Dazzle 03

www.indigolearning.com/dazzle

KS2 (Years 3 - 6)

Art & Design, ICT & Design & Technology

Dazzle 03 installed onto a series of standalone computers without any difficulties and it was also simple to uninstall using the Add/Remove Software option in Windows. It was not possible to test the product on a computer network although the Quick Guide gives comprehensive instructions as to how this can be done. The program could be viewed correctly at a resolution of 800 x 600.The program can be loaded quickly through the programs menu, or a shortcut can be placed on the desktop.

What This Product Offers

Dazzle 03 is a comprehensive graphics program which can be used effectively across the whole Curriculum to paint, explore shapes and create diagrams. It has many features that make its use ideal in the Primary classroom including simple customisation of the screen, multiple stamp banks and layers. Other elements of the program include moveable stamp banks, flexible text and gradient fills.

'Customisation' is a particularly useful feature, especially if the program is going to be used with younger children. By using this menu, teachers are able to quickly and simply restrict the tools available to the children.

The Indigo Learning website (www.indigolearning.com) also contains a large number of suggestions on how to use Dazzle 03 in the classroom. The site contains lesson plans, additional resources and links, all of which provide the user with extra information on how to use the program in an effective manner. The website also contains suggestions on how Dazzle 03 can be used across the Curriculum.

Purpose of Using This Product

I used the program in a series of Art lessons linked to the QCA Unit 6A (People in Action). In this unit the children are asked to represent figures and forms in movement. I used Dazzle 03 as a tool to help me to teach the children how to create a picture of a moving figure using different tools and techniques for showing movement (this learning objective was taken from the Dazzle Quick Start Guide). Prior to the lesson, I introduced the children to the program through the classroom computer and modelled the use of some of the tools; the children were then able to investigate the program in their own time – producing simple pictures of static people.

Differentiation

Dazzle 03 comes with four predefined levels that have been designed to suit the needs of different age groups. Each level has a different configuration of tools that have been chosen to match the skills and abilities of the pupils in that age range. As already stated, the Customisation feature can be used to restrict or enable children's access to particular features of the program. All of the text on the page is suitable to be read to the children.

Classroom Organisation

I used this program during my art sessions. The children were introduced to Dazzle 03 at the beginning of the unit and were allowed to investigate the features by creating pictures of static people. The introduction was done by gathering the children around the main classroom computer and showing them the different tools. The children then worked in pairs to produce their work.

Context of Use

We started the unit by looking at the work of Lowry and then, as suggested by the Quick Start Guide, looked at Marcel Duchamp's 'Nude Descending a Staircase'. As a class we analysed how Duchamp showed movement through overlapping repeated patterns and by using lines. For homework the children were asked to see if they could find any other pictures in which this technique was used. During the first session I used the classroom computer to model the creation of a walking figure in Duchamp's style using the shape tools. I filled these shapes and then used the pencil to draw lines to indicate the movement of the legs. The children then worked in groups to create block pictures of a walking figure.

The second session involved me modelling how to select and save the image that I had created as a stamp. I then stamped the image repeatedly, moving each image slightly downwards and to the right each time. This gave the impression that the figure was moving down the screen.

During the third session, I demonstrated to the children how to use the copy brush tool. This tool helped to build up a sense of movement in the picture. We then used the fill tool to change the background colour and to draw different angular shapes under the figure, to give a greater sense of movement. We finished our pictures by using the smear tool to give the impression of brush strokes.

Ease of Use - Design & Navigation

Dazzle 03 is quite simple to use and the icons clearly indicate the tools that they represent. However, some of the children in my class found the copy brush tool very hard to use – it had taken me a lot of practice prior to the lesson to be able to use it successfully. The undo button therefore proved to be very useful! The fact that the children can be given restricted access to tools is useful, particularly for children who find motor-control hard. The speech facility was also useful.

Monitoring & Assessment

The children printed their work on completion and wrote 'I can …' statements underneath them. This enabled me to monitor the progress of the class. However, the program itself does not offer any assessment or monitoring facilities.

Feedback from Pupils and Other Staff

The children enjoyed using the program and were keen to develop the skills that they had learnt during use of a graphical modelling program last year. The program provided a suitable level of challenge for the more able children and there were plenty of opportunities for extension work. However, the teacher must have a good understanding of all the tools before attempting to work with a class, as some elements can be quite demanding.

Ease of Use

Dazzle 03 is a comprehensive graphics program that can be used effectively across the whole Curriculum to create graphics, explore shapes and make diagrams. It has many features that make its use ideal in the Primary classroom, including simple customisation of the screen, multiple stamp banks and layers.

Dazzle 03 is relatively simple to use and the tool icons are clear and easy to understand. However, the teacher must have a good understanding of all the tools before attempting to work with a class as some elements can, at times, be quite demanding. Dazzle 03 comes with four predefined levels that have been designed to suit the needs of different age groups. Each level has a different configuration of tools that have been chosen to match with the skills and abilities of the pupils in that age range.

Classroom Experience

I used the program in a series of Art lessons linked to the QCA Unit 6A (People in Action). In this unit, the children are asked to represent figures and forms in movement and in particular we looked at Marcel Duchamp's 'Nude Descending a Staircase'. The children were introduced to Dazzle 03 at the beginning of the unit and were allowed to investigate the features by creating pictures of static people. We then moved on to looking at using other tools to create a feel of movement, including the stamp tool and the copy brush. These elements provided the children with the challenge they needed in order to extend both their art and ICT skills.

Read KS2 Content evaluation...

Product Overview

This product is published by Indigo Learning Ltd (Tel: 01480 354335)