Abstract

The thesis project, SwimSmart, created by Rebecca Natalie Berent, is an instructional CD-ROM designed for coaches and intermediate to advanced swimmers seeking to improve upon their swimming skills. It is designed for use on both a projector for group training and on a personal computer as an individual teaching aid, and it runs by inserting it into a computer. The CD includes videos depicting proper swimming technique and is organized within a graphical interface broken down by stroke technique, coach advice, and tips, exercises, and downloadable practice routines. There are two additional sections devoted to credits and an explanation of the application, and a library where the user can watch all videos found throughout SwimSmart in one place. The program is interactive, meaning the user uses the mouse to click through and view various types of content related to swimming. Teachers and professors typically use some form of multimedia to assist in instructing students in the classroom. The intent of SwimSmart is to improve upon a physical activity using the same principles behind the instructional multimedia used in classrooms. The physical skill is depicted by video that captures the actual movements of a swimmer, along with demonstrations of exercises, practices, and drills. These demonstrations are explained in terms of the muscles they affect as well as how they will improve personal swimming skills, times, and strokes. There are also sections devoted to common mistakes swimmers tend to make and how to correct them. For the creation, design, and implementation of SwimSmart, videos were shot, edited, and made into short, stand-alone clips, which were then combined and organized into a structured format within the SwimSmart application. Each clip is devoted to an area of swimming and is set up like a short documentary of the particular topic or subject. Video content includes coaches giving advice and explanations of strokes, swimmers in the pool demonstrating various aspects of swimming, and dry-land training. The designer shot and edited video of coaches and swimmers and created videos to teach the principles of swimming and the various strokes and to present drills, exercises, and other content. All the videos were combined into a dynamically generated video player embedded within a graphical interface using ActionScript and XML code and Adobe Flash. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Adobe SoundBooth, Adobe Premiere, and Adobe InDesign were all used to create elements for the application, including its brand, video and user-interfaces, buttons, photos, imagery, icons, and more. Positive usability testing showed that the application was easy to use and understand, well organized and designed, and educational. Additional materials that accompany the CD are CD labels, a user guide, and posters marketing the product.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Swimming--Training--Interactive multimedia--Design; Interactive multimedia--Design; Computer graphics--Design

Publication Date

8-1-2010

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CIAS)

Advisor

Foster, Shaun

Advisor/Committee Member

Schweppe, Marla

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: GV837.7 .B47 2010

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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