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ANALYSING STUDENTS’ USAGE


OF THE
RULE OF THIRDS IN PHOTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE
Web address: http://www.newmediaworkshops.com/listerportfolio/ro3/ActionResearch.pdf

AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

PRESENTED BY

SUSAN LISTER
SUSAN.LISTER@NEWMEDIAWORKSHOPS.COM

PART OF THE CAPSTONE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

MASTERS OF ARTS IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

JULY, 2003 (UPDATED JUNE, 2005)

VISIT THE SUPPORT WEBSITE AT

HTTP://WWW.NEWMEDIAWORKSHOPS.COM/LISTERPORTFOLIO/RO3/INDEX.HTM

This Work Is Licensed Under The Creative Commons “Share-A-Like License” –


Read About It Here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
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INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

The students in the Communication Technology program at the Higher Colleges of

Technology in United Arab Emirates graduate with a Diploma after three years in the College

Program. Teachers recognize that although the students are highly technology savvy and

have grown up in a world where visuals are a prominent part of their life, the students have

done very little interpretation, analysis, or critical review of the visuals invading their lives.

The instructors know that for the students to be successful in the program, they need to

become visually literate. There are many courses over the three years that work at

improving the students’ visual analysis skills and there are several instructional methods

used. This study looked at how a multimedia product (that paid particular attention to

second-language learners) can aid in the learning of visual skills. Software was developed to

teach various aspects of visual literacy and specifically “The Rule of Thirds” in photography.

The study was interested in how the students learned using the software by identifying the

features of the software that either helped or hindered the students’ understanding. Lastly,

since the author (as part of a team) developed the study software, there was great interest in

how the software could be improved to better support the learning of visual literacy concepts

by second language learners.


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STUDY BACKGROUND

This study investigates the use of software to aid in the visual development of

Communication Technology students. Before the actual study can be addressed there is

pertinent background information that needs to be provided. This section will provide some

background information on the Visual Communication course in which the software is used;

the actual Rule of Thirds software will be reviewed as well as websites that also “teach” the

rule of thirds. Lastly, a review of literature in three main subject areas: Multimedia and

Learning; How to Evaluate Software and Multimedia for ESL learners will be included.

The Visual Communication Course

In the first year of study in the Communication Technology program within the

United Arab Emirates Higher Colleges of Technology, not only do the students learn about

Graphic Design, Journalism and Video Production (the three fields they can later specialize

in) but the foundation is also set for them to become better visual communicators. One first

year course, Visual Communication I, is paramount to the students achieving good results in

their future specialization. This course is described in the syllabus as follows:

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts


of communicating using visuals. Through production and discussion,
students will learn creative and practical techniques to create visuals
which can be used in a variety of media formats and genres. Visual
literacy, colour theory, lighting and photography are all used to achieve
course goals. By the end of the course, the student will be proficient in
creating and organizing visuals to present information in an appealing
and effective way. The student will also have developed specific photo
skills related to the use of a basic single lens reflex camera.
The course has a large hands-on component where the students complete over 12

projects during the 14 week semester. Through these projects the students develop a more

critical view of their work, their peers’ and professional work. Recognized by both teachers

and students as one of the key courses in year one, the course promotes reflective thinking

concerning graphic design, photography, video and other visual content.


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One part of the Visual Communication course teaches the students the Rule of Thirds.

It is found specifically in Goal #2, Objective #2 of the course curriculum which states:

GOAL #2 - The student will demonstrate good compositional techniques in


the production of a variety of images.
Objective #2 - Identify and apply the elements of composition (Point of
View, Rule of Thirds , Framing, and Perspective) in the
production of images
The Rule of Thirds is a well-known photographic compositional technique. It is not a

surprise that it can be traced back to Greek times where it is known in its original form as the

Golden Mean. Basically, the idea presented in the Rule of Thirds is that you should not put

your main subject in the middle of a photo but rather, a better photo can be created by placing

the main subject along an imaginary line that divides the photo in thirds either horizontally or

vertically. Here are three photos from the Rule of Thirds software that follow the Rule of

Thirds:

Image 1, Sunset Fun, Susan Lister Image . 3 – Balancing Act, Susan Lister
Image 2, Lonely Tree, Susan Lister

The idea behind the Rule of Thirds is that when a person looks at an image they are

naturally seeking out balance. When the main subject is in the centre of the image, balance is

easily found. However, in providing a ‘simplistic’ balance, the photographer has not provided

a very rich environment for his viewer. If one thinks of a photographer’s job as providing

visual nourishment, then when the subject is found in the centre of a photo, the viewer has

just received a ‘fast food snack’. When a photographer follows the rule of thirds and places

his/her subject along the horizontal or vertical third of a photo, there is much more room for

“full meal”. A rule of thirds photo, at first glance, seems to be off-balance, which causes the
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viewer to investigate further seeking out the balance they naturally desire. A master

photographer would compose the image to feed the eye as it wanders through the image –

placing ‘snacks’ of intriguing colours, textures, lines and shapes throughout the off-balance

photo. With the main subject off-centre there is more room to lead the eye into the main

subject and around the photo.

Rule of Thirds in Photography Software

The "Rule of Thirds in Photography" is a Macromedia Flash-based program, to aid

learners in becoming visually literate through the introduction of design principles and

compositional techniques emphasizing the Rule of Thirds. The product, while addressing the

special needs of English Second Language learners, uses multimedia activities and

simulations in the realm of photograph composition. The development of this product

included a unique collaboration of Higher Colleges of Technology photographers, ESL

teachers and instructional designers. With over 120 images, more than 70 'introduced' terms

with glossary roll-overs, 16 minutes of audio and many options to go 'deeper' or try 'more',

the product provides an engaging 60 minute computer-mediated photography lesson.

The “Rule of Thirds in Photography” software began as a smaller product produced to

satisfy one of the project requirements in the first year Masters of Arts in Education

Technology program through Michigan State University. It was later developed by a team of

three faculty members (the author being one) from Dubai Men’s College as part of the

“Quality in Teaching and Learning” professional development program at HCT. Although it

is not expected to replace the instructor, the software has been developed for students to use

on his or her own in a self-learning mode. As a follow up, it is expected that the students

would complete a ‘real world’ photography shooting assignment where they would apply the

rule of thirds to their own photography. A variety of follow-up exercises and assessments are

provided to teachers who use the software on the CD-ROM as well as through a support

website at http://www.newmediaworkshops.com/listerportfolio/ro3/index.htm .
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The software is organized in these sections:

1. Learn about focal points


2. Create a focal point
3. Focal points vs. Centre of Photos
4. Introduction of the Rule Of Thirds
5. Rule Of Thirds Activity
6. Summary - Good Composition Tips and the Rule of Thirds
7. Quizzes & Resources

The software begins by introducing the term “focal point” and shows the student

several ways to create a focal point in their photos. Next, the student is discouraged from

always placing the focal point in the centre of a photo (a common beginner technique) by

reviewing many good photos that don’t have the focal point in the centre. Next, the Rule of

Thirds is introduced which requires that the focal point is placed in the upper or lower third

of a photo or the left third or right third. Several activities are provided to get the concept

across. The software ends with a summary of the overall ideas presented and a self-marking

quiz questions. At the completion of the thirty to forty-five minute computer-based training

program, the software suggests that the student will be able to:

1. Choose the main focal point of a photo or identify photos that do not have a focal
point.

2. Explain the terms focal point and composition.

3. Explain what the Rule of Thirds means and why a good photographer might use it.

4. Show how the Rule of Thirds can be used when composing photos.

5. Identify photos which use the Rule of Thirds from those that don’t

Table #1 identifies the features that have been included in the Rule of Thirds Software

that the developers suggest “engage learners in learning”.


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Table 1 – An Inventory of the Rule of Thirds’ Learning Features
Feature and Description Visual/Interaction
1 Animated Introduction
The introduction was created to provide an up-
beat, ‘cool’ introduction to the software. The
students who use the product are technology-
savvy and we wanted the product to catch their
interest from start to end.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 4
2 Interactivity #1
Choosing the focal point of a photo – feedback
is given when the wrong place is chosen.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 5

3 Interactivity #2 – Focal Point Summary


activity where a scene is shown and animated
lines provide an analysis of how the camels
can be used as a focal point. The student is
then given the option to “choose” which photo
he/she would like to ‘take’.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
Image 6
4 Interactivity #3
Final Activity in the first section provides a
panorama where the student selects items that
he/she would like to make the main subject of
a photo. The photo is then shown, with
interpretation about what makes the photo
good.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action) Image 7
5 Interactivity #4
Throughout the software, there are places
where the student gets a choice about where
they want to go. Here, they can decide which
photo to use. They then use the selected photo
to investigate the differences between the
center of a photo and the focal point.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
Image 8
6 Interactivity #5
A drag and drop activity where again the
center of a photo and the main subject is
differentiated.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 9
8
Feature and Description Visual/Interaction
7 Interactivity #6
This is another drag and drop activity where
horizontal and vertical bars are dragged onto
the photo to reflect the Rule of Thirds grid.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 10
8 Interactivity #7
In this activity the learner uses their new
knowledge of the Rule of Thirds and attemps
to “take” a photo that follows the rule by
framing one in the smaller box. This is
accomplished by moving the mouse around on
the smaller photo.
(this feature is not yet ready for viewing)

Image 11
9 Activity #8a
This is first of 4 “Test Yourself” activities that
occur at the end of the product. In this activity
the learner drags the photos that follow the
rule of thirds to the YES side while those that
don’t should end up on the NO side. The
learner can test their answers and move photos
around until all are correctly placed or they
can move on. Image 12
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
10 Activity #8b
The second quiz is a vocabulary test where the
student must match the word with the
meaning. If the word is incorrectly matched, it
returns to its origin
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action).

Image 13
11 Activity #8c
This is the third quiz – also testing vocabulary
but more closely aligned with using words to
describe particular attributes of photos.

(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 14
12 Activity #8d
In this, the final ‘test’ the student resizes a
green rectangle on the panorama and then
presses a button which makes the Rule of
Thirds ‘grid’ appear within the green
rectangle. The student can see if he/she has
lined up their focal point and balanced the
photo using the Rule. Image 15
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
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Feature and Description Visual/Interaction
13 ‘More’ Button on Text blocks
We had three choices when there was too
much text to fit nicely on a screen. We could
eliminate some of the text, we could insert the
text in a scroll box or we could have the user
click a button to get more information. After
consulting the ESL instructors at the college,
we opted for the latter choice. To support our
desire to provide more information for
students who are ‘more’ interested in
photography, there are times when the student
has the choice to go on in the product or click
the ‘more’ button; at other times, s/he must Image 16
click the ‘more’ button and access more text
before the ‘next’ button appears.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
14 Audio Critique Buttons
With our students learning in their second
language, we decided it was best to provide the
information within the program through
several modes. There are audio opportunities
throughout the program. Sometimes, the
photos are interpreted by other photographers,
sometimes a narrator provides information.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action) Image 17
15 Try Another Button
Throughout the software, this button shows up
to allow the students to spend more time in a
section if they want to.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 18
16 “View” buttons (Thirds, Centre, Focal Point)
The “View” button appears in later sections of
the software, to reinforce a concept from an
earlier section.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 19
17 Rule of Thirds Button
Once the Rule of Thirds is introduced, this
grey round button appears on most of the
photos that follow. It is meant to both
reinforce the rule but also tweak a students’
curiousity in how the rule is applied to
different photos. Image 20
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)
18 Yellow – “Interact with me” buttons
These buttons appear scattered throughout the
program and provide one more way for the
student to interact with either the photo or the
information provided.
(select the image to view a video of this feature in action)

Image 21
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Literature Review

Educational psychologists have not only been studying how learning takes place for

decades but there have also been a great many studies in how to best learn in a second

language. Now, with the advance of technology into the English as a Second Language

classroom, three questions arise: How does learning take place in a multimedia environment,

what affects learning in a multimedia environment, and “How does multimedia aid learning

in a second language?” This literature review will highlight studies of the multimedia-

learning environment examining knowledge construction and redundancy in multimedia

products (the “how” in multimedia learning). This study will also review investigations using

ESL learners and any follow up insights about interface and instructional design through

software evaluation practices (the “what” affects learning in multimedia).

Najjar (1996) performed an extensive review of studies investigating the multimedia-

learning environment. He identified many authors who had come to the conclusion that the

assumption that multimedia information helps people learn, seems to be based more on

personal opinion than on scientifically based fact. People enjoy multimedia, prefer

multimedia-learning materials, and believe that multimedia helps them learn. Another very

significant finding from Najjar’s literature review was that learning appeared to take less time

when multimedia instruction was used. For example, Kulik, Bangert, and Williams (1983)

found one study that recorded an 88% savings in learning time with computerized instruction

versus classroom instruction and another study that recorded a 39% savings in learning time.

Lastly, Najjar highlights two studies, Stafford (1990) concluded that interactivity was

associated with learning achievement and retention of knowledge over time while Bosco

(1986)/Fletcher (1989, 1990) showed people learn the material faster and have better attitudes

toward learning the material when they learn in an interactive instructional environment.

Najjar summarized positive outcomes from multimedia learning environments were the result

of four items: Instructional Method (“computer-based instruction may force the instructional

designer to better organize and structure the learning material compared to traditional
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classroom lecture” p.3); Control of learning pace (“Self-paced learning is probably a more

effective way to learn because the learner can move on to new material when the learner is

ready.”p.3); novelty - (learning improvements were higher for groups that used multimedia

for four weeks or less, but the learning advantage tailed off fairly strongly after eight weeks);

and lastly interactivity.

Bermudez, A.B., Palumbo, D. (1994) also looked at the characteristics of the

hypermedia environment for learning. When identifying the specific learning advantages of

hypermedia, they quoted Collier (1987):

1. Printed knowledge is inherently linear and often has arbitrary ordering forced on it by
the print medium. Hypermedia systems eliminate such constraints in the presentation
of information, allowing users to browse more freely through a data structure.

2. Links between and among concepts enable semantically and logically related
information to be tied together in conceptual webs. Using this representational
architecture allows hypermedia systems to mirror some of the associational power of
human memory.

3. Linear information systems support only part of the potential web of interconnections
since authors choose which interconnections to present based on a hypothetical
typical user. Since the prior knowledge, experiences, and learning style of all potential
readers are idiosyncratic, many users fail to adequately transfer desired information
into their cognitive structures. Hypermedia, on the other hand, holds the potential for
users to access tools by which they can construct personalized transitions between the
information to be accessed and their cognitive structure. This feature has the potential
for individualizing the information environment.

Bermudez and Palumbo, (1994) discussed student-controlled learning and proclaimed

that “Using a student-controlled medium for learning activates the strategies necessary for

self-evaluation and cognitive augmentation. When students are in control of their own

learning, more meaningful information is accessed and internalized, and more relevant

strategies to attain this information are used in the process strategies that are consistent with

the way the individual students learn.” ( p.172)

When reviewing research that investigated how learning is affected by interactivity

within the multimedia environment, two studies, Bermudez, A.B. and Palumbo, D. (1994)

and Rogers and Scaife (1998), both looked at what types of interactivity best support engaged

learning. They suggested that although interactivity is the key, the technology must be put to
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good use by enabling the learner to understand concepts, reflect on and integrate different

kinds of knowledge. Bermudez and Palumba investigated the opportunities for knowledge

construction within a hypermedia environment. They felt, “It is not sufficient to present

information on a computer screen and assume that this will be accurately, adequately, and

completely transferred to the knowledge base of the learner. Even multiple modes of

presentation (a current theme of hypermedia proponents) do not assure such transfer. As

hypermedia systems move from knowledge presentation to knowledge representation, the

issue of knowledge transfer will be key.” Bermudez and Palumba’s study showed that

interactivity was the key to the knowledge transfer and specifically, a constructivist

environment where the user not only browses information but also has the ability to build

additional nodes and links. Their ideal hypermedia learning environment would go beyond

providing a user choice of direction in information presentation to an environment where the

user connects information to other nodes, adds additional information and even questions or

extends the relationships implied by the current information.

Rogers and Scaife (1998) decided it was not enough to look at interactivity as the

“physical activities on the interface” also; they wanted to get at the “cognitive interplay

between internal and external representations that arise in the different settings”. Like

Bermudez and Palumba they studied how multimedia environments allowed the integration

of representations of the same and different material. In the Rogers and Scaife (1998) study,

8 primary teachers were asked to review two CD’s on the same topic but with different levels

of interactivity. They used a focus group discussion to identify the interactivities within the

software that the teachers felt supported teaching goals. What the teachers wanted from

interactivities was “purposeful activities that enable the learners to solve problems, reflect,

imagine and create” (p.6). The researchers identified how specific interactivities support

various kind of learning. They came up with this list:

• Visibility and accessibility – The interactivity should facilitate inferencing, through


directing the learner’s attention to key components that are useful or essential for
different stages of problem solving or a learning task. Basically making visible what
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are normally hidden processes (visualizing carbon atoms moving through the different
stages of the carbon cycle). p.6

• Manipulatability and annotatability: The interactivity should enable the user to


develop their understanding of the content by making changes to it for their own
purposes (jotting notes, pasting images to a notebook). They should also be able to
learn through doing with the idea being, that through the ability to create content the
learner will have a better understanding of how a system (or other content) works.
(p.7)

• Creativity and combinability: The interactivity should allow the learner create new
content by combining different media. Here the goal is for the user to construct new
representations as a way of understanding the concepts presented. (p.7)

• Experimentation and Testing. The interactivity should support “hands on”


experiments where the learner is required to test out hypothesis in different contexts.

Interactivity isn’t the only attribute of multimedia that shows promise for helping

people learn. Tan, E., Lim, L.H., & Khoo S.C. (1997) looked at how to design multimedia

instruction so that it has the ability to support redundant and relevant relationships

(Pettersson, 1993 in Tan et.al 1997) which have proven to aid in the learning process because

information is provided and supported by more than one sense rather than sound, text, or

graphics alone. However, Najjar, L.J. (1996) said that “Redundant multimedia does not

always improve learning compared to "monomedia” while at the same time he identified

these situations in which a multimedia presentation of information helps people learn:

• When Media Support Dual Coding of Information - Learning is better when the
information is referentially processed through two channels than when the
information is processed through only one channel. Referential processing may
produce this additive effect because the learner creates more cognitive paths that can
be followed to retrieve the information.

• When Media are presented to learners with Low Prior Knowledge or Aptitude in the
Domain being learned. Mayer (1993) believes that this is because the multimedia
helps low domain knowledge learners to connect the new knowledge to prior
knowledge or, for learning systems such as a bicycle pump, to build a cognitive model
of the system. The results of these studies suggest that multimedia is most effective
for people with low prior knowledge or aptitude in the domain being learned. This
may be because experts already have a cognitive model and large amounts of
information for new knowledge to connect to, but novices do not. Alternatively,
novices may not know which information is important and on which information they
should focus their attention.

Redundant multimedia has a definite role to play when meeting the special needs of

second language learners. Al-Seghayer (2001) identified several studies that support the idea
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that second language learners learn more quickly when words are coded dually – perhaps

because more paths for retrieval are provided and two types of recall are in the memory.

Also, by attaching visual information to a word, “enables readers to confirm or reject

hypothesis made about the meaning of a word”. To explain the value and effect of

multimedia in language learning, Al-Seghayer went to Mayer (1997) who in turn leaned on

Wittrock’s generative theory and Pavio’s dual coding theory. The generative theory suggests

learners of a second language have 2 separate verbal systems and one common imagery

system while the dual-coding (Paivo, 1971) is based on the assumption that memory and

cognition are served in two separate systems, one specialized for dealing with verbal

information, such as printed words and the other for nonverbal information, such as pictures

or objects. (p.205). In Al-Seghayer’s study, second language learning with words and pictures

versus words and video were compared. Although he discovered video and words provided

the best results, a general summary from the study stated that multimedia performs dual-

coding excellently, “computerized methods for glossing words are superior to text-based

methods because they aren’t as intrusive, can be retrieved immediately and when not in use,

they don’t stop the flow of reading.” Al-Sehayer goes on to say that “The computer’s

capacity to control and orchestrate various modalities/media (e.g., static pictures, sound,

animation, video) while affording critical human interaction features such as reader control,

immediacy of access and absence of interruptions, has not been attainable through any other

conventional instructional medium.” (p.206).

Bermudez, A.B. and Palumbo, D. (1994) seem to agree with Al-Seghayer:

“Particularly important to second language learners is a clear context which facilitates

comprehension and retention of concepts. Graphics, sound, animation, and other forms of

information transfer that simulate real-life situations are possible with hypermedia. Activities

which are authentic, interactive, context-embedded and purposeful contribute to the

attainment of meaning and thus promote second language acquisition.”


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So the research clearly shows that multimedia has an effect on learning through its

ability to provide interactivity, construct knowledge and present redundant information in

different formats. This is important knowledge to apply when evaluating educational

software for use in a classroom setting. By knowing what affects the learning within a

multimedia product, one can discern ways to assess whether a product will be a useful

learning tool. But evaluation of a multimedia product must go beyond its ability to provide

interactivity and support learning. The most important items that studies into educational

software evaluation emphasize seem to be interface and instructional design. Nicholson,

A.H.S. in the study, “Courseware Evaluation and Review Tool (CERT)”, produced an

evaluation key that went beyond the evaluation ‘check list’ approach. CERT specifically

attempts to address educational concerns by evaluating the learning framework (instructional

design) of the software that includes learner activities – different types of involvement and

activities that “stimulate students into thinking and employing the higher order cognitive

skills which foster deep as opposed to surface learning” p.8. Two other areas that are

assessed within the learning framework are feedback where it is expected the type of

feedback provided the learner will be both “encouraging” and “motivating”. And secondly,

the software should communicate to the learner if learning has been achieved, usually

through a formative evaluation.

CERT also looks at design issues and “how they support the provision of a

stimulating and productive learning tool” p.9. Not only does CERT assess “Attention”, the

use of good screen design, colour, highlights and user control of the software environment,

but CERT also investigates the motivational issues within the software:

• engaging the learner’s interest

• showing evidence of the user’s progress

• the ways in which the software responds to user input

• autonomy i.e. can the learner use the software without help.
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In his article, Judging the Usefulness of Courseware, John Edwards (1993) reported

on the paper, “Systematic evaluation procedures for instructional hypermedia/multimedia”

(1993) by Thomas Reeves (University of Georgia) and Stephen Harmon (University of

Houston at Clear Lake). Their paper identified the following 10 user Interface dimensions:

Ease of Use- The reviewer must judge how a user would interact with the courseware.
(Difficult to Easy)

Navigation – The reviewer must judge whether the navigation allows the user to move
through the courseware and that the user knows how to get to another
part of the courseware.

Learning Demands – Computer assisted learning demands a different way of learning.


A user must understand a) the content of the program b) its structure and
c) the options available. Learning demands are to do with perceiving an
option, making a choice and then making some physical action to make
that choice happen. (Unmanageable to Manageable)

Mapping – The reviewer must judge how well the user will know how much of the
courseware they have visited and how much is left to visit. (None to
Powerful)

Screen Design – The reviewer must be satisfied that the screen is “pleasing” to use.
This will mean judge text, icons, graphics, colours, etc. and will be ver
subjective. (Unbalanced to Balanced).

Level of Material – The review must try and ascertain that the information presented
is suitable for the user’s current understanding of the subject.
(Incompatible to Compatible)

Information Presentation – The reviewer must judge whether the information the
information is presented in an understandable form: will the user be able
to comprehend, understand, and learn from the information presented
(obtuse to Clear).

Media Integration – If different media are used, the reviewer must judge whether they
are well combined in the courseware and have not been used gratuitously
(Un co-ordinated to co-ordinated)

Aesthetics – In addition to screen design, the reviewer must judge how the courseware
looks and “feels” overall. (displeasing to pleasing)

Overall Functionality – The review must judge how useful the courseware is to the
intended user. (Not useful to Useful)

Jen Harvey, in “Choosing courseware: Some guidelines to first step evaluation”.

(1998), used both Durham University and a model by Phil Race (1993) as a basis for her

guidelines. “Phil Race’s model describes the process of learning as requiring an individual to

want, do, feedback and digest”.


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• Want relates to the level of motivation to use the package

• Doing is the level of active participation involved

• Feedback is the level of learning support provided by the package

• Digestion relates to the way the students can make the material their own.

While Durham University evaluation methods has four different aspects:

• Subject content and the way in which the material is structured

• Usability or the level at which a student is able to work through the package
without help, in terms of on-line feedback and support

• Pedagogy and the quality of the approach adopted by the package and how it
encourages quality in learning through, for example, the use of assessment.

• Layout and the stylistic presentation of the material within the package.

• Cognitive Load - Users must wrestle with issues of learnability, efficiency,


ease of remembering, and error frequency. The amount of time a user must
devote to such operational issues directly increases the amounts of time and
cognitive energy required to effectively interact with the information system.

Nielsen (1990) addresses five usability parameters that are directly related to

cognitive load. These include the ease with which the operation of the hypermedia system is

learned, how efficiently the system can be used once the user has learned its effective

operational structure, how easily the operation of the system is remembered from one

interaction to the next, the number and cost of errors associated with system operation, and

how pleasant the system is to use.


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Review of Websites Teaching the Rule of Thirds

Searching the “Rule of Thirds” in Google, revealed over 20 websites that claim to

teach the Rule of Thirds. Interestingly, many of the sites talked about the Rule of Thirds but

not from a photography standpoint. Graphics, quilting, video, painting and PowerPoint were

just some of the other angles on the Rule of Thirds discovered. A general overview of the

Photography Rule of Thirds websites was, quite frankly, disappointing. I expected more

interactivity, given the opportunity for interactivity that the web affords. Most of the sites

simply presented information through text and graphics, with some—astonishing--showing

only text and others showing only graphics.

Table #2 – Examples of Text, Photos & Photos/Text on the “Rule of Thirds” Websites
TEXT ONLY MOSTLY PHOTOS PHOTOS & TEXT

Image 24
Image 22 Image 23
http://johnlind.tripod.com/art/
http://www.fodors.com/focus artruleofthirds.html
http://www.betterphoto.com/explori
/display.cgi?aid=49
ng/tips/thirds.asp

The websites that were the most bizarre for me were the ones that either were 80%

text or more or those sites that only showed photos. I guess one could surmise that the ‘only

photo’ sites have taken constructivism to an extreme – one is supposed to construct an

understanding of the Rule of Thirds by reviewing photos that follow it or perhaps they follow
19
the adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. By just showing images that follow the

rule of thirds and not providing any discussion, these sites, in my view, take a risk. Can they

be sure that the representations chosen to present the rule are enough for understanding? The

other reason for such photo-rich/text-poor sites may be that they are merely teacher support

sites and targeted for use in classrooms where the teacher ‘fills in the gaps’. As for the text

only sites, they may not believe in the concept that there are different types of learners.

One website merely had a Rule of Thirds Field Assignment but no supporting

information on the topic – clearly, the web, for this instructor, is a ‘holding’ ground for

course material, nothing more.

Some of the websites go beyond the Rule of Thirds to discuss other compositional

techniques

Table #3 – Comparison of Photos Used on Web Sites

Image 25
Image 25
http://www.wildthingsphoto.com/tips/ http://www.silverlight.co.uk/tutorials/compose_expose/
composition/thirds.htm thirds.html

Image 26
http://www.arstechnica.com/ Image 27
wankerdesk/01q3/photo/photoart-1.html
http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/~acody/digi4.html
None of the more conventional photography web sites seem to encourage interaction

or collaboration. I thought I might find “Chat with a Pro Photographer” opportunities or even

an “Email me your Rule of Thirds photos” but there was no such offering.

In order “to teach” the Rule of Thirds, most sites just walked through the rule

explaining how a photo that follows the Rule of Thirds looks. Some websites added either a
20
grid or markings on the photos to help the learner envision the Rule of Thirds and how it

applies to the photo.

Table #4 – Graphic Varieties used to Support the Rule of Thirds Concepts

rule of thirds golden mean

Image 29
http://website.lineone.net/~peter.saw/ctutor/
cmpsitn5.htm

Image 28
http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/~acody/digi4.html
composition ideas The way a photographer thinks and composes
photos

Image 31

Image 30 http://www.fieldandforest.com/tips/99poy/tips_composition.html
http://www.tribalcog.com/learn/5_minutes.html

A student is expected to read text, view photos and perhaps “click” or scroll to get

more information or the complete concept. Some of the websites provided photos of the

same subject composed in a way that does not follow the rule and then show how the photo

can be composed following the rule; while other sites show a photo without the Rule of

Thirds grid and the same photo with it. One site animated the Rule of Thirds and I found one

site that was using a discussion thread to critique photos where the Rule of Thirds was

mentioned several times.


21
Table #5 – Rule of Thirds Breadth of Content

Image 32
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0117285/positioning.htm

Image 33 Image 35
http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/
photoProgramCompClass31.shtml http://offstone.com/photo/ …. search for “Rule
of Thirds”

Image 34
http://7hcc.tripod.com/technical/composition/rothirds/
rothirds.htm
22
METHODOLOGY

In order to satisfy the study criteria, it was important to set up situations to discover

(1) WHAT students are learning about the Rule of Thirds and photography in general; and (2)

HOW students learn about the Rule of Thirds using this technology. As well, the developers

wanted to receive genuine feedback from students and teachers about the product they had

created and how it could be improved. I used a variety of activities to capture evidence for

analysis of the research questions including showing the software at three different

conferences where many teachers reviewed the software and provided suggestions for

improvement.

For the classroom trials, I mostly used year 1 Communication Technology students, I

also thought that having the year 2 students review the software and learn about the rule of

thirds would be useful too. Before I could actually observe the students though, I had to

decide what I was looking for. Since a greater part of this study wanted to discover if the

software ‘engaged’ the student, I felt my observations should focus on ‘engagement’. Based

on my review of literature, I devised the following list of activities that would indicate to me

when the student is engaged with the software and hopefully, the learning:

• Using the “more” button on the pages when s/he didn’t have to.

• Using the “try another” button rather than just proceeding through the
software.

• Interacting with the photos - View center; view thirds; yellow interact buttons.

• Listening to the audio

• Wanting to use the product again.

• Length of time in the program or the amount of time the students stay on a
screen.

I also had to discover whether or not the software had ‘taught’ the students anything and if so,

what. Luckily, the software includes several ways of ‘testing’ learning which are included in

the Teacher Resource area. There are Comprehension tests, Vocabulary tests and 3 different
23
assignments. I felt these would suffice in demonstrating the learning that resulted from the

software.

Basically, the Year One students went through a “Rule of Thirds” learning unit which

started with using the Rule of Thirds software and ended with an assignment where they had

to take their own rule of thirds software using single lens reflex cameras. Prior to using the

software, I asked the students if any of them knew the Rule of Thirds; as expected none of

them had heard of it. If a student had known about the rule, then I would have given him a

pre-test. The students used the software in a computer lab that I ‘rigged’ with several

cameras. I had one camera capturing the entire classroom and as many students’ faces as

possible as they proceeded through the software. I also had two computers attached to a

camera which captured their screen activity so that an assessment could be made about where

the students went in the software, how long they stayed on a screen, and what

topics/screens/interactivities/ interested them. In the lab, when a student completed the

software, they were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the software.

Once the students completed the software, they went to a classroom where they

completed a comprehension on the Rule of Thirds test (See Appendix 6 for the

Comprehension Test). They also wrote a Vocabulary test that I felt could be followed up in

their English class (See Appendix 5 for the Vocabulary Test). We then discussed the Rule of

Thirds using a variety of photos and they received two photography assignments: (1) which

required that they critique photos from a variety of sources with respect to the Rule of Thirds

and (2) the students were expected to shoot photos in the field satisfying the Rule of Thirds.

(See Appendices 3 and 4 for the Assignments). In class the following week, we reviewed

their “critique” photos before they handed in that part of the assignment and I asked that they

‘prove’ their rule of thirds photos by using tracing paper cut to the size of the photo and

drawing a grid on the tracing paper as well as circling the focal point of the photo.

The Rule of Thirds CD was also distributed to Year One Visual Communication

classes around the Higher Colleges System. In all, three other classes used the software and
24
provided feedback via questionnaires. I also made the product available to English classes

throughout Dubai Men’s College. Any class that used the software in an English class was

asked to complete the Web-based Assessment form.

The Year Two Communication Technology students at Dubai Men’s College went

through the software during a multimedia class. They were asked to review the software both

from a content angle as well as from a multimedia learning tool aspect. After they had

reviewed the software, they completed a survey and then we sat as a class and assessed the

software in a focus group-like setting. I videotaped the students as they used the software as

well as during the group assessment session.


25
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The year one Communication Technology students at Dubai Men’s College

responded well to the Rule of Thirds Module they participated in – however, there has not

really been any part of the visual communication course that the students haven’t got fully

involved in. They had worked a bit in a Media Production Interactive CD-ROM so they were

familiar with computer-based learning and therefore, had no problem with the concept of

using a computer program to aid their learning. Before they began, I told the students the

software that they were using had never been used by students so if they had a problem with

any of the text on the screen or directions, they should ask me for clarification; I also made it

clear to the three students on the laptop computers that their actions within the computer

(mouse movements, clicking, dragging, etc) were being recorded as I felt it would be

unethical to do otherwise.

Within 5 minutes of starting into the program, the computer lab got very quiet and

stayed that way for almost 30 minutes. Two students in the group were not interested in the

software – this was apparent from start. I didn’t realize how much they were ‘not into it’ until

I viewed the video of the class since I left the room right at the beginning of the exercise to

minimize distractions and biasness. When I returned to the room, I noticed one of these

students stayed on the same screen for long periods of time, erratically clicking buttons and

looking around at the others. As the others proceeded through to different sections he stayed

in the first section. One of the two students turned out to be very poor in English so perhaps

a program that is laden with English words turned him off. The other student, who was a top

English student, must have had other reasons for not proceeding through the software.
26
How the Students Learned

Earlier in this section, I identified what I thought “engagement” would look like when

the students were using the product. I have placed a video further explaining these principles

at: http://www.newmediaworkshops.com/listerportfolio/video/videos.html#VideoResearch

Table #6 – How Will I know the Students are Engaged?

Example of Engagement

Using the more button on the pages with more text than
one screenful.

Using the try another button

Interacting with the photos - View center; view thirds;


yellow interact buttons.

(student drawing on photo)

Listening to the audio

Length of time in the program or the amount of time the


students stay on a screen.

One other way, I felt I could ‘prove’ engagement was if the students wanted to use the

product another time. I left the software available on the desktop of all the lab computers so

the students could have access the software anytime for the rest of the semester –

unfortunately, I did not monitor how many times they used the program in these labs. I had

one student ask specifically to review the software towards the end of the semester.

What did the students learn?

After going through the software, the students received a Vocabulary test (see

Appendix 5). The English teachers who aided in the development of the Rule of Thirds

identified 70 new words within the software. The Vocabulary Test asked that the students

match the definition for sixteen words. For the most part the students performed poorly in the

vocabulary test with not one student of the 11 getting a perfect score. The average score of

the students was 9 out of 16. The words with the least number of errors amongst all the

students were: shadow, surroundings, background and balance. The words that most students
27
found difficult were: follow (7 students chose wrong answer); emphasize (9 students chose

wrong answer); complementary (7 students chose wrong answer); attract (6 students chose

wrong answer); intrigue (10 students chose wrong answer); and horizontal (7 students chose

wrong answer). The words in the test were used at least 7 times throughout the product and

all the ‘new’ words had a mouse-over glossary attached to them.

Realizing the vocabulary test occurred directly after completion of the product, one

would expect the students’ retention to be at its best yet they did not do very well. I feel it is

fair to conclude the students didn’t ‘learn’ the new words as a result of the product.

However, the product could still be a useful step for the students on the way to learning the

new vocabulary.

The next step for the students was the comprehension test (see Appendix 3 and 4).

This test required that the students assess three different photos as to whether or not they

followed the Rule of Thirds and whether the photos were good or not. In general the students

performed well in this test with 8 of the 11 students correctly identifying at least two of the

photos correctly with 6 students receiving perfect scores. When the comprehension test asked

specifically for the students to prove their answer, I was expecting either a written description

about how the photo followed or didn’t follow the rule of thirds or in the least, I thought the

students would draw a grid on the photo. In the Year One group six of the 11 students drew

grids on the photos with two students even identifying the centre point and focal point as it is

demonstrated in the software. All but one of the students who drew the grid lines chose the

correct photos. In the Year 2 group of students only one student drew grids and he was one

of the two who identified the rule of thirds’ photos correctly.

Some of the students surprised me with the spacing in the grids. In image #35 below

you see where a student correctly states that the photo follows the rule of thirds but the grid

he draws is clearly not in thirds. For comparison sake, I have included other students’ answer

to the same question (images #36-45).


28
Table #7 – Comprehension Test Answers – Question #1

Image 35

Image 36

Image 37

Image 38
29

Image 39/40

Image 41

Image 42
30

Image 43

Image 44

Image 45

In the Comprehension test, the students were asked to explain “Why is the

composition good or bad in your opinion”. The students had to answer this question for each

of the three photos in the comprehension test: The range of students’ answers is shown in

Table #8 – although you can see some of their answers in Table 7 above, the table below

shows additional responses.


31
Table #8 – Sampling of Student Answers for Comprehension Test

Year How student answered “Why is the composition good or bad in your opinion?
Year 1 It’s good because the tree is showing in focus and the depth of field is okay for this
picture
Year 1 The tree is on the third place it shows good position
Year 1 The small mountain and the hill are meeting in one line
** Year 1 This picture has two horizontal lines that force you to look at the hill and then what’s
under the tree.
Year 1 The subject isn’t placed in the middle there is enough space to show the surroundings
of the tree
Year 1 It’s good because it has the rule of three’s
**The correct answer to this question would be close to this answer.

The students then had an assignment based on the Rule of Thirds. They had to find

magazine, newspaper or their friends’ photos that satisfied the rule of thirds as well as photos

that didn’t. Using guiding questions within the assignment document, the student critiqued

the photos. Here is a sampling of the students’ assignments:

The cup was in the middle. After I cut a part on the right the cup came to the third rule.

I have to cut the left part of the picture and I put the head of the building in the third
rule on the left.
32

The jogger is placed in the lower left position – so you are interested in where she is
going to not where she came from.
I wouldn’t give much details of where the jogger is heading to.

You can see the drop show out. It’s smaller than the lemon.
We will chose the holl lemon piece for the focal point. The photo will not be attractive
than it now.
33
This photo should not follow the rule of thirds because the tree is very big and it will
not be attractive if we put it in a rule of third because we will crop the holl tree.

This photo is special because of the colour and we can find that there is two focal point.
So we can remove one of them or not so its maltly rule of thirds.

It will lose many attractive things like shapes, lines and colour which are very
attractive.

It’s in the side of the picture


If we put the photo in the centre, we can’t show the distance of the sky in the picture and
it won’t be too strong.
34

The focal point in this photo is the two people sitting at the computer. The person
standing at the right is distracting, the colours of his clothes also are. There is plenty of room
at the top left side which is unnecessary, so it would be better if it’s cropped.

After cropping the picture I have now two subject on the right and left of the picture
which makes the picture balanced. After cropping the picture the object is on the left side
following the rule of thirds which makes it more attractive and colourful.

I cropped the right side of the photo because to make it more appealing to the eye, because as
you can see there is a reflections and I didn’t show where the reflection (light) came from and
exposed the shadow.
35

The face of the boy grabbing the rope with his teeth is the centre of the interest and lies
in the centre of the photo. This shot is a close up so it would be preferable that its in the
middle, also the background is blurry and a distraction factor, so if the boy was on one of
thirds, we would have more details of the background in which we don’t need.
(Here the student was answering a question about which photos SHOULD NOT use the
rule of thirds)

Lastly, the students shot their own rule of thirds photos. Part of the assignment

required that they draw a grid using tracing paper on their own photos to prove whether the

photo followed the rule of thirds. The students also identified the focal point. Here are

samples of the students’ own rule of thirds photos:


36
37

Towards the end of the year, this same group compiled a Photography Concepts

Booklet in English and the Rule of Thirds was one of the 12 terms they had to explain and

show an example. Here are some examples from their English booklet:
38
39
40
The second year Communication Technology Students at Dubai Men’s college

reviewed the software in a multimedia class. They also were very quiet as they reviewed the

software but I could only allow 20 minutes for review due to scheduling conflicts. I found

that this group in general was more exploratory with the software, clicking on buttons,

listening to the audio, but less focused on the content. This is reflected in their poor scores on

the comprehension test.

Summary of the Evaluations Received

Lastly, any class that reviewed the software was asked to complete a questionnaire. It

is available on the internet from the software itself but most students completed a hard-copy

questionnaire (see Appendix 7). Besides rating various parts of the software using a scale

they ‘check-off’ most students also provided comments to the fill-in questions on the survey.

Table #10 shows a sampling of responses for each question while Table #11 shows some of

the results from the scaled questions.


41
Table #10 – Samples of Comments from Questionnaires

Group Written Comments


Surveyed
What did you like most about the software or the learning experience?
Year 1 • The way of learning photo with its new vocab.
• Relationship between focal point and centre of photo
• The quizzes
• The quiz
• The thirds
• The animations that showed you what the rule of thirds were
• The way the information was presented
• The good photos and the way it made everything much easier to understand
• The photos and colours
• The challenges or quizzes in the software
• Rule of Thirds – the software was very good

Year 2 • It is interesting because we can see nice picture and the route through the
software was easy.
• It is ready to teach student about the rules of photography
• It’s the first software that I have seen that teach photography
• I liked the pictures presented
• Pictures helped in learning
• I liked the analysis of photos, as if we recomposing the photos again.
• Add more photos

Year 3 - • Learning new vocabulary


Ecommerce • Teach you how to focus in the topic and get the general idea
• The way it is designed which is attractive
• I liked the quizzes and the examples for each section
• It gives a clear, simple understanding of focal and centre points. Avoiding
complications and going straight to the relevant info. To everyone.
• I liked the way it explained, the pics and the quizzes
• The photos and the explanation of the rule.
• I learn more about composition photos
• The way of taking photos, the organized way of producing it.
Teacher • interactivity, the ability to explain with lines
What did you like least about the software or the learning experience?
Year 1 • Section 2
• Try another button
• Quizzes
• Audio; sound was too low; the audio was really low; sound was low
• Nothing, only if it had more things in it, it would be better
Year 2 • Some things were not needed
• It has many words that could be better if an interesting sound was used (but
not slow sound)
• Make the software shorter and add to it the other style of photography and
not just the Rule of thirds.
• Moving from one page to another
42
Group Written Comments
Surveyed
• No sound
• More pictures explaining the rule of third
Year 3 • There is no exit button and when you want to do the page again you have to
Ecommerce repeat the whole section.
• The length and the rule of thirds isn’t so clear until read again and
discussed.
• There is no exit button and you can’t repeat the quiz on a specific page that
you have to go to the beginning of the section to repeat a little thing.
• The large font and not being able to go back on some slides. It was a long
introduction, there should be a skip button or exit.
• It keeps going and I can’t go back
Teacher • Prescriptive nature of some of the lessons
Other Comments?
Year 2 How would you improve the software?
• It is excellent but if it had some bright colours
• Better graphics, better animation, a bigger next button and ‘help’ button
• More audio; Maybe by adding more audio; Include voice overs
• Add more photos
Ecommerce • Yes there was no sound to hear it; The sound were too low
• More quizzes will be more interesting
• The navigation is very easy & good for education, where it teaches in steps.
Teacher Well done, a tremendous effort, thank you for giving me the opportunity to evaluate
this software.

INTERFACE ANALYSIS AND FEEDBACK

Table #11 shows some of the problem areas discovered within the interface by

reviewing the students’ computer actions on video. One problem that could not be identified

through watching videos was the need for a “back-button”. We introduced our product to the

Higher Colleges Faculty at a conference and it was evident from the feedback that a back

button was necessary. The students also mentioned quite readily that there was no way to go

back to screen for review or just for fun. We have now added a back button and a menu

system to allow easy access to all parts of the software, if you are not a new-user.
43
Table #11 - Interface Problem Areas

Observation and Analysis


There was some hesitation right at the beginning
of the program because the question, “Is this your
first time in the software?|” is asked and two
options provided.
During the second section when the student has to
first choose the focal point of the photo and then
choose the centre, many of the students were
trying to choose the centre of the focal point – I
did not foresee this confusion.

Too Prescriptive

Learned the Routine - not reading more

Not Enough Change in the Screen

Same button – different action

Lexicon Support turns into Hindrance

Missed the way the button works


(In the future, on the support website here: http://www.newmediaworkshops.com/listerportfolio/ro3/

there will be video examples showing these problems)


44
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48

Rule of Thirds Website – updated July, 2003

The following is a list of sites reviewed for the “How is the Rule of Thirds being taught” section:
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=332/394&pq-locale=en_US
http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/~acody/digi4.html - interactive example
http://www.scphoto.com/Notes/Day_4/sld002.htm - powerpoint example
http://www.bluebirdmeadows.com/Rule-Of-Thirds.htm - like the kodak site only one page though
http://www.aea1.k12.ia.us/lois/ruleofthirds.html - like Kodak
http://www.fieldandforest.com/tips/99poy/tips_composition.html - like kodak
http://www.thephotopages.com/classes/ruleofthirds.html - like Kodak
http://johnlind.tripod.com/art/artruleofthirds.html - like Kodak, covers all basis – one page
http://members.tripod.com/~flornella2/HowToWrite4.html - ROT in the story writing world
http://csciwww.etsu.edu/highfill/artPerspective/composition/ruleOfThirds/default.htm - from a graphics
viewpoint
http://www.fodors.com/focus/display.cgi?aid=49 – mostly text
http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/cetl/fitsc/tutorial/CreatingEffectivePowerPointPresentations/sld049.htm ROT
in ppt
http://website.lineone.net/~peter.saw/ctutor/cmpsitn5.htm - gets into the golden section – technical
presentation
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/5633/tips4.html - looks at both sides of ROT
http://www.psppower.com/2002may/crop2.htm - teaching the ROT when teaching how to crop in a graphics
program.
http://www.azuswebworks.com/photography/ph_comp.html - bad example
http://www.tribalcog.com/learn/5_minutes.html - travel site – etools for travellers
http://desktoppub.about.com/library/weekly/aa052301e-thirdscentergrids.htm - in desktop publishing
http://www.getty.edu/artsednet/hm/Sep00/0684.html - a discussion in a newgroup or chat area
http://www.videoccasions-nw.com/voshoot.html - ROT in video
http://ls.berkeley.edu/~shiffrar/photog/ - ROT for web developers
http://7hcc.tripod.com/technical/composition/rothirds/rothirds.htm - shows comparisons
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/ccarch/2002/04/24/fischer-dv.htm ROT in video
http://www.ptialaska.net/~rcoghill/proportions.html - ROT in quilting
http://cybercollege.com/comp_ex.htm - ROT in painting
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0117285/positioning.htm - a little animation, a webquest.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amateurphotographyclub/ - photography yahoo groups
http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/tac/tac12/greatpho.htm - oops, Golden Proportions
http://mrcaines.tripod.com/gr10photoass3.html - Rule of Thirds photography assignment
http://www.imagedancer.com/composing_pictures_tips.htm
http://offstone.com/photo/showthread.php?
s=16eaa97bafc25e57018db00deeafb4ac&threadid=746&highlight=rule+of+thirds
http://www.silverlight.co.uk/tutorials/compose_expose/thirds.html - another site
http://www.plantea.com/garden-photos-thirds.htm - with garden shots
http://www.arstechnica.com/wankerdesk/01q3/photo/photoart-1.html - more of the same with
comparisons
http://www.betterphoto.com/exploring/tips/thirds.asp - mostly photos.
49
Glossary

Word Form Definition

Abandoned Adjective (adj) left alone completely and forever


Appealing Adjective (adj) interesting, attractive
Appreciate Verb (verb) understand and enjoy the good qualities of
Attract Verb (verb) catch or pull
Background Noun (noun) the scenery behind the main object
Backlighting Noun (noun) light that comes from behind
Balance Noun (noun) a weight on one side equals a weight on the other
side
Bow Noun (noun) the front part of a boat
Captivate Verb (verb) hold the attention of
Capture Verb (verb) catch or pull
Complementary Adjective (adj) goes well together with something else
Compose Verb (verb) put together/build/construct
Confined Adjective (adj) limited to a small space
Contrast Noun (noun) difference
Contrasting Adjective (adj) looking different from
Contrast with Verb (verb) look different from
Creative Adjective (adj) producing something new and original
Cropped Adjective (adj) cut short, cut close
Curious Adjective (adj) interested in seeing what is happening
Diagonal Adjective (adj) a straight line joining two opposite corners
Dictate Verb (verb) demand, require
Distinct Adjective (adj) clearly seen as different and separate
Distracting Adjective (adj) taking attention away
Draw Verb (verb) attract/call/pull
Dusk Noun (noun) time when day starts to become night
Dynamic Adjective (adj) full of power and activity
Effective Adjective (adj) successful
Else Adverb (adv) (what) more, (what) other object
Emphasis Noun (noun) attention, importance
Emphasize Verb (verb) show that something is important
Expression Noun (noun) the look on the face
Flair Noun (noun) special quality
Focal Point Noun (noun) the main point of interest
Focuses on Verb (verb) gives most attention to, makes something the main
point of interest
Follow Verb (verb) obey
Foreground Noun (noun) the scenery in front of the main object
Fringe Noun (noun) edge of hanging threads for decoration
Guideline Noun (noun) a point that shows a way of doing something
Harbour Noun (noun) port, an area of water that is protected from rough
waters
Horizontal Adjective (adj) going from side to side
Imaginary Adjective (adj) that you do not really see
Imbalance Noun (noun) a weight on one side is heavier than on the other side
Impressive Adjective (adj) we admire them, they attract attention
Interplay Noun (noun) the effect of two or more things on each other
Interpretation Noun (noun) a way of understanding and explaining something
Intricate Adjective (adj) containing many detailed parts
Intrigue Noun (noun) interest, mystery
Intrigue Verb (verb) to attract, to interest
Intriguing Adjective (adj) interesting, mysterious
Investigate Verb (verb) look at something carefully and ask about its nature
50
Lapping Noun (noun) the movement and soft sound of little waves
Line up with Verb (verb) align with / fit within
Main Adjective (adj) most important/outstanding
Monochrome Adjective (adj) showing shades of one colour only
Muse Verb (verb) think deeply, forget about the world around
Offset Adjective (adj) not placed in the centre
Offsetting Verb (verb) not putting it in the centre
Option Noun (noun) a choice
Overlapping Adjective (adj) partly covering something
Pattern Noun (noun) an arrangement of lines, shapes or colours
Perspective Noun (noun) a natural effect of depth and distance
Placement Noun (noun) how things are arranged
Ponder Verb (verb) spend time thinking about something
Puzzle Noun (noun) a game fitting parts together
Rarely Adverb (adv) seldom, almost never
Recipe Noun (noun) a set of instructions (usually for cooking)
Reflection Noun (noun) light that bounces off a surface
Reward Verb (verb) give a prize for effort or work
Ripples Noun (noun) small waves
Select Verb (verb) choose or pick
Selected Adjective (adj) chosen or picked
Shadow Noun (noun) dark area caused by an object blocking the light
Shoreline Noun (noun) where land meets the sea
Silhouette Noun (noun) a dark shape against a light background
Splitting Verb (verb) cutting, dividing
Stand out Verb (verb) catch your eye, make you look at it because it is
different from the rest
Stare Verb (verb) look for a long time
Surroundings Noun (noun) things nearby or the area around
Texture Noun (noun) roughness or smoothness of a material
Tiny Adjective (adj) very small
Twine Noun (noun) string made by twisting natural threads together
Vertical Adjective (adj) going straight up at a 90% angle with the ground
Weave Noun (noun) the pattern formed by crossing threads over and
under each other
Wonder Noun (noun) intrigue, mystery
51
The Rule of Thirds in Photography
Assignment #1 – Critiquing Photos using the Rule of Thirds
DUE DATE:____________________

Purpose
You will further develop your “language of composition” and image critiquing skills. You
will apply the Rule of Thirds to images and create new compositions that follow the rule from
images that originally did not. You will analyse why the Rule of Thirds helps some photos
present their ‘story’ better and try to explain using examples that the Rule of Thirds does not
ALWAYS suit the subject matter or photo composition.

Task
Review photos from magazines, books or web photo galleries. Critique the photo’s
composition taking into account whether or not the Rule of Thirds is followed or not. Then
review prints from either your own photography collection or a friends. Find photos that do
not follow the rule of thirds and discuss their composition and focal points. Are the photos
well composed or not? Take a photo that does not follow the rule of thirds and “crop” it so
that it does follow the rule. What is gained? What is lost?

Process

1. Review a photography magazine, book or web photo gallery. Find three photos that
follow the Rule of Thirds. Photocopy the images, scan them or download them,
noting the source.
2. On the page supplied, and for each photo, explain why you think the photographer
followed the Rule of Thirds – how does the rule help the composition of the photo?
In the Rule of Thirds software, for example, the following photos and explanations
were given:

3. Provide a sketch of the photo showing how it follows the Rule of Thirds. Review your
photograph collection or your friend’s and find three photos…one that does not
follow the rule of thirds but looks good and then two that DO NOT follow the Rule of
Thirds (these must be 3x5 or larger prints) and could be improved upon.
4. Using the first photo, critique the composition of the photo and explain why the Rule
of Thirds would ruin the photo.
5. Next, you will change the final two photos, so to preserve the originals, either make a
photocopy or scan the photo into the computer.

6. Using your copy of the last two photos, draw a box on the image and show how you
can crop the photo to make it follow the rule of thirds.
52
7. Explain in the space provided, why the composition is better by following the rule of
thirds. Here are a few explanations provided in the Rule of Thirds software:

Deliverables
• 3 copies of photos showing how they follow the Rule Thirds. Include the
source of each photo.
• Critique Sheet (see attached) where a critique of each photo discussing its
composition, especially in relation to the Rule of Thirds, is provided.
• 3 prints of your own photos or a friend’s
• photocopy or scanned image of two prints showing how the photo could be
cropped to make it follow the Rule of Thirds.
• Critique Sheet with explanation for each of the prints.
Assessment:
Mark Your
Mark
Completeness and accuracy of task. 3
Do the selected photos meet the criteria? 4
Does the student use effective “language of composition” in the critiques? 3
Content of critiques – is it thoughtful, interesting, does it show an understanding of the Rule of Thirds? 7
Professional Practice (“state” of deliverables, spelling, punctuality, care of equipment, working attitude, 3
is the work complete?)
TOTAL 20
53
CRITIQUE SHEET (page 1 of 2)

PHOTO #1 – A Photo from a Magazine, Web Photo Gallery, etc that follows the Rule of Thirds.
Source:________________________________
What is the focal point?

What are the attractive elements of the photo?

How is the photo pleasing by following the Rule of Thirds?

What would happen if the focal point were in the centre of the photo or other elements of the photo DID NOT
follow the Rule of Thirds?

Provide a sketch that shows how the photo follows the Rule of Thirds.

PHOTO #2 – A Photo from a Magazine, Web Photo Gallery, etc that follows the Rule of Thirds.
Source:________________________________
What is the focal point?

What are the attractive elements of the photo?

How is the photo pleasing by following the Rule of Thirds?

What would happen if the focal point were in the centre of the photo or other elements of the photo DID NOT
follow the Rule of Thirds?

Provide a sketch that shows how the photo follows the Rule of Thirds.

PHOTO #3 – A Photo from a Magazine, Web Photo Gallery, etc that follows the Rule of Thirds.
Source:________________________________
What is the focal point?

What are the attractive elements of the photo?

How is the photo pleasing by following the Rule of Thirds?

What would happen if the focal point were in the centre of the photo or other elements of the photo DID NOT
follow the Rule of Thirds?

Provide a sketch that shows how the photo follows the Rule of Thirds.
54

CRITIQUE SHEET (page 2 of 2)

PHOTO #4 – A photo from your collection (or a Friend’s) which DOES NOT follow the Rule of Thirds but
looks good as is!
Explain why the photo should not follow the Rule of Thirds and is attractive just as it is and what would happen
if you did make the photo follow the Rule of Thirds.

PHOTO #5 – A photo from your collection (or a Friend’s) which DOES NOT follow the Rule of Thirds but
would be better if it did.
Show a copy of the original photo and how you would crop it to make the photo follow the Rule of Thirds.
Why would making the photo follow the rule of Thirds create a better photo? (Hint…it is NOT because it
follows the Rule of Thirds! There must be compositional reasons for following the rule..how do you make the
photo’s imagery stronger by forcing the Rule on it?)

PHOTO #6 – A photo from your collection (or a Friend’s) which DOES NOT follow the Rule of Thirds but
would be better if it did.
Show a copy of the original photo and how you would crop it to make the photo follow the Rule of Thirds.
Why would making the photo follow the rule of Thirds create a better photo? (Hint…it is NOT because it
follows the Rule of Thirds! There must be compositional reasons for following the rule..how do you make the
photo’s imagery stronger by forcing the Rule on it?)

Creativity, Experiments, etc with the pairs of photos. 3


7 Highlighted Photos (exposure, focus, composition, Rule of Thirds?) 7
Written Work (Photo Explanations and Reflection Statement) 7
Professional Practice (“state” of deliverables, punctuality, care of 3
equipment, is the work complete?, working attitude)
TOTAL 30
55
The Rule of Thirds in Photography
Assignment #2 – Photograph Shoot
DUE DATE:____________________
Purpose:
In this assignment you will apply some of the photo composition concepts you learned about
in the Rule of Thirds software. You will practice your ability to produce well-exposed photos
and start to develop an ability to compose a photo using the Rule of Thirds. You are
encouraged to apply other compositional techniques presented in the software, as well.
Lastly, you will further develop your “language of photo composition” and skills in critiquing
your own photos.

Task:
Shoot 24 photos following the Rule of Thirds. Log the shutter speed and aperture of all your
photos using the attached “Log Sheet”. Have the film developed and then choose 7 photos to
highlight either on a photo gallery website or using photo sleeves. Provide technical details
and a critique or reflection statement about the photos you chose.

Process:
PART ONE -
1. Load your camera and prepare to shoot the film of 24 shots in DAYLIGHT.
2. Take TWO photos of each subject you decide to photograph; therefore you will have
only 12 different subjects in your roll of 24. Each photo must be properly exposed and must
follow the rule of Thirds.
3. At least 6 of your photos must cover the following subjects:
• A child’s eye view
• A bird’s eye view
• A close up
• A long shot
• A landscape shot
• A shot with people or just one person in it.
4. After you take the first photo, your second photo must be of the same subject and
MUST follow the Rule of Thirds…but you must change OMETHING…theamera angle, the
orientation (horizontal/vertical), the shutter speed, the aperture – but remember, it must be
properly exposed!
5. LOG ALL PHOTOs! (see the attached log sheet).
6. Hand in your film for developing so that it is ready for:_________________
7.

(next page)
56
Process (continued):
PART TWO -
8. After you have received you developed photos, choose 7 photos to highlight.
9. Place the seven photos in a photo sleeve (or on a gallery website). Provide technical
details about each photo – Aperture, Shutter Speed, Film ISO, Type of Film and give each
photo a Title.
10. On a separate paper, explain how each photo follows the Rule of Thirds and what
following the Rule does for the photo. Discuss what you like about the photo and anything
you would do differently next time.
11. Provide a short reflection statement about the entire assignment.

Hints:
• Remember good photographers don’t just point and click. They THINK about
what they are going to take a photograph and then move the camera (or themselves or
BOTH!) until the BEST shot is composed within the viewfinder.
• Think about balance, colour, leading lines, good framing,
background/foreground – just some of the compositional techniques presented in the
software.
• Have Fun! Enjoy the world through the viewfinder.

Deliverables:
You must hand in:
• One film of 24 photographs which you took during the daylight.
• One log sheet containing information for each photo shot
• 7 photos selected from the 24 which are displayed in a suitable format
complete with technical information about each.
• A document where you provide an explanation of each of the seven
highlighted photos (see #9 above)
• A reflection statement where you talk about your experiences while doing this
assignment (at least 6 sentences).

Assessment:
Mark Your
Mark
Exposure and Focus on all 24 photos 3
Completeness and accuracy of Log Sheet 3
Required Subjects shot? Creativity, originality 4
57
Single Lens Reflex Film Log Sheet
DATE:______________ FILM (type, ISO):____________________ NAME:

Comments
Description (what is in the shot; Shutter
SHOT # Aperture (Your reason for taking the photo, what you
where is it taken, time of day, etc.) Speed
were trying to accomplish, etc)

The Rule of Thirds in Photography


Vocabulary Quiz
58
Match the definitions below with a matching word in the box on the next page.
Place the definition into the box beside the appropriate word. There are more
definitions than words.

Definitions
A. (noun) roughness or smoothness of a material
B. (verb) understand and enjoy the good qualities of
C. (noun) dark area caused by an object blocking the light
D. (adj) full of power and activity
E. (noun) an arrangement of lines, shapes or colours
F. (adj) going from side to side
G. (verb) catch or pull
H. (noun) a weight on one side equals a weight on the other side
I. (verb) look at something carefully and ask about its nature
J. (verb) understand and enjoy the good qualities of
K. (adj) going straight up at a 90% angle with the ground
L. (adj) a straight line joining two opposite corners
M. (noun) interest, mystery
N. (noun) the scenery behind the main object
O. (verb) look for a long time
P. (adj) goes well together with something else
Q. (verb) obey
R. (adj) producing something new and original
S. (verb) show that something is important
T. (noun) things nearby or the area around
59
The Rule of Thirds in Photography
Vocabulary Quiz –
page 2

Place the definition from the first page into the box beside the appropriate word.

Attract
Balance
Diagonal
Follow
Pattern
Surroundings
Vertical
Investigate
Background
Complementary
Emphasize
Intrigue
Shadow
Texture
Horizontal
Stare
60
The Rule of Thirds in Photography Comprehension Test
NAME____________
1. Does this photo follow the Rule of
Thirds? Circle YES or NO.
2. Show how you can prove whether the photo
follows the rule or not.
3. Why is it a good or bad photo in your
opinion?

1. Does this photo follow the Rule of Thirds? Circle YES or NO.
2. Show how you can prove whether the photo follows the rule or not.
3. Why is it a good or bad photo in your opinion?

1. Does this photo follow the Rule of Thirds? Circle YES or NO.
2. Show how you can prove whether the photo follows the rule or not.
3. Why is it a good or bad photo in your opinion?
61
RULE OF THIRDS – MASTER STUDENT EVALUATION of the SOFTWARE

College and Level:______________ Course in which you evaluated the


software:____________

Read the statements below and select the amount of agreement you have
AGREEMENT
with the statement by selecting one of:
STRONGLY AGREE (SA) / AGREE A LITTLE (A) / NEITHER AGREE NOR DISAGREE SA A NA DA SD
(NA) / DISAGREE A LITTLE (DA) / STRONGLY DISAGREE (SD)    

I knew very little about the rule of thirds before going through the software.
The software made me want to learn more about the Rule of Thirds
The software made me want to learn more about photo composition in general.
The information on the screen was easy to read and understand.
The product was good because it used photos from the United Arab Emirates.
The software was easy to get around in and go through the lessons.
The information was presented in an organized way.
This software had too many new words to learn.
Instructions, when given, were easy to understand
The content was interesting and challenging but achievable.
Graphics and screen layouts were pleasing to my eye.
Having completed the software, I feel I REALLY know about the Rule of Thirds
Having completed the software, I feel I will be better at composing photos.
At times, there were too many words on the screen
At times, it was hard to know how to go to next page
I found many pages allowed me to decide what I wanted to learn more about
The audio was an important part of the software
The information presented in the software is important to my studies.
I would like to learn another topic using software like this

Having completed the software, I want to learn more about: (choose as many answers as you like, or
none at all)
contrast other rules in shape Horizontal vs.
photography Vertical
composition camera angles use of line orientation
perspective balance depth of Rule of Thirds
field
62

The following is a list of activities and items within the product. To what extent
did these features help you learn within the software? 1-it helped me a lot / 5-it didn’t
help me at all
1 2 3 4 5 Rating System 1 2 3 4 5
Rating System   1-it helped me a lot  
  5-it didn’t help me at all
 
1-it helped me a lot 
5-it didn’t help me at all
Panorama Rule of Thirds Buttons

Drag and Drop Thirds Menu System

Camel Pic Exercise Yellow interactive button

Focal Point Drag n drop Animations


63
Audio by photographers No scroll bar – “more” button

Quizzes “Try Another” button

Definition mouse-overs Interactivities (5 in all)

Overall, I would give this software


1-Highest Score
2
3
4
5-Lowest Score

Please fill in the boxes with your comments:


What did you like most about the software or the learning experience?

What did you like least about the software or the learning experience?

How would you improve the software?

Any other comments?

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