This next-generation documentary combines the compelling drama of a television production, the rich interactivity of a web site and the deep resources of a reference text. Presented by the Institute of Human Origins, Becoming Human is hosted by renowned paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson (who discovered the "Lucy" skeleton in 1974). As a part of the experience, you can explore a working dig site, listen to leading scientists debate hot topics, and interact with dozens of hands-on activities that bring the story of human evolution to life.
I was instantly drawn to this site and secretly pleased that I had a genuine excuse ("LearnScope research, Baas...") to spend a lazy hour exploring it. If websites could be compared to meals, this site for me was a rich dessert rather than the usual brussel sprout that I often feel I "ought" to quietly consume...
Throughout the website multimedia is used almost invisibly to engage the senses and provide a rich context for the content - lots of pictures, voiceovers, music, animations, beautifully shot still photography. I was impressed with the economy and simplicity of techniques used to depict scenes and ideas eg In the "Evidence" introduction there is a panned shot of some Jeeps on a hill in Ethiopia overlaid with music, engine noises and voiceover. Instead of using video footage of Jeeps flying over a hill (which would chew up a lot of memory and certainly freeze my computer) they have created an ambiance that is somehow just as evocative as any video could have been. In fact it took me a while to realise that I wasn't experiencing a "moving picture" type event. This struck me as quite elegant - the designers were clearly maximising the current potential of the medium rather than attempting to replicate the usual "documentary style" video offering one would experience on a television (which would compromise the experiences of many users who may not have the technology to support video files).
Be sure to also look for the 360 degree panning tool that is provided when one elects to "join the dig". Simple but effective. Lots, lots more - you'll have to explore the site yourself to experience the full range of tools and techniques used in the design.
It would be impossible to find anything on this site that I didn't like as such, but if I had to report on the least comfortable aspect, it would be the way there was so much offered - it seemed that every part of every screen offered lots of tangents one could follow and this Baby Boomer brain was a bit overwhelmed at first until I realised that it was OK to just "click and see" rather than succumb to the (learned?) need to follow a vaguely coherent or recommended pathway.
In essence, I think this site is a fine example of how technologies can be used to create an authentic and powerful learning experience without the user being forced to become aware that they are "learning" (ie eating all their vegetables). For me, the site stimulated a genuinely intrinsic urge to engage with the content because the technology was used in a way that made it effortless and enjoyable - in my experience the most rewarding way to learn.
