Mediastage: A Futurelab Prototype Research Report

Martin Owen

01 September 2003

Flyer

MediaStage is software for modelling human behaviour. In an early stage of development during 2003, Futurelab collaborated with the developers (Immersive Education) to refine and develop the tool through research with students and teachers. The tool has undergone significant further development following this early research phase and is now available as a commercial product for use in media studies education. The following report describes the prototype as at June 2003, and summarises the findings from Futurelab's research with students and teachers.

The research had three phases:

• A half-day workshop with a group of school teachers.
• One day's intensive planning with a teacher to devise a set of curricular activities.
• A six-week, 12-hour classroom-laboratory in school with 15 Year 8 students.