Media and Information Literacy

Quarter 2 – Module 5:
Audio and Motion Dimensions of
Information and Media

Quarter 2 – Module 6:
Manipulative and Multimedia
Dimensions of Information and Media
 What I Need to Know

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY

Describe the different dimensions of:
• audio information and media

• motion information and media

OBJECTIVES

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify types and formats of recorded sound and recording equipment

2. Explain principles of sound design
3. Explain concepts and principles of motion media
4. Apply sound and motion media principles through an audio-visual presentation

What I Know

Write SPEED if the term refers to sound media and ROLLING if it refers to motion
media.
________ 1. MP3 ________ 6. Pan
________ 2. Dolly ________ 7. FLAC
________ 3. Foley ________ 8. Tilt
________ 4. WAV ________ 9. WMA
________ 5. Truck ________ 10. Pedestal

Lesson 1 Audio and Motion Dimensions of Information and Media

What’s In
Every generation has a distinct characteristic, and let me share you mine. I belong to the
age group who spent their high school years (which many call as the best moment of
their lives) in the 1990’s, and we were called the Generation X. But we were also fondly
called as the “MTV Generation.” That is Music Television. Without smart phones, most of
our leisure time was spent watching music videos on TV. These were called MTVs, and
by the standards of our time, MTVs were a spectacle of movement and sound, sometimes
even devoid of meaning. Our parents would complain about our music and would even
find the videos too much for them. But MTVs were very enjoyable for us, engaging us to
save money to buy cassette tapes and the weekly “songhits” (our source of music chords)
for guitar sessions with friends that seemed to last forever.

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Okay, so much for the nostalgia. Going back to the present, we encounter much louder
songs and wilder MTVs. The quick-paced music videos of the 1990’s seemed to be slow
music compared to what we have at present. Today’s videos are even much more
accessible, with the internet offering us various video sharing programs, and social media
sites posting more and more quick videos that can hook you even in just a matter of thirty
seconds. With what you are having right now, can you imagine what would it be like when
you get older?

Throughout these changes, one thing remains common: our attraction to sound and
moving visuals. As media and information literates, we must be aware of not just what
these are, but also how these can become effective agents of communication.

What’s New

Has any of the following happened to you?

1. You watched a foreign language film without any subtitle.
2. You stayed in a province where people speak a language that you do not
understand.
3. You answer a choppy or garbled call.

During that instance, did you experience “hearing” something or “listening” to

something? Wait, you might ask, what is the difference between hearing and listening.
Think for a while about these two words before proceeding to this lesson.

Let me share with you one of my personal ways of enjoying them. I would watch
foreign language movies and turn off the subtitles. You might find it a crazy idea of viewing
something with a language that I do not understand, and to be honest, I would miss
listening to the dialogue and instead just hear alien-sounding utterances of the characters.
But then, there are more sounds in a foreign language film that can be listened to than
can be heard. The non-language sounds matter so much because these are things that I
can listen to, and through these, I am able to appreciate the sound component of the film.

Hearing, as defined in www.umn.edu, is simply the act of perceiving sound by ear.

However, listening is a conscious experience that requires concentration so that the brain
can process meaning.

I recall a TV program I watched years back, where Freddie Aguilar recalled the times
he has his most famous song “Anak” to an audience that did not understand any Tagalog
word. Aguilar said that, despite the language barrier, he saw tears in the eyes of the
audience. That is a clear proof that sound alone is a contributing factor in appreciating a
content. Therefore, you must be very careful in handling sound in crafting your work.

Going back to my “unusual viewing experience,” there is another factor that makes
me appreciate movies. Without subtitles to read, I tend to focus on every movement in the
film. That is very important, because movies do not rely only on dialogue to tell a story.
The visual component is just as important as sound.
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 Filipino actress Jaclyn Jose will
be known forever in history as the first
Southeast Asian to win Best Actress in the
prestigious
Cannes Film Festival for the Brillante Mendoza
film “Ma’Rosa.” While some critics would comment that Jose did not deserve the award,
the festival jury defended Jose for her intensity of
her acting and would cite the final scene that was Retrieved from
a shattering experience. So what is that scene? https://paradigmshifter0912.files.wordpress.com/2017
/09/ma-rosa-2.png?w=634
Rosa (Jose’s character) eating squid balls. What’s
so dramatic about that? Have you experienced chewing food that you cannot swallow
because you’re holding back your tears? That’s the scene that Jaclyn Jose successfully
portrayed in visual form.

The spectacular mix of sound and movement in film dictates its power in
storytelling. This is what we will begin exploring now. Do keep these in mind as they are
all needed for you to craft your final output for this course.

What is It

Audio Media
Sound is an essential component of media. Your choice of sound and means of sound
production can make or break the information you wish to convey. The sounds that are
used in multimedia presentations come in different types. What are these? Marshall (2001)
cites three:
1. Music often elicits emotions and arousal from listeners Calvert (2014). It is effective in
mood setting and stimulates listeners in performing various
personal tasks such as studying and meditating, as well as social
functions like for courtship rituals, for the creation and
maintenance of friendships, as a topic of conversation, and as a
way to encourage dancing (Roberts & Christenson, 2001 on
Calvert 2014). Adolescents use music primarily for mood
regulation (Christenson & Roberts, 1998). Females consider music
as a means to improve their mood or dwell on melancholic emotions, while males are
more likely to use music for excitement. (Larson, Kubey, & Colletti,
1989, on Calvert, 2014)
2.Sound effects makes specific points, provides hint to the setting in the absence of
visuals (e.g., squeaky doors, explosions, rustling leaves, etc.)
"Foley Room at the
Sound effects are grouped into four (Schneider,
Sound Design Campus"
2009)
by vancouverfilmschool is
a. Hard sound
licensed under CC BY 2.0
Those that appear on screen and are synchronized to the
picture, recorded directly as what they are.

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 b. Foley sounds
Equally synchronized on screen but are not the original sound as what they appear
to be. That means that they are recorded and mixed to appear as another sound
on screen.
c. Background sound
All sounds that indicate ambience settings. They do not need to be synchronized
to the picture. Ambience sounds are usually recorded in real life application in
nature and then mixed. Common background effects include weather ambience
and forest ambience, traffic sounds, etc.
d. Design sound
Describes a palette of sounds that usually do not occur in nature (laser weapon).
They may be created from scratch with various audio editing tools and with the
help of effect processors.

3.Narration is spoken message that often gives the most direct information. This is the
most essential content in some media formats, such as audiobooks designed for the
visually-impaired people or for those who want an alternative listening experience in
novels and other traditional reading content. Henriques (2018) says that there are four
types of narration:

a. Fully-Voiced Reading (solo narration)

Probably the most recognized style of reading. All of the characters are vocalized
in a dramatic fashion or in a way that makes the characters distinguishable from
one another, maintained throughout the entire audiobook, and usually all done by
one voice actor/narrator.
b. Partially-Voiced Reading (solo narration)
Made when the voiced production (usually done by one narrator) focuses on giving
certain characters a distinguishable voice – most commonly the protagonists or
any character who has a distinctive voice in the narration. The other characters,
normally the minor ones, do not need to sound dramatically different from one
another.
c. Unvoiced Readings (solo narration)
The narrator reads the story in a natural, more straightforward tone. There are no
changes in voice for different characters. The story is told in the narrator’s voice
and the whole book is usually voiced by one voice actor.
d. Multicast Readings / Full Cast Readings
There is more than one voice actor hired to read the audiobook. This can range
from two characters (duet narration) or more.

4.Audio File Formats

Sound comes in various digital formats. Schmidt (2020) posts 7 popular audio file types
in www.canto.com:

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1. M4A is an mpeg-4 audio file or audio-compressed file used because of increased quality
demand as a result of cloud storage and bigger hard drive space in contemporary
computers. It is preferred due to its high quality.
2. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio file compressed into a smaller size of
the original file. It is not frequently used compared to other sound file formats because
it often needs special downloads to function. The advantage of FLAC is, being a lossless
audio file, its compression can save size and promote sharing of an audio file while
being able to return to the original quality standard.
3. MP3 is an MPEG audio layer 3 file format preferred because its compression saves
valuable space while maintaining near-flawless quality of the original source of sound.
MP3’s high quality and small size is very popular for all mobile audio-playing devices.
It is compatible with nearly every device capable of reading audio files. The MP3 is
probably best used for extensive audio file sharing due to its manageable size. It also
works well for websites that host audio files.
4. MP4 is an audio file type is a comprehensive media extension, capable of holding audio,
video and other media. The MP4 contains data in the file, rather than code. This is
important to note as MP4 files require different codecs to implement the code artificially
and allow it to be read.
5. WAV is a Waveform Audio File that stores waveform data. The waveform data stored
demonstrates strength of volume and sound in specific parts of the WAV file. It is
entirely possible to transform a WAV file using compression, though it is not standard.
WAV is typically used on Windows systems. They are usually uncompressed audio files,
though it’s not a requirement of the format.
6. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Windows-based alternative to the more common and
popular MP3 file type. Its advantage is its lossless compression, retaining high audio
quality throughout all types of restructuring processes. Despite its quality, it is not the
most popular do to its inaccessibility to many users, especially those who don’t use the
Windows operating system.
7. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is an audio file that delivers decently highquality sound
and is enhanced using advanced coding. It has never been one of the most popular
audio formats, especially when it comes to music files, but the AAC does still serve
some purpose for major systems. This includes popular mobile devices and video
gaming units, where the AAC is a standard audio component.

Some Tips for Low-Cost Sound Designing

At this point, you might feel that the discussion of audio media is becoming more and
more technical and consequently, impractical, especially with the minimal technology that
we have. That has been my problem too. So, I intend to simplify matters by discussing
something of a personal level.

As I have mentioned earlier, I love films, but not just in the viewing level. I enjoy telling
stories through movies, and I do this with CinemaCampo, a group of students with whom
I can share my experience in filmmaking. We have been making film for six years now,
and we’ve had winning and losing moments, all of which are great learning experience

5
that add up to our pile of skills. We do not have high-end equipment, and sometimes, we
even settle in using the most basic filmmaking gadget to date: a smart phone. Simple as
it is, it still works wonders in telling stories. For the first time (yes, this is history), I am
sharing with you some of the tips we have gathered these years. These are basics, and you
may even have a better technique. Nevertheless, I hope you would get something from this
and use your learning in your final performance task.
1. Never underestimate the power of natural sound.
The sounds made by nature and by industry is the best musical score you can use in
your videos. When you shoot a scene, keep everybody silent and let the natural
ambient sound go with the action.
2. Create your own sound bank.
A sound bank comes in handy in case you need all natural and original sound. Keep
your sound recorder (your phone, that is) handy at all times. Record a quiet night
with only crickets and cicadas making sound, a rainfall, a busy street, strong
winds, and more. When the time comes that you would need ambient sound, you
will already have something available.
3. Go for original music, otherwise, search for royalty free music.
When you upload a video with an incorporated copyrighted music, social media might
instantly mute it because it violates copyright rules. In case you really need that
particular song, ask somebody to do a cover of it for your use. Social media will not
mute covers. Aside from this, you may opt to use royalty free music. Often times, the
creators of this music do not ask for any royalty or talent fee except that their works
must be duly cited in the end.
4. Eliminate unnecessary noise as much as possible.
Sometimes, you cannot demand complete silence because of some circumstances.
Based on our experience, our most common sound problems are wind, industrial
noise, neighborhood noise (including the videoke), uncontrollable bystanders, and
unmindful production team. The remedy is simple: shut them up or move away. For
instance, we shot a scene along the river, and even if we want to record the natural
sound of rushing water, we just could not do it because the river is right beside the
express way. To solve the problem, we went to another creek, far from any unwanted
noise, and recorded

A scenefrom “Kinamulatan” (2016). This creek scene was shot directly beside South Luzon
Expressway, so we could not totally use the recorded sound in the area. Good thing, we had another river footage without the traffic sound, so we looped it all throughout the sequence

the sound of running waters. If this is impossible, you can use natural sound
downloaded from a free source on the internet.
5. Be careful with your voice recordings.

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 Some video contents rely greatly of voice component, like the instructional video
materials currently being produced for DepEd TV, and poor sound can affect the
content’s effectiveness, especially if the message is on the voice component itself. This
is one of our downfalls in some filmmaking competitions, so we have been very
cautious about this.

The basic rule in sound recording is to direct the recording equipment as close as
possible to the sound source. A microphone can easily accomplish this task. Good
microphones are getting cheaper and more accessible these days, thanks to online
shops, but in case you can produce do not have any yet, your smart phone can come
in handy. Recording a voice-over, that is when the speaker does not have to appear on
video, is simple. Just go to an isolated room and start recording. However, make sure
that you are away from white noise, or unnecessary ambient sound. Turn of the air
conditioning unit or electric fan to remove the constant humming sound. Echoing
sound may be reduced if you record in a room with enough fixtures to absorb echoes,
such as curtains. I had an experience recording with so much distracting noise around
– the neighbors’ chickens, my pet dog, vehicles passing by – and I had to cover myself
and my phone with towels just to lessen the external sounds. It was awkward, but it
worked!

You will have more noise problems when you record

outdoors. Even a faint breeze can produce unpleasant
hustling sound. If the speaker must be far from the
camera, such as in long or full body shots, get another
phone for a separate recording. Plug in the earphones
Behind the scenes of our short film
with built-in mic, hide it in his/her clothing, and make
“BagongHakbangsaPangarap”
sure the mic is close to his/her mouth. During editing,
(2015). We would have wanted to
just remove the sound from the video recording and
use natural conversation sound,
use the sound from the hidden recorder.
but the wind was disrupting our
voice recorder. We opted to dub
Dubbing, the process of syncing video with sound that the dialogue, making sure that the
is not recorded at the same time, is an option, but I do separate voice recording was done
not recommend it if you only have basic equipment. It outdoors to avoid the enclosed
is a good way to get rid of unnecessary noise, but it room sound.
entails a lot of rehearsals so that the movement of the
mouth goes at the same pace with the vocal recording. We made a terrible mistake in
dubbing, where in we recorded sound in a room for an outdoor scene. The result was
awkward. Therefore, if you really have to dub and you do not have a good sound editing
equipment, ensure that your location is the same as with the video to be dubbed. If
the scene is internal, record in a room; if it is external, record outdoors, and remember
to stay away from distracting noise.

6. Balance layers of sound.

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This is a problem we encounter when there is more than one layer of sound in a video,
say, a layer for voice, a second layer for music, and a third layer for ambient sound.
Remember to decrease the volume of the secondary and tertiary sound in order to highlight
the primary sound. For instance, your video may begin with music, but lower its volume
once the voice over enters. You may increase the music volume again after the voice over
narration.

What’s More

Motion Media

It is quite odd to teach the dynamics of movement in a printed medium (this module, that
is), but I guess we can manage through pictures and diagrams for now. If you have access
to the internet, you can watch related videos through YouTube. Check out the links as we
progress through this lesson.

Movement is another dimension that affects media and information. Every single
movement that is incorporated in a video production contributes to the storytelling process
or to elicit the desired emotions from the viewers. The Nashville Film Institute (2020) lists
down the following purposes of movement in a video.
1. Creating dynamic scenes
Consider the camera as the viewer’s eyes on a story; therefore, how the camera moves
dictates how the viewers see a scene. Movements can make a scene more interesting.
Say for instance a basketball scene wherein the camera moves inside the court
throughout the game. It conveys the idea that the viewer is one of the players in the
game. On the other hand, that same basketball scene shot from afar makes the viewer
a spectator of the game. Which of these two is more exciting?
2. Influencing audiences’ emotional reactions:
As movement stands for the audience’s view, it can also influence emotions. Shooting
a gang war scene with shaky hand-held camera lets the audience feel the chaos of the
event, swaying the camera on a boat scene commands seasickness. I remember
watching “Saving Private Ryan” which begins with a prolonged war scene perfectly
executed with hand-held camera tracking the struggle of soldiers in the epic Battle of
Normandy. The movement was so disturbing and dizzying, I just prayed war would
stop soon.
3. Directing audiences’ attention:
Camera movements can hide audiences’ vision and pull audiences away from certain
elements on-screen.
4. Controlling reveals:
Adding camera movements is also a great way to provide narrative information, reveal
new subjects that were once offscreen, and even foreshadow or create ironic tension
that characters are unaware of.

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Basic Camera Movement

The camera is the basic equipment to record movement.

Other devices, like the tripod, sliders, gimbal, dolly, and
drone contribute to the quality of the captured video. They
can be improvised, though. All it takes in a bit of creativity
to get things done.
Clark (2016) mentions six basic movements that are doable
even with minimal equipment.
https://help.sketchup.com/sites/help.sketchup.com/files/images/sketchup-1220896CameraMoves.png

Six Camera movement that are doable even with minimal equipment:

1. Dolly The name comes from the tracks be laid down for the heavy camera to move
along. The phrase dolly-in means step towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-
out means to step backwards with the camera, keeping the zoom the same. This type
of camera movement is often used to focus on a character when they’re lost in thought
or when they’ve come to a sudden realization. (NFI, 2020)
2. Pedestal Moving the camera up or down without changing its vertical or horizontal
axis. A camera operator can do two types of pedestals: pedestal up means “move the
camera up;” pedestal down means “move the camera down.”This movement is best
used to shoot a tall character or subject. To use it effectively, move the entire camera
up or down on a tripod with respect to the subject. (NFI, 2020)
3. Truck It is like dollying, but it involves motion left or right. Truck left means “move the
camera physically to the left while maintaining its perpendicular
relationship.”Trucking is often used during action sequences when you want to keep
the camera on a moving character. (NFI, 2020)
4. Pan Moving the camera lens to one side or another, as if you are looking from left to
right or vice versa. Panning can help you establish the location of a scene or let you
follow a moving character. Panning can also help you reveal things that were previously
off-screen. (NFI, 2020).
5. Tilt Moving the cameras lens up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant, as
if you are nodding. Tilting the camera can also help you reveal an object or person that
was not on screen before and add an element of surprise to the scene you’re setting.
(NFI, 2020)
6. Roll Moving the camera onto its side is a roll, the way a dog does when he doesn't
understand. This is a very rare movement, and one you should only use for very specific
purposes.
Here are some other useful camera movement styles.

7. Zoom This technique allows you to move closer (zoom in) or farther an object (zoom
out) without physically moving the camera (Leu, 2020). Instead, the camera’s lens does
the job. This might lessen the image’s quality, that is why the dolly becomes a better
option.
8. Following shot This is a type of tracking shot in which the camera continuously follows
the subject’s action. (Leu, 2020). Following shots using handheld camera results to
9
 bumpy or shaky video, which may convey a realistic sense. Steadicams and gimbals
may be used to create smoother following shots, but if you do not have this, you can
still opt for the hand-held style, but stay relaxed to avoid the shakes. To execute this,
I normally bend my knees a bit to lessen the impact of walking.

What I Can Do

Sound Trip

Are you tired of reading? Why not take some time for sound tripping and take a new
perspective on our popular songs. Here is a list of 10 OPM songs to choose from:

1. Hanggang sa Huli (by SB19)

2. Paubaya (by Moira Dela Torre)
3. Kathang Isip (by Ben and Ben)
4. Imahe (by Magnus Haven)
5. Hanggang Dito na Lang (by TJ Monterde)
6. Huling Sandali (by December Avenue)
7. Hindi Tayo Puwede (by The Juans)
8. Kahit Kailan (by South Border)
9. Bakit ba Ikaw (by Michael Pangilinan)
10. Kabilang Buhay (by Bandang Lapis)

Choose one song and listen to it intently. After listening, answer the following questions:
1. What story does the song tell?
2. How does the song’s speed and accompanying instruments contribute to the story?

The singer/s is the narrator of this story. Consider him/her/them as the voiced
character/s. Do the vocals effectively convey the story? How? (Take note: consider only
the voice and music, not the lyrics of the song.)

Assessment

Identify the term being defined.

YOUR ANSWER
1. synchronized on screen sound that is not the ________________________
original sound as what they appear to be
2. ambiance sound, or the sound incorporated to ________________________
establish the environment or surroundings of a scene
3. the style of solo-narrator reading where all of the ________________________
characters are vocalized in a dramatic fashion
10
 4. an MPEG file format preferred for its small size and________________________
near-flawless sound quality
5. type of music sourced from the internet that does not________________________
require fees when used
6. moving the camera lens to one side or another, as if ________________________
looking from left to right or vice versa
7. a type of tracking shot in which the camera ________________________
continuously follows the subject’s action
8. moving the camera up or down without changing its ________________________
vertical or horizontal axis
9. moving the camera lens up and down as if nodding ________________________
10. A movement similar to dolly but with sideward ________________________
motion

MODULE 6: MANIPULATIVE AND MULTIMEDIA DIMENSION

What I Need to Know

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY
Describe the different dimensions of:
• manipulative information and media

• multimedia information and media

OBJECTIVES

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain what manipulatives / interactive media are.

2. Compare the different platforms and uses of manipulatives / interactive media
software
3. Define multimedia and its characteristics.
4. Summarize the design principles and elements in different forms of information and
media (text, audio, visual, motion and manipulative /interactive).
5. Identify the advantages and limitations of multimedia.

What I Know

Identify the dimensions involved in the following multimedia content. Check

the corresponding boxes.

Media Content Text Visual Audio Manipulative

1 “HirayaManawari” an e-novel by
Chris Oca, accessed through
Wattpad
11
 2 Magic Microphone advertised by a
singing salesperson in a mall.
3 Instructions on how to cook pancit
canton on a packaging
4 TV advertisement of a shampoo brand
featuring Sarah Geronimo
5 Textbook for the blind

Manipulative and
Lesson 1
Multimedia Dimensions of Information and Media
I have said this before and I will say it again: in this age, information is just right in our
fingertips. Gone are the days when researching involved flipping thick pages of printed
materials; today, a click or a tap brings us information stored from all over the globe.
Before, we tend to miss a movie, TV or radio program if it is out of our leisure time and
prayed for occasional replays to get the chance to see them. But now, content is offered
right in front of us, ready to be viewed at our most convenient time and replayed as long
as we wish. And if before, ordering food while seated in our cars was the most convenient
food service we could get, today, we just have to click on the menu from our restaurants
of choice and food will come delivered to our doorsteps. Practically, everything is just a
click away, customized as to how we want them to be.

However, we forget that long before the development of the internet, the world was already
in our fingertips, right from the very start of a person’s consciousness, and the world
comes in the form of toys. Isn’t it that children learn the basics of living while playing, and
toys are the most essential tool that allows them to feel that sense of control, hone their
creativity and widen their imagination? Even a folded paper boat that a child sets afloat
in a puddle of water becomes a massive ship sailing the Pacific Ocean, created by the best
engineer in the world. Forgive me for being too poetic, but the concept of toys is just like
any other manipulatives, traditional or digital, for the young or for the old. They let you
hold on to reality, allow you to take control, and gain information.

In this lesson, we will explore the manipulative and multimedia dimensions of information
and how these speed up our way of living and widen our perspectives. I believe you would
agree with me that during the months that we are locked down, manipulatives and
multimedia have opened up opportunities of growth and development. Physically, we
might have been quarantined, but virtually, the sky is our limit.

What’s In

This might look like a trip to a toy store, but then, everybody needs time to
play. Sort the toys to their proper bins. Take note, the bins are not labelled, so it is up to
you to determine how you will classify these toys. Enjoy!

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 IMAGE REFERENCES
1. "Lego ZBlocks" by sayamindu is
licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
2. "Japan Bisque dolls" by Dressy Doll
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
3. "Rubic's Cube" by faruqseu is
licensed under CC BY 2.0
4. "soft toy crocodile and teddy bear" by
Steve A Johnson is licensed under
CC BY 2.0
5. "Crayon Fence" by chrismetcalfTV is
licensed under CC BY 2.0
6. "Jigsaw puzzle (detail)" by James E.
Petts is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
7. "finished puzzle box" by
matthewvenn is licensed under CC
BY-SA 2.0
8. "Play-Doh (Flash)" by GIANTsqurl is
licensed under CC BY 2.0
9. "Wooden Hammering Toy" by
byzantiumbooks is licensed under CC
BY 2.0

What’s New

So how did you go with the activity? Were you able to classify the toys well?
There may be various answers here, but let me share how I did it. I classified the toys
based on their purpose, which I categorize as follows:
1. Simulators – those that allow you to practice an actual task (taking care of babies, as
in the case of dolls, and pretending to be a carpenter, as in the case of the toy hammer;
2. Builders – those that allow you to create something out of plain material, as in the case
of clay, and Lego; and
3. Puzzles – those that allow you to solve a code, as in the case of the jigsaw puzzle and
Rubik cube

I hope you can share your work with your teacher. Take note, answers may vary, but
everything points out to one thing: there is so much more in toys than play.

Every child has this particular toy that he/she would go crazy about. My favorite is Lego.
Through these tiny building blocks, my first ambition to become an architect blossomed.
(I did not become an architect, but that is another story). For me, creating Lego houses
was a pleasant experience. I got to design my little dream houses and imitate structures I
found in books. It might sound funny, but I haven’t outgrown my love for Lego, and even
to this day, my reaction upon getting hold of these blocks is automatic. I will build a house.
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I play other games too, and now, I have a confession to make: I was an addict – a Pokemon
Go addict. I just could not help it. Pokemons are cute and plenty and I just couldn’t resist
catching them all. I did not engage in Pokemon battles (even if there was an arena a
walking distance away from our house), but I spent so much time and money loading my
smart phone, walking and commuting to reach PokeStations, gain mileage to hatch eggs,
and search for wild Pokemons together with my traineravatar in the augmented world.
Unfortunately, (but fortunately) my phone hanged, thus ending my Pokemon quest and
my addiction.

Why don’t you share your experience on your favorite toys, both traditional and digital?
Here is a matrix for you to fill up:

MY FAVORITE MANIPULATIVES
TRADITIONAL DIGITAL
(A childhood toy or non-digital (A game app and the likes)
manipulative)

What is It
Manipulative Media

Manipulative media are tools or devices used for hands-on developmental,

educational, information, leisure, therapeutic, and other purpose that
require kinesthetic sense. Manipulatives, toys in particular, are essential in early
childhood development, where the concept of play is a great factor for the child to grow
physically, mentally and emotionally. Manipulative models allow simulation of processes
and explanation of abstract ideas. Moreover, they supplement information for the visually
impaired, as in case of Braille materials with raised dotted code that allows reading
through touch.

Ancient civilizations used manipulatives as aid in concretizing abstract ideas, such as in

mathematical computations. The Incas and other ancient civilizations who lived in the
Andes mountains of South America, used the quipu, a device with numerous colored and
knotted strings, in order to keep records and communicate information
about dates, statistics, accounts, and even folklore during the time when an alphabetic
writing system was not yet used. Although many quipu records have been lost in time,
this device is still being used today by shepherds to keep count of their herd. (Cartwright,
2014). The is abacus, on the other hand, is a beaded device used for mathematical
computations, and was used in ancient Rome, East Asia and Russia. These manipulatives
are still being used in some areas, and is still taught in school, such as in Japan, where
it is called the soroban.

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The idea that manipulatives can be used for educational purposes dates back to the 18th
century, when Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi asserted that learning takes
place through the use of sense and physical contact. Friedrich Froebel, the creator of the
world’s first kindergarten in 1837, supported Pestalozzi’s idea and made sure that his
school are filled with play objects for his pupils. These objects that Froebel packaged as a
set of “20 gifts” were designed to help children recognize and appreciate patterns and
forms found in nature. Maria Montessori developed this concept and came up with
materials to help children develop their sensory abilities, put them in control of the
learning process, enable them to learn through personal investigation and exploration.
Lastly, Jean Piaget theorized that children must first construct knowledge through
concrete operations before moving to formal operations. (Resnick, Martin, Berg, Borovoy,
Colella, Kramer, and Silverman, 1998)

Classification of Manipulatives

Manipulatives can be classified into two: the traditional and the digital.
Traditional Manipulatives are those that does not require any digital component to
function.

Digital manipulatives, on the other hand, are computationally-enhanced versions of

traditional manipulatives. In a product development paper that discussed the
enhancement of traditional kindergarten educational toys, Resnick (1998) termed these as
the “new manipulatives” and are designed to enable children new sets of concepts that
were considered before as too advanced. These system concepts, such as feedback and
emergence. (Resnick, Martin, Berg, Borovoy, Colella, Kramer, and Silverman, 1998). An
example digital manipulative is Lego bricks embedded with robotics technology, which
students can program to move and perform certain functions.

Digital manipulatives may also be classified into two, concrete and virtual. Concrete
manipulatives allow actual hands-on manipulation. On the other hand, virtual
manipulatives are “interactive, web-based, visual representation of a dynamic object that
provides opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge (Moyer et al, 2002 on
Hunt, 2008).

Interactivity, or the responsiveness one experiences from another entity, be it a computer

system or person (Lew, Walther, Pang, and Shin, 2018), is the most important
characteristic of digital manipulatives. Take note that in this age, people need to establish
wide connections and demand quick responses, and today’s websites, apps and video
games answer to this demand.

In 1996, a Japanese invented the Tamagotchi, a virtual pet simulation game. It was
meant for leisure, but the effect went beyond its goals. This is one clear proof of the
power of manipulatives to “manipulate one’s behavior.”

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 Read this article from the New York Times, published in 1997. As you go along, think
about your personal engagements with similar apps. Have you ever felt the same way the
“Tamagochi parents” felt, or are virtual pets today designed differently?

Tamagotchi: Love It, Feed It, Mourn It

By Carol Lawson
May 22, 1997
A dog may be man's best friend, but a virtual pet can be a child's worst nightmare.
Children who are nurturing the tiny Tamagotchi cyberpet, a popular Japanese digital
toy that went on sale in the United States three weeks ago, are discovering that virtual
death can be nearly as traumatic as the real thing.

Christine Glickman said her son, Keith, 9, "cried hysterically and went crazy" when his
Tamagotchi expired. Susan Gliedman described her daughter Mia, also 9, as "extremely
sad and depressed" over the demise of her cyberpet
.
The pet hatches from an egg on a liquid-crystal screen the size of a watch face, set in a
case like an egg. It requires continuous care,
feeding and attention, much as a real pet does.
It expires if left unattended for more than five
or six hours during the day. Bandai, the
manufacturer, says the toy does not actually
die. Instead, its life cycle ends when it sprouts
wings and, the packaging says, "returns to its
home planet" millions of miles away.

Try telling that to a teary-eyed child who has

spent days caring for the toy, who has watched
it hatch from an egg and then assumed
responsibility for helping it to grow into a lively,
healthy digital creature. "My 1997 Tamagotchi" by h2dh is licensed under
CCBY-NC-ND 2.0

The toy can be reset to hatch a new creature,

but the one that has sprouted wings is gone forever. (The Japanese version shows the
pet's demise with a gravestone and a cross -- the angel wings are for Americans.)

"The toy creates a real sense of loss and a mourning process," said Dr. Andrew Cohen,
a psychologist at the Dalton
School in Manhattan. "Kids want to nurture and take care of pets -- it gives them a
feeling of empowerment and self-importance -- but here the consequences are too high.
It's out of control."

For teachers, too, Tamagotchi is creating unpleasant side effects. Joanne Emery, Keith's
third-grade teacher at Dalton, has banned Tamagotchi from class, and so have teachers
at other schools in the New York area. "It became very disruptive," Ms. Emery said. "The
children were checking it every five seconds."

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The Greenville Elementary School in Edgemont, N.Y., banned Tamagotchi last week after
third graders who were taking a standardized test put down their pencils to feed the pet.
"The children were more concerned with the toy than with succeeding in the test," said
Andrea Silverman, a special education teacher.
The toy has three control buttons and numerous icons for the many kinds of care it
needs. The creature must be fed, played with and disciplined. It needs medicine when it
is sick, and the caretaker must clean up its droppings. It sleeps during the night, and it
beeps during the day when it wants attention. There is even a happiness meter to give
feedback on the owner's parental skills.

Dr. Sylvia Rimm, a psychologist and author of "Dr. Sylvia Rimm's Smart Parenting"
(Crown), said, "We try to bring up kids to be caring and loving, and those are the ones
who are hurt the most by this toy."
Tamagotchi, which means "cute little egg," entered the world last November in Japan.
Bandai, which also makes the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and knows something
about mass marketing, says more than four million Tamagotchis have been sold in
Japan.

The toy was introduced in the United States at F.A.O. Schwarz on May 1 and is now at
Toys "R" Us and other stores. F.A.O. Schwarz said it sold 30,000, at $17.99 each, in its
stores in the first three days. QVC, the television retailer, says it sold 6,000 in five
minutes.

In Japan, where mothers tend to stay home, they often look after the Tamagotchi during
the school day.

Ms. Glickman baby-sat for Keith's Tamagotchi when it became cyberpet non grata at
Dalton. "Keith gave me a one-hour lesson, but I didn't do such a wonderful job," Ms.
Glickman said. Two days later, the pet sprouted wings.

Will Tamagotchi become a post-Beanie Babies craze? "It's safe to say it's going to be
very successful, but we don't know yet if it's going to be a megasuccess," said Sean
McGowan of Gerard Klauer Mattison, a securities research and brokerage firm in
Manhattan. "To be up there with Beanie Babies, kids will have to collect them." (The
Tamagotchi is on a key ring, another hot item with schoolchildren.)
Gene Morra, the vice president of marketing for Bandai America, in Cypress, Calif., said
a carefully nurtured Tamagotchi can "live" about 30 days, but in Japan some are said to
have lasted nearly three months.

Dr. Cohen called Tamagotchi a breakthrough of sorts. "It's the most powerful product
I've ever heard of, in terms of what it demands from a child," he said. "I never heard of a
toy that makes you stay engaged with it all the time."

But some children get disillusioned. In the beginning, said IlyssaMeren, 9, a third grader
in Manhattan at the Nightingale-Bamford School (which has also banned Tamagotchi),
the toy was easy to take care of. But now it beeps constantly, and one morning it woke
her at 4 a.m. "I want it to die," she said. "It's driving me crazy." But Ilyssa will not
commit virtual murder.
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"When it dies, I won't reset it," she said.
Courtney Glickman, 13, also said it was too much. "It beeped every five minutes and was
getting on my nerves, so I turned off the sound," she said, not seeming at all sad that
her pet sprouted wings one day.

"It was too much work -- like a real child," her mother said.
But psychologists say that for a teen-ager, Tamagotchi-style parental responsibility can
be an effective learning experience.

Some high schools around the country already teach how demanding a baby can be by
giving teen-agers real eggs to carry around for a week: the egg must go everywhere, and
it is the student's job to make sure it doesn't break.

"I can see the Tamagotchi as a teaching tool about pregnancy for young women and
men," Dr. Rimm said. "It could help them understand reality."
Meanwhile, Bandai says it is coming out with a new improved Tamagotchi in the fall: it
will have a "pause" button.

Today, there are much more virtual pets developed, but I believe none has had an
impact like that of the 1996 Tamagotchi design. People have learned their lesson: trends
come and go and innovations are born day by day, but in the end, we have to keep in
mind that technology is made for the good of the people.

Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives: A Comparison

Hunt, Nipper and Nash (2011) probed the advantages and disadvantages of concrete and
visual manipulatives in education. Here are their findings:

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Simpler, more moveable • Limited
• Tactile (concrete) experience adds a • Not very challenging
dimension of learning
• Fosters creativity
• Process is traceable
• Allows trial and error
• Units are easier to distinguish, making
the whole easier to see
• Easier to relate to real-world applications
• Less expensive than digital technology
• Requires more thinking
• Self-paced
• Multi-sensory approach increases
memory retention
• Clarifies misconceptions and builds
connections concepts and

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 representations, encouraging more
precise and richer understandings
• Feedback is immediate Cannot be actually touched
• Easier to maneuver and keep together Sometimes forces one to think
• Offers a larger variety of experiences abstractly
More suitable for use after a
• Allow more complex operations to be
student has already mastered the
learned
concept
• Catches the attention of the
Some make it too easy
“technology generation”
Computers do the work for the
• More accessible at home students so they are able to guess
• Gives step-by-step instruction the correct answer
• Often provides explicit connections May limit the teacher’s ability to
between visual and symbolic follow the students’ thought
representations processes
Takes away the notion that the
hands and mind must work
together
Might feel like “do” vs.
“learn/explore” Doesn’t really
make one find the answer on
his/her own

Take note that this was the scenario almost a decade ago in a particular setting
about a particular function of manipulatives. This does not reflect the whole idea of
the effectiveness of concrete and visual manipulatives. In fact, there are many other
factors that can affect a person’s perception on the effectiveness of this media, and
in the case of many living the Philippines, the most relevant factor to consider is the
digital divide.

What’s More Multimedia

Before proceeding, briefly observe its form and reflect on its implications.
Keep in mind that every formation matters.

Collectively, these dimensions make up multimedia, which

Christenson (2006) defines as “the integration of multiple
forms of media.” While multimedia generally include text,
graphics, audio and video set in digital format that enables
virtual manipulation, the concept has been evident centuries
ago, when newspapers began featuring text, and images to
inform the public, and if you would consider the newspaper
hawkers (children who peddle newspapers), then audio media
enters the scene. But then, looking into the diagram, it must be
noted that at the center of all these dimensions is the top agent of
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 media and information: people. Therefore, understanding multimedia will be incomplete
without considering that at the very center of all these are the people through which and for
which media exists.

What I Have Learned

We are almost in the middle of the school year, and you have realized the
need for interactive media in your studies. Do you belong to the small
fraction that is capable of learning through interactive digital platforms, or are you
part of the majority who cannot maximize the power of internet connectivity? Think
about your experiences in using interactive manipulatives and answer the questions
that follow.

What are the concrete

manipulatives that you use to
access and pass information?
What are the visual
manipulatives that you
commonly access?
What do you prefer? Concrete or
virtual manipulatives? Support
your answer.

What I Can Do

Identify the PRIMARY dimension of the following apps. Write text, visual, audio,
motion or manipulative. Practically, all this apps are manipulatives, but two needs
intensive manipulation to be enjoyed.

ICON NAME YOUR ANSWER

1 Spotify

2 Instagram

3 Twitter

4 Talking Tom

5 Gmail

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6 Viber

7 Wattpad

8 Mobile Legends

9 YouTube

10 Pinterest

Assessment

Design Your Own Game App

At the beginning of this lesson, we talked about toys. Now that we are close
to its end, let’s talk about game apps. Nope, we are not going to analyze an existing
game app; you will conceptualize your own.
Gamedesigning.org posts: “Humans are engaged when they feel like they’re learning.
The trick, then, is to incorporate learning right into the game mechanics (2020). It
is good to keep this in mind, so I want you to visualize a game that is fun and
educational.

Here is a checklist of what you have to accomplish. As an example, I used another

personal favorite game app, Subway Surfer.

 Name
(example: Subway Surfer)

 Concept. Explain the main premise or story of your

game.
(example: In this virtually endless game, a subway
graffiti artist vandalizes a train and the Grumpy
Inspector and his dog chases him / her.
 Objectives
(example: Earn points and prizes by picking up coins
and items on the subway track. Avoid obstacles along
the way.
 Educational value.
(example: Subway Surfer can help you improve your
reflexes, improve your precision, and practice quick

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 thinking. Remember to establish your target audience – who would most likely
play this game.

 Interface. Design how your game would look: characters, items (tools,
weapons, gadgets, prizes, etc.), and background. You may refer to the screen
shot on the right for your example. It would be nice if you could digitize your
interface, but if it is possible, you can just draw this on a piece of paper for
hard copy submission, or take a picture of your drawing for online
submission.

RUBRIC

COMPONENT 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Completion 5/5 parts 4/5 parts 3/5 parts 2/5 parts 1/5 parts
completed completed completed completed completed
Concept and Creative, Creative, Adapted Adapted Direct
Objectives original, original, but from a from a copy from
and well needs further previous previous a known
explained explanation source, source, game app
well further
explained explanation
needed
Educational Highly Enhances at Enhances Justification None
value substantial, least 2 skills at least 1 is confusing
enhances skill
at
least 3
skills
Interface Masterfully Creatively Basic, but Mediocre, Incomplete
presented presented, clear much
with room for improvement
enhancement needed

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 Answer Key

Assessment What I Can Do What I Know

Please refer 1. Audio 1. textmanipulative
to the 2. Visual 2. audio-visual
rubric. 3. Text 3. text-visual
4. Manipulative 4. audio-visual
5. Text 5. textmanipulative
6. Audio
7. Text
8. Manipulative
9. Motion
10. Visual

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