Kevin Quick's profile document
Description for Kevin Quick
Kevin Quick
Communications Project Manager
I am Communications Projects Manager in Research & Innovation Software Team (RIST). My role includes development and research into blockchain technologies and its implications and applications in education, principally (although not solely) using the Ethereum/OpenEthereum platform and IPFS. In the past i have been, responsible for development of interactive webcasting environment and a browser based video conferencing system (flashmeeting) and the creation and deployment of a number of interactive books (Apples iBook format)
The Open University account for Kevin Quick
Kevin Quick's membership at KMi
Kevin Quick on Facebook
Kevin Quick on LinkedIn
@kevin_quick (Kevin Quick on Twitter)
Kevin Quick's participation in The Virtual Microscope
The Virtual Microscope
Directly manipulate photorealistic rock sample slides
The Virtual Microscope allows students to directly manipulate photorealistic rock sample slides. In the simulation they can rotate the slides and use a polarising filter.
Kevin Quick's participation in KMi Planet
KMi Planet
Online Newspaper
KMi Planet is an online newspaper managed entirely by intelligent agent software. The software undertakes the mundane tasks of alerting readers, soliciting, gathering, and formatting stories, integrating these tasks in a compelling fashion with minimal overheads for the in-house reporters and maximal benefit for readers. KMi Planet has been used successfully for a number of years and now contains 100+ stories. A number of customised versions are now running in corporate and educational enviroments.
Kevin Quick's participation in Stadium
Stadium
Webcasting large-scale live events and on-demand-replays
KMi Stadium is the generic label for a suite of webcasting activities and software tools whose goal is to stage large-scale live events and on-demand-replays, while giving remote participants anywhere on the Internet a sense of 'being there'. It can be used for anything from a management seminar to a public lecture and has been successfully used for the Open University's On the Record Web-Casts. Its use in education is shown by its deployment for IET's Open and Distance Learning courses and Open University Business School seminars.
Kevin Quick's participation in Blues Engine
Blues Engine
Web based instrument emulator
Conceptualised as a layered virtual instrument, the Blues Engine is a web based instrument emulator designed to allow children to explore different patterns of blues rhythms, and then take the lead with their own guitar 'licks'. The Blues Engine can be pre configured by exercises in the web pages, and makes use of either the computer's MIDI sounds or an external sampler. In the latter case more complex chord patterns can be developed from the sampled notes of three different saxophones.
Kevin Quick's participation in Web Lab
Web Lab
Calibrate, and provide a context for networked simulation environments
Web Lab is an attempt to calibrate, and provide a context for, networked simulation environments. Shared, web based activities are used to complement and extend classroom science, allowing resources that could not be made available in the classroom or lab to be directly controlled and monitored through a basic browser interface. This means that shared planning, execution and documenting of the experiments can involve students and teachers in several schools. The control problems of distant sensors systems soon become apparent with Heronsgate School's Mars Buggy environment. As does the important idea of program generalizabilty- the same program that works in the classroom maze also works on Mars (temporarily located in the KMi). Other lab environments currently being developed include the ultra low speed wind tunnel and the web leaf
Kevin Quick's participation in FlashMeeting Technology
FlashMeeting Technology
The lightest possible video-conferencing software application
Hook-up your web cam, plug in your microphone, go to a web page ... and the Centre for New Media's FM Technology you to make an instant meeting - any time, any place, any platform! FM technology comes from the prize-winning FlashMeeing Project. It provides a host of features packed into a small applet direct in a web page. As the applet is implemented in using Adobe's Flash, the most widely available and most compatible of browser plugins, it is incredibly lightweight, efficient, good looking, and you probably will not have to download anything extra at all for it to work!
Kevin Quick's participation in AEC
AEC
Assisted Electronic Communications in Health
The project is aimed at the application of media and knowledge technologies in a heath care context. The project was funded by the UK Department of Health, under the Information and Communications Technologies Research Initiative.
Kevin Quick's participation in CLUTCH - Millennium Awards
CLUTCH - Millennium Awards
Computer Literacy Understanding Through Community History
The Open University has worked in partnership with the Living Archive, an independent documentary arts organisation based in Wolverton (Milton Keynes), to run a highly-successful and ground-breaking Millennium Award Scheme called CLUTCH - Computer Literacy Understanding Through Community History. Supported by the Millennium Commission from National Lottery funding, the scheme provided free web-based ICT training and support for over 300 parents of local school-aged children to complete a local history project of their choosing. The work of the resulting 60 school-based CLUTCH Clubs can be seen by visiting the main CLUTCH Club Millennium Award Scheme homepage.
Kevin Quick's participation in Games
Games
Development of educational games
A number of our projects have required us to develop computer games. Either as a stimulating and entertaining way for the student to learn about a chosen subject, or as an interactive 'jewel' to keep a user interested in a website.
Kevin Quick's participation in Hexagon
Hexagon
The power of 'presence' brought to your browser
Keep in touch with your colleagues wherever you are in the world. Not only can you see their present 'state-of-being', or use the inbuilt text chat, as with many other types of software, but you can actually see them working at their desk with regularly updating thumbnail images. And when you need a quick 'word' you can 'voice' chat with them!
Kevin Quick's participation in webCEF
webCEF
Language learning assessment to the Common European Framework
KMi joined the webCEF project on language learning assessments, based on the Common European Framework of Reference. We developed an online tool which helps: WebCEF allows: - language learners to let their samples be assessed by teachers all over Europe - language teachers the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across Europe and to improve their skills in the use of the CEF scales - language researchers the access to a vast database of samples and assessments The WebCEF project runs until September 2009 and is funded under the Socrates - Minerva programme of the European Commission.
Kevin Quick's participation in ROSTRA
ROSTRA
Technologies for Intelligent News Agency
ROSTRA is a web-based news and content management tool written in PHP. Through the use of templates, it can be customised to fit into existing website designs, or act as a stand-alone website. Article submission is via a simple web form and can be accompanied by a wide variety of media including still images, movies (QuickTime, Windows Media, or FlashBlog), Word and Excel documents and PDF files. Images are resized automatically on the server to save bandwidth. Templates have been created so that ROSTRA can present material in blog formats and/for webcasting. All content is categorised and is fully searcheable. Posting can be done by authorised users or by guests, in which case the system supports message moderation by email. email digests of postings can be created automatically and stories can have permalinks. Certain templates allow authorised users to comment on postings. ROSTRA supports a heirarchical structure allowing sub-ROSTRA to feed into a master ROSTRA. In 2004, ROSTRA was adopted (as 'Making The News') for hundreds of schools across England by the East of England Broadband Consortium.
Kevin Quick's participation in ROSTRA Live
ROSTRA Live
Rostra Live provides new forms of access to news and dynamic information
ROSTRA news services now support a range of new engines to allow novel forms of access to their own changing information world. The ROSTRA LIVE engines use Macromedia Flash interfaces to read XML feeds from the ROSTRA servers. These news and event feeds can be dynamically mixed with other sources to support a range of animated views of significant changing data.
Kevin Quick's participation in Safety Centre
Safety Centre
Website design for the Milton Keynes Safety Centre
The Safety Centre is a prominent community inititative based in Milton Keynes. Their website has to appeal to a wide range of users - teachers, students, potential visitors, safety professionals and the general public. We used simple games, built with Macromedia Flash to support the childrens use of the site; and downloadable worksheets, in Adobe Acrobat, to support the teachers and parents use of the site.
Kevin Quick's participation in SportsCoach
SportsCoach
New Media in Sport
This prototype shows how to bring the very best of sports coaching, help, and tips to the internet. The site is divided into a number of sections. The coaching section has animated tips and techniques for many different sports. The forum provides for sport discussion, and an events diary allows local teams to advertise their events. Teachers should find the site very useful for planning classes.
Kevin Quick's participation in Station X
Station X
The CNM input to Bletchley Park
This is part of a CNM outreach initiative which highlights the local heritage site of Bletchley Park which was the WWII location of the codebreaking section called Station X. This project has focused on a reworking on their website in conjunction with the release of the film ENIGMA, and the development of some interesting code related games We are also exploring the creation of accessible resources for schools that use Codes and Hacking in National Curriculum Exemplars.
Kevin Quick's participation in XO
The automatic presentation creator
The playback engine XO Stage and its companion editing tools XO Editor and XO ButtonEd make the creation and viewing of multimedia presentations a breeze. It uses a combination of Apple QuickTime and Macromedia Flash to provide an easy way to create professional looking presentations.
Kevin Quick's participation in XO Backlot
XO Backlot
The Stadium Backlot system facilitates the management and maintenance of both live web casts and rep
The KMi Stadium project has supported a vast range of educational webcasting experiments, both within the Open University and for external clients. The logistics of managing such events, from a web based access point of view, has led to the development of the Stadium Backlot System.
Kevin Quick's participation in Xtreme Webcasting
Xtreme Webcasting
Taking webcasting to the xtreme
A combination of technologies can allow people all over the world to witness extrordinary events. The Matterhorn, August 2002. A mountaineer takes a leading-edge mobile phone on his ascent of the famous Swiss landmark and sends images and voice messages to the KMi lab in Milton Keynes, UK. Using Macromedia's FlashCom technologies provided "out of the box" in the latest version of Flash MX we have assembled a dynamic, multimedia website for this event. Viewers from around the globe can tune in to the event and even interact via a text chat facility. Everest, May 2006. The same mountaineer makes a transmission via satellite phone from the summit of Everest - made available in seconds to his many friends, relatives and followers around the world - as part of his challenge to conquor the highest mountain on each of the seven continents of the world. Spain, August 2007. Students on the OU second level course L204 used our technology for less extreme podcasting, posting images and recordings as they explored the historic town of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. The website was built using the same technology we had developed for the 7 Summits website.
Kevin Quick's participation in Prolearn
Prolearn
Network of Excellence in Professional E Learning
This work aims to expand professional learners engagement with the best of European Interactive Media research. Corporate training still needs effective competence mapping and performance evaluation tools to support business learners. Indeed, corporate clients actually need the same access as all learners to an ideal portal learning system: ie. that will offer them a tracked experience with a set of 10 Euro learning modules, complete with credits and real interaction with peers, tutors and content; anywhere, anytime. This workpackage doesnt promise to solve that persistent problem on it own - but we do aim to show how interactive media research in Europe can help us in that direction.
Kevin Quick's participation in Seen and Heard
Seen and Heard
On line video conferencing for deaf kids
This project on the appropriate use of peer to peer video for hearing impared children is now running. Staff and pupils will be able to access, add to and share resources as well as communicate via a variety of means: Flash video (via the Internet), video conferencing and webcasting. Partners include: the Northern Grid for Learning (working with Tyne Tees Television Deaf Sign Unit, Marden CLC Deaf Unit, The Discovery Museum), The Open University, The Deaf Association, and E2BN schools. interaction.
Kevin Quick's participation in RFID
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification
An RFID 'tag' is a small object of varying size and shape capable of storing data, that is usually either attached to something, or 'positioned' at a location. The data can be read when the antenna a tag contains, receives radio-frequencies from a nearby transceiver. CNM is looking into ways RFID technologies can be deployed in a learning environment. The project page contains an example of a simple but highly customizable educational based 'mobile' game.
Kevin Quick's participation in FlashVlog
FlashVlog
The quick and easy way to create instant video blogs
With a web cam and computer you can be creating video blogs almost instantly! You can record and edit streaming video that is available to a web audience within seconds. FlashVlogs are recorded and edited in the FlashVlog Editor and the results are watched using a separate FlashVlog Viewer. Both applets simply run in a standard web page using the popular Flash plug-in.
Kevin Quick's participation in Open Sensemaking Communities
Open Sensemaking Communities
Helping e-learners construct interpretations of open content courseware
The Open Content movement is concerned with enabling students and educators to access material, in order to then learn from it, and reuse it either in one?s studies or one's own courses. The core efforts to date has focused on enabling access, e.g. building the organizational/political will to release and license content, and in developing open infrastructures for educators to then publish and reassemble it. The key challenge in the next phase of the open content movement is to improve the support for prospective students to engage with and learn from the material, and with each other though peer learning support, in the absence of formally imposed study timetables and assessment deadlines. KMi is now engaged in developing the next generation of tools for e-learning and collaborative sensemaking for open content learning support.
Kevin Quick's participation in Blockchain
Blockchain
The reach of blockchain technology will expand into the education sector.
Blockchain is most commonly known as the technology underpinning the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. But in recent years the open source code of the Bitcoin blockchain has been taken and extended by many groups to expand its capabilities. KMi will look at how blockchain technology can enhance the leaner experience, storing all learning outcomes in an expanding eportfolio for all students.
Kevin Quick's participation in Hallé KTP
Hallé KTP
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership project between the Hallé Concerts Society and KMi
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership project between the Hallé Concerts Society and KMi and provides an opportunity for KMi to use and furtheer develop some of its key technologies in a real commercial setting, whilst proving the the Hallé Concerts Society with expertise in the field of New Media Technologies For more information on KTPs, see www.ktponline.org.uk
Kevin Quick's participation in Open Blockchain
Open Blockchain
Investigating The Potential Of Blockchains
A blockchain is a publicly shared immutable ledger ï¿½ an append only log of transactions which uses crypto-currency techniques to minimise any security risk. Transactions are contained in blocks which are linked together through a series of hash pointers. Any tampering of a block can be detected since the hash pointer to it would no longer be valid. As a ledger system it is very open. In addition to the source code being openly available a key feature of blockchains is that in principle every user has their own copy of the entire blockchain. In fact, there is no central or master copy simply the multiple copies held by the volunteers in the user community. Volunteers are rewarded for their effort through a number of algorithmic processes which can result in payment. Small payments can be attached to individual transactions. Consensus on what types of blocks and transactions can be part of the blockchain is automatically reached according to whether the majority of blockchain holders accept newly proposed blocks. This attribute leads to a system where consensus is hardwired into the software. Without the need for any central control or mediator blockchains allow for leaderless democracy - a new way of governing human behaviour online through "one computer one vote". In this way, a blockchain can act as a provenance protocol for sharing data across disparate semi-trusting organizations.
Kevin Quick's participation in Institute of Coding
Institute of Coding
Unlock your talent
The Institute of Coding is a collaboration between the UK Government, more than 60 universities, big players in the tech industry, SMEs, industry groups, experts in non-traditional learning and professional bodies. Led by the University of Bath, the world-leading consortium aims to strengthen the UK's position globally in computing and IT, address the UK digital skills gap and create opportunities for more computer science graduates. Funding is comprised of £20 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and a further £20 million in matched funding from industry. Its work will cover five broad areas: University Learners (led by the OU), the Digital Workforce, Digitalising the Professions, Widening Participation, and Knowledge Sharing and Sustainability. For university students, the Institute will deliver a range of industry-accredited courses that include top quality computer science teaching alongside the business skills, interpersonal skills and real-world experience required for success in the digital economy. Learners in industry will benefit from courses designed to ensure that their skills are up-to-date. The Institute will also work with outreach and community groups, schools and FE colleges to encourage a larger number of currently under-represented groups into digital education.