This is a tutorial on the principles of CD-RW recording. It includes a simulation that encodes text into binary and "burns" it onto a CD-RW with a laser. Users can enter their own text for this. It also simulates the erase operation. A quiz (with answers) is included.
Type of Material:
HTML with embedded Java Applet
Technical Requirements:
None
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To understand the processes involved in writing, erasing, and reading a CD-RW and the material properties of the blank CDs that are used in these processes.
Target Student Population:
Lower Level Undergrad
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The material is simple but concise. It does not oversimplify. It clearly describes what is needed to produce a CD-RW and how to write, read, and erase a CD-RW.
Concerns:
The material is part of a series of tutorials, that seem to be written with a template. It contains links to several features that are not implemented in this tutorial and just bring up blank pages.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Recommended Use(s) for Material: Tutorial (for self study)
The material is well-written and concise. Allowing users to input their own text for encoding is a good idea. The applet is very effective at illustrating the write process. No prior knowledge is required.
Concerns:
The "Quiz" is not really a quiz, it just presents a few questions a student should be able to answer after completing the tutorial and the answers to those questions. It would be more effective if it was a real quiz, where the student would first submit his/her answers before being able to check them against the authors answers.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The material is easy to use. The applet's interface is very intuitive.
Concerns:
The applet's tutorial isn't very helpful. It is primarily a set of instructions on what to do with the applet; not an explanation of its features. These would be more appropriate for the Applet worksheet; this, however, is blank. The Table of Contents also includes links to other windows (Math Analysis, SPICE/CAD) that appear to do nothing. The links to features not implemented in this tutorial should be removed.
General Comments
This is an easy to use, effective applet, explaining how one of the "high-tech" devices we use everyday works. No prior knowledge is required.
Creative Commons:
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