Japanese Language for Children (Interactive CD) Nampu Kawamoto April 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Background Project Description Rationale Project Objectives Communication Objectives Theoretical Framework Project Brief Technical Description Content Outline Components Audience Beneficiary and Market Profile Sample Audiences Scope and Limitations Review of Related Literature and Works Proposed Methodology References Background Visual arts are art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking,design, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking and architecture.
There is some form of social or emotional responsibility to ensure people have access to the Visual Arts. Through its exposure they can discover forms of expression and exploration, which might one day assist people to define who and or what we are and or add to our cultural depth. Today more than ever the arts are needed by our young people as a forum for safe expression, communication, exploration, imagination, and cultural and historical understanding. It's a matter of aesthetics that affects a person's mood in one way or another. It can both inspire, and help somebody express themselves and create something tangible ut of one's emotions. Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. Light patterns reflected or emitted from objects are recorded onto a sensitive medium or storage chip through a timed exposure. The process is done through mechanical, chemical or digital devices known as cameras. According to a new study, 83 percent of middle schoolers, 39 percent of fifth-graders, and 20 percent of third-graders have camera phones. With the increase in sales of camera phones and point and shoot cameras, a bulk of those sales are for children.
As a recent necessity to daily life, camera phones are readily available to children. Cameras have become an important gadget of a person in this fast paced life as a shot taken by the camera will remain in their as a memory for a lifetime. It is important to know how to use a camera properly as it is a tool for visual art. Project Description The project is an interactive CD about the Japanese Language for Children that seeks to educate and strengthen the interest of young children in using the Japanese language as their second language. Rationale
The Proponent chose this topic because of the rising number of demands on bilingual speakers and it is effective for children to start learning different languages at an early age. The medium of this topic is an interactive CD which is intended for children because of its fun and interactive interface. As of now there are no known interactive applications about the Japanese language for children. The Proponents project intends to provide the first and only interactive CD that educates the youth about the Japanese language. Project Objectives This project seeks to: 1. Give an overview of the Japanese language; 2.
Teach reading and writing the Japanese language; and 3. Serve as a basic tool for learning the Japanese language. Communication Objectives This project aims to express that: For project objective 1: Give an overview of the Japanese language. a. Brief history of Japanese literature. b. Japanese as a second language is important. For project objective 2: Teach reading and writing the Japanese language. a. The Japanese language can be learned easily. b. Teaching Japanese language will be more effective if taught at an earlier age. For project objective 3: Serve as a basic tool for learning the Japanese language. . Will serve as the starter program for children who want to learn the Japanese language. b. Learning Japanese language will be the stepping-stone to multi-lingual communication. Theoretical Framework Mediamorphosis is a unified way of thinking about the technological evolution of communication. We will see that the new media do not arise spontaneously and independently. The new media will emerge gradually from the metamorphosis, which is defined to be a biological process of development. According to Rodger Fidler one of the basic principles of Mediamorphosis is co evolution and coexistence.
The Proponents project applies to this principle for it is a product of evolution from books. Once consumers perceive a new technology like this project to be useful and affordable, widespread adoption can take place rather quickly. Project Brief Technical Description -The Proponent will be using Abobe Director as the primary software in developing the Interactive CD. -Adobe Photoshop will be used in designing assets to be used in said project. -A DVD CD will be the end product of this project with the following features -The strokes -Pronunciation -Reading materials -Short multiple choice quizzes
Content Outline The proponent wishes to provide an interactive CD that will educate children about the Japanese language by interactive activities like showing of the strokes, pronunciation, simple quizzes and reading materials. Topics to be discussed in the said interactive CD would include the following: -Vocabulary -History -Strokes -Characters -Speaking -Reading comprehension Components Interactive CD -1024x768 screen size -Director EXE file -Dual platform (MAC/PC) -Mouse Activated Audience Beneficiary and Market Profile Age: 4 – 7 Years Old Gender group: Male and Female
Economic/Social group: Upper Class and Middle Class Other cultural and behavioral determinant: Basic computer literacy; has Japanese blood; Basic literacy. Target Market: Parents with children with intentions of learning the Japanese language. Target Audience: Children ages 4 - 7 Sample Audiences Zia Kawamoto is a 6 year old half Japanese half Filipino girl who is studying in Ann Arbor Montessori in Las Pinas. Zia has a grandfather who is pure Japanese, and whenever he would come to the Philippines to visit her, the language barrier prevents them from understanding each other.
Zia and her parents are moving to Japan soon, but she has little knowledge about the national language of Japan, and her parents are worried she will not adapt well to the change in the language she is not familiar with. Scope and Limitations The project will include topics of basic Japanese language including reading (comprehension, vocabulary), speaking (formal, informal), writing (strokes, characters). This project will not include advanced lessons of the Japanese language. This project is intended for children 4 - 7 only because of its intended user friendly interface and simple lessons.
Review of Related Literature and Works Literature 1. A Guide to Learning Hiragana and Katakana By Kenneth G. Henshall with Tetsuo Takagaki Charles E. Tuttle Publishing The main aim of this book is to help students achieve competence in reading and writing Kana, the phonetic symbols that are fundatmental to written Japanese. The book stats with a section which contains everything the student will need to know about the systems of Hiragana and Katakana. The proponent can use this information for the backbone of his lesson plan for the Japanese language as the book covers most topics that will be discussed. . Folktales from the Japanese Countryside By Fran Stallings with Harold Wright and Miki Sakurai Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. This book contains several folktales which was given and told by Hiroko Fujita, who in childhood learned hundered of stories by listening to the elders in Miharu, Fukushima Prefecture. Some of these stories have motifs and plot elements that story-lovers will recognize. The proponent chose this book as he can use these stories to his reading comprehension part of his proposed topic. 3. A History of Japanese Literature By W. G. Aston, C. M. G. , D. Lit William Heinemann Publishing
This is a book about the history of literature during different colonizational periods in Japan. It tells of how the styles, strokes and characters change through passing of each period, and it provides with information on the birth of the Japanese literature. Although the book might not have recent information and lessons, the proponent can use this book to further gather knowledge about the history of Japanese literature. Proposed Methodology Pre-Production During Pre-Production the Proponent will research about the Japanese language and will simplify each topic for it will be intended for children ages 4-7.
The Proponent will also construct a flowchart on how the interactive CD will operate. Sketches will be made and design pegs will be finalized for the assets needed in the final project. The Proponent will also write scripts for the audio lessons needed in the said project. The Proponent will compose multiple choice questions about said topics for the Quiz section of the interactive CD. Production During the production process the proponent will start digitizing sketches made for the Interactive CD and will be inserted and coded in Adobe Director.
The Proponent will also code all simplified research for the educational part of the interactive CD and code all multiple choice questions for the short quiz section of the project. The proponent will start recording audio for the Japanese language. Audio will be produced for all the parts of the interactive CD. After scripting, testing will be done. Animation, static elements and audio will be checked if they are working properly. Post-Production During the Post-Production any production revisions will be fixed and will again be checked for any revisions.
If there are no more revisions the project will be finalized and will be made into an Adobe Director projector file. Packaging and marketing design and will be finalized during the post-production. This will then be printed and the contents of the interactive CD will then be burned on a DVD/R rom. References A Guide to Learning Hiragana and Katakana By Kenneth G. Henshall with Tetsuo Takagaki (1997) Folktales from the Japanese Countryside By Fran Stallings with Harold Wright and Miki Sakurai (2008) A History of Japanese Literature By W. G. Aston, C. M. G. , D. Lit (1898) http://www. japanese-language. aiyori. org/introduction. html
