpieces of film: here the Russian poet and translator go to Italy (a sort of spiritual homeland); they want to study the life of the composer of the eighteenth century. i.e., among the dereliction  old rusty forms -they look, trying to find some essence. 

The film explores something in the past, looks or provides a mirror into that missing essence that so many of us try to find in so many different ways. 

SALUTE: We congratulate the Spirit of Tarkovsky.

Its mental and visual, verbally profound and spatial framed in tones of sepia charming, in addition to a good detailed underlying tones. An excellent work.