I have to admit, I've tried to make a Georgia Flash Map before. It was back in 2005 and it failed miserably. Well, it was more an issue of not having the time to devote to the problem and having resources pulled from the project. It didn't fail miserably, it just never even left the ground.
What's different about it now? The biggest difference is my growth as a Flash developer over the past two years. I understand Actionscript better and can come up with a few different ways to solve this problem.
I still have the old files, which are helpful to try a forensics approach to my previous thought process -- but it may not be worth the time involved. Anyway, deconstructing this old file is helpful for me to know what doesn't work and head in the other direction! Luckily, I have an excellent graphic of all the counties in GA, so some of that rote work may not be necessary.
I also have some other past projects of mine that I'll try to take lessons from. For any new Flash project that I do, I usually have to look at some of my older files to remind myself how a certain task is put together. I lost a wealth of information when my computer was stolen last November.... it saddens me to not have that personal resource at my fingertips any longer.
Nevertheless, I'm also planning to deconstruct a project I did for GA Science Educators, in order to get a grasp on arrays and data management again.
After looking at these items for inspiration, I should have a better idea of what I can accomplish now and what I need to investigate to take this new project further.
When I think about how I'm operating towards my project goal, I'm reminded of the concepts presented in Clinton and Rieber's manuscript The Studio Experience at the University of Georgia: An example of constructionist learning for adults. The Studio Experience is seen as a constructionist hot-bed for generating new knowledge. I can closely identify with the necessity of learning through problem-solving, discovery, and critical thinking. For me, the very notion of having a problem to solve will typically motivate me to action. It is crucial to pick a goal that is personally relevant, or otherwise personally valuable, to sustain the level of interest to pursue and accomplish. Since I am taking 6190 for the second time, as well as having many years of tool experience behind me, I need to find a project that challenges my current abilities with Flash. The GA Flash Map concept, as I mentioned above, has eluded me before. But this time, I feel like I have the time and space to explore the concepts that may make this project possible. Were I completing this solely for work, it could quickly be de-prioritized. I'm also attempting to richly describe and document my progress and problems as they develop. I think that this journal will provide many answers to me as my project unfolds, as well as future projects that I take up.
By the process that I chose to work, explore, and solve problems, I almost feel like I'm scaffolding myself, using my past experiences to push myself past my ZPD. I'm continuously pursuing answers outside of myself (books, online forums, etc.) but also find myself deconstructing old projects and relearning how I assembled them. It's not a reuse of previous concepts though, it's helping me to refine techniques and code, as well as defining new approaches to previously impossible problems.
Project testing this week:
References:
Clinton, G., & Rieber, L.P. (2006). The Studio Experience at the University of Georgia: An example of constructionist learning for adults. Unpublished manuscript
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