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Craig Prince

General Examination Talk

January 17, 2008

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Motivation

Goal: Improve education by integrating computing devices into classroom.

Do in low-cost, sustainable way.

One way, leverage devices students carry!

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Before I Begin… Who has a laptop or Tablet PC with them?

Who has a cell phone or PDA with them?

College Students:

86.1% Cell Phone

12.0% Smart Phone

11.9% PDA

56.3% Digital Gaming Device

73.7% Laptop

Source: The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2007

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My Talk – In Three Parts Part I: Background

Active LearningClassroom Responses Systems (CRSs) Different CRS activities

Part II: SystemsTablet PC-based Handhelds

Part III: Future Work Improve type of exercises on handhelds Integrate diverse handhelds into class

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Part I: BackgroundActive LearningClassroom Responses Systems (CRSs) Different CRS activities

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Active Learning Active Learning = teaching pedagogy were

best way to teach students is to have them be active in the learning process

Abrahamson’s “Socratic teaching” method “Constructivism” vs. “Behaviorism” Student needs to:

Build on existing mental frameworkIncorporate existing knowledge and ideas

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Abrahamson A. L. “Teaching with Classroom Communication System – What it Involves and Why it Works”. Mini-Course presented at the VII Taller Internacional "Nuevas Tendencias en la Ensenanza de la Fisica". Puebla, Mexico, May 27-30, 1999.

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Quantitative Evidence

Hake’s study 62 physics courses>6000 studentsSet taught interactivelySet taught traditionally (lecture focus)

Students in interactive courses had learning gains 2 std. dev. greater than traditional courses

Hake R. “Interactive-engagement Versus Traditional Methods: A Six-thousand-student Survey of Mechanics Test Data for Introductory Physics Courses”. American Journal of Physics, 66 (1), Jan. 1998.

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Active Learning in the Classroom Mazur’s “Peer Instruction”

Mechanism for Active LearningBasis for many classroom technologies

Promotes:Discussing/collaborating between studentsIntegrating student work into lectures

Mazur, E. Peer Instruction: A User's Manual. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1997.

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Classroom Network

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PublicDisplay

Instructor

Students

A

A

A B

B

C

D

Classroom Network

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PublicDisplay

Instructor

Students

Classroom Network

Classroom TechnologyCooperative Note-

taking

e.g. LiveNotes

PowerPoint Slides

Digital Whiteboards

Digital Ink Presentation Tools

Digital Whiteboards

Classroom Response Systems

Classroom Feedback Systems

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PublicDisplay

Instructor

Students

Classroom Network

ActivityActivityActivity

Classroom Response System (CRS): Learning Cycle

Activity

Activity

B

Activity

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Multiple-Choice Example

Clickers

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Multiple-Choice Example 2

Classtalk

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Textual Example

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Diagrammatic Example

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Diagrammatic Example

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Image Example

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Brainstorming Example

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What Activity Types are Best? No quantitative studies showing digital

ink makes for better activities in CRSs Advantages of Digital Ink

Strictly more expressiveSome activities clearly easier with Digital InkInstructors like using these types of activities

Disadvantages of Digital InkHarder to aggregate/understand

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Part II: SystemsTablet PC-basedHandhelds

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Tablet PC CRSs

General Properties:Support many types of exercises

Examples:Classroom PresenterUbiquitous PresenterDyKnowGroupScribbles

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Classroom Presenter

Devices:Tablet PCLaptop

Activities:Whole Slide, Ink/Text

Features:Anonymous

SubmissionsPush Model

Limits:Cost

Anderson R. J., Anderson R., Simon B., Wolfman S. A., VanDeGrift T., Yasuhara K. “Experiences with a Tablet PC Based Lecture Presentation System in Computer Science Courses”. SIGCSE '04, pp. 56-60, 2004. Site: http://classroompresenter.cs.washington.edu

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Ubiquitous Presenter

Devices:Web-browser

Activities:Whole Slide, TextMultiple-choice

Features:Same as Classroom

Presenter

Limits:Requires Web Server

Wilkerson M, Griswold W. G., Simon B. “Ubiquitous Presenter: Increasing Student Access and Control in a Digital Learning Environment”. SIGCSE ’05. 2005. Site: http://up.ucsd.edu/

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DyKnowDevices:

Tablet PC Laptop

Activities: Whole Slide, Ink/Text Multiple-choice

Features: Integrated System Instructor Control Pull Model

Limits: Cost

DyKnow Website: http://www.dyknow.com

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GroupScribbles

Devices:Tablet PCLaptop

Activities:Post-It Note, Ink/Text

Features:Multi-part ActivitiesMultiple Subs.Editing/Moving Sub.

Limits:Cost

Brecht J., DiGiano C., Patton C., Tatar D., Chaudhury R., Roschelle J., & Davis K. “Coordinating networked learning activities with a general-purpose Interface”. To appear in the International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning.

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Handheld CRSs General Properties:

Many types of small devicesActivities more limited

Examples:ClickersClasstalkPebblesActiveClassPLS TXT UR ThoughtsUbiquitous Presenter (Mobile)

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Clickers

Devices:Custom

Activities:Multiple-choice

Features:Small and AffordableScales to 100s

Limits:Limited Utility HWUsed for Wrong

Reasons?

Duncan D. “Clickers: A New Teaching Aid with Exceptional Promise”. Astronomy Education Review, 5(1), 2006.

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Classtalk

Devices:PDACalculator (TI-83)

Activities:Multiple-choiceShort AnswerNumeric

Features:Binning (All Responses)

Limits:PDA Cost/Popularity

Dufresne R. J., Gerace W. J., Leonard W. J., Mestre J. P., Wenk L. “Classtalk: A Classroom Communication System for Active Learning”. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 7, 3-47, (1996).

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Pebbles

Devices:PDA

Activities:Multiple-choiceQuestion Asking

Features:General FrameworkPebblesDrawShared Whiteboard

Limits:PDA Cost/Popularity

Myers B. A. “Using Hand-Held Devices and PCs Together”. Communications of the ACM. Volume 44, Issue 11. November, 2001. pp. 34 – 41.

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ActiveClass

Devices:PDA

Activities:Multiple-choiceQuestion Asking

Features:Voting on QuestionsResults Always Avail.

Limits:PDA Cost/Popularity

Ratto M., Shapiro R. B., Truong T. M., Griswold W. G. “The ActiveClass Project: Experiments in Encouraging Classroom Participation”. Computer Support for Collaborative Learning, 2003.

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PLS TXT UR Thoughts

Devices:Cell Phone

Activities:Question Asking

Features:SMS CommunicationAnonymous

Limits:Recurring SMS CostSMS Length (160)

Markett C., Sanchez I. A., Weber S., Tangney B. “Using short message service to encourage interactivity in the classroom”. Computers & Education, 46 280-293, 2006.

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Ubiquitous Presenter (mobile)Devices:

Cell Phone

Activities: Multiple-choice Short Answer Camera-based

Features: SMS Abbreviations Anonymous

Limits: Recurring SMS/MMS

Cost

Lindquist D., Denning T., Kelly M., Malani R., Griswold W. G., and Simon B. “Exploring the Potential of Mobile Phones for Active Learning in the Classroom”. SIGCSE ’07, March 2007.

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Summary of All SystemsDigital Ink Textual

Multiple-choice

Whole Slide Post-It

Whole Slide ? Asking

Short Answer Numeric

Tablet PC CP Grp. Scrb. CP DyKnow

DyKnow DyKnow

Laptop CP Grp. Scrb. CP DyKnow

DyKnow DyKnow Ubiq. Pres.

Ubiq. Pres.

PDA ActiveClass Classtalk Classtalk Classtalk

Pebbles ActiveClass

Pebbles

Calculator Classtalk Classtalk Classtalk

Phone Ubiq. Mob. PLS TXT Ubiq. Mob. Ubiq. Mob.

Custom Clickers

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Summary of All SystemsDigital Ink Textual

Multiple-choice

Whole Slide Post-It

Whole Slide ? Asking

Short Answer Numeric

Tablet PC CP Grp. Scrb. CP CP CP DyKnow

DyKnow DyKnow DyKnow DyKnow

Grp. Scrb. Grp. Scrb.

Laptop CP Grp. Scrb. CP CP CP DyKnow

DyKnow DyKnow DyKnow DyKnow Ubiq. Pres.

Ubiq. Pres. Ubiq. Pres. Ubiq. Pres.

Grp. Scrb Grp. Scrb.

PDA ActiveClass Classtalk Classtalk Classtalk

Pebbles ActiveClass

Pebbles

Calculator Classtalk Classtalk Classtalk

Phone Ubiq. Mob. PLS TXT Ubiq. Mob. Ubiq. Mob. Ubiq. Mob.

Custom Clickers

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Part III: Future WorkImprove type of exercises on handhelds Integrate diverse handhelds into class

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IntegrateExistingDevices

Increase

Mobile

Interaction

Enabling Adoption?

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$ $$$

Exp

ress

iven

ess

Cost

Digital Ink

Multiple Choice

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Challenges

“Increasing Mobile Interaction” Understand types of activities How to do them on mobile devices

“Using Existing Devices” Dealing with heterogeneous mix of devices

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Steps to Tackle Challenges

1. Look at styles of activities supported on different devices esp. what interactions are needed

2. Look at how well each device feature performs on these activity styles

3. Explore techniques for making activity styles feasible on mobile devices and test

4. Develop application that supports multiple device types

5. Develop tool for designing activities to suit multiple devices – design activity once, translate to several devices

6. Develop tool for taking responses of different forms and interpreting/aggregating them

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Step 1: Activity Styles TaxonomyWhat:

Activity Patterns:○ Brecht et al., ○ DiGiano et al.○ Classroom Presenter observations ○ Other Education Work

Focus on CRS activitiesHierarchical TaxonomyGoal: Benchmark

How:Large Corpus of ActivitiesCompile Taxonomy ManuallyExpand as needed

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Step 1: Potential Activity Styles Locate Item On Image

Single/Multiple items? Location? Scale? Boundaries?

Create a Diagram Elements? Labels? Connectivity?

Modify/Complete a Diagram Structure? Labels?

Highlight a Diagram

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Step 2: Existing TechniquesWhat:

Given device capabilities, quantize performanceTest feasibility of activity for each deviceUse existing research where avail.

○ Text input speed on different devices○ Pointing task research

Focus on diagrammatic/image responses

How:Literature reviewImplement techniquesLab studies to test performance on benchmarks

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Device Input CapabilitiesInput Modality (Hardware) Example Mobile Devices

Keyboard Laptop, Tablet PC (hybrid)

Keypad Mobile Phone

Directional Pad (2-way, 4-way, or 8-way)

Mobile Phone, PDA, Gaming Device

Mouse Laptop (external)

Trackball Laptop (external)

Touchpad (relative motion only) Laptop

Joystick Gaming Device

Accelerometer Mobile Phone, PDA

Stylus/Pen Tablet PC, PDA

Touch-screen iPhone, Tablet PC (some)

Camera Mobile Phone, iPhone

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Device Screen Sizes

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Physical Screen Width vs. Height

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2

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0 2 4 6 8 10

Screen Width (in.)

Scr

een

Hei

gh

t (i

n.) Phones

PDAs

Gaming

UMPCs

Tablets

Laptops

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Step 3: New Techniques

What:No adequate techniques? Try to invent new ones

How:Identify gaps from prev. stepExamples:

○ Stylus drawing on small screen w/ large virtual canvas

○ Drawing arbitrary regions without stylusTest performance using lab tests

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Step 3: Example Arbitrary Regions Rubber-band?

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Step 4: Develop ApplicationWhat:

Base on Classroom Presenter Requirements:

○ Identify device type/capabilities○ Screen size/resolution○ Open platforms? Android?

How: Use existing standards:

○ Ubiquitous Presenter uses HTML and JavaScript○ Wifi or SMS for networking

Support for:1. Stylus Devices (Tablet PC, PDA, Smart Phone, Nintendo DS)2. Touch Screen3. Keypad

Success = deployment & support for devices

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Step 5: Instructor Design ToolsWhat:

Consider classroom issues with different devices○ Envy○ Equality

Given benefits/drawbacks of different modalities, ○ Recommend alternative activity types?○ Balance activity types given?

How: Tool Input

○ Instructor activity (PowerPoint?)○ Activity metadata

Tool Internals○ Determine activity type○ Optimizes interaction for each device in class

Tool Output○ Recommendations for activity types

Evaluate with user-study of tool

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Step 6: Instructor Class UsageWhat:

Use activity metadataUse salient regions of responsesUnderstand and aggregate resultsFinding common misconceptions

How:Unsupervised/semi-supervised clusteringEvaluation

○ Test data from real classes○ Measure success on data○ User-study to observe utility

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Step 6: Example Tic-Tac-Toe

X, X, O

O, O, X

X, X, O==?

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Conclusions Two Problems

Increasing Mobile InteractionUsing Existing Devices

SolutionActivities and devicesTools:

○ Enable multiple devices○ Help instructor

GoalMake deploying CRSs a realityImprove Education

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Questions?

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