Interactive Artifacts and Furniture Supporting Collaborative Work and Learning (eBook)

Acknowledgements 6
Contents 7
Contributors 9
Why Would Furniture Be Relevant for Collaborative Learning? 16
1 Interactive Furniture 17
2 Collaborative Learning 19
3 Precedents 21
4 Interactive Furniture Framework 22
4.1 Geography of Interactions 23
4.2 Input/Output 24
4.3 Purpose 25
5 Book Overview 26
6 Synthesis 27
References 27
Design of Systems for Supporting Collaborative Learning Augmented with Physical Artefacts 30
1 Introduction 30
2 Key Issues Collaborative Learning in Designing Systems for Supporting Children’s Collaborative Learning 31
2.1 Designing User Interfaces That Allow Physical Manipulations 31
2.2 Designing Computational Media That Enhance Interactions Between Learners 32
2.3 Introducing a Sense of Play for Learners’ Engagement 32
3 Prototype System for Identifying Design Requirements 32
3.1 Overview 32
3.2 A Prototype System: Paperboard and Software 33
4 How Designs of the Systems Evolved 35
4.1 Design of Sensing Board 35
4.2 Epro: Integrating Physical and Virtual Spaces to Enhance Children’s Interactions 36
4.3 Epro2: Supporting Collaborative Learning by Integrating Face- To- Face and Networked Environments 37
5 Carettakids: Face-To-Face Collaborative Learning by Integrating Personal and Shared Spaces 42
6 Discussion 46
7 Conclusion 47
References 48
Do Fewer Laptops Make a Better Team? 50
1 Introduction 50
2 Related Work 51
2.1 Tabletop Systems 51
2.2 Collaborative Processes 53
3 Questions 55
4 Methods 56
4.1 Task 56
4.2 Participants 57
4.3 Analysis 57
4.4 Coding and Counting 57
4.5 Qualitative Analysis 58
5 Quantitative Results: How Much Laptops Attract Visual Gaze 58
6 Qualitative Analysis 61
6.1 A Case Study 61
6.2 Identifying Roles 64
7 Comparison between Experiments 66
7.1 Groups with Four Laptops 66
7.2 Groups with Three Laptops 66
7.3 Groups with Two Laptops 68
8 Conclusions 69
8.1 Cognitive and Social Territories 69
8.2 Critical Thinking Performance and Learning 70
8.3 Limits and Recommendations 71
References 72
The Disappearing Computer: Consequences for Educational Technology? 74
1 Introduction: A Redefinition of Computers in Education? 74
2 Computer-Integrated Classrooms 76
3 Principles for Introducing Digital Media to the Classroom 80
3.1 Unification of Media and Learning Activities on a Digital Platform 80
3.2 Supporting the Classroom as a Whole Through an Integrated Networked Infrastructure 80
3.3 Design for Reflection 80
3.4 Priority of Pedagogy over Technology 81
3.5 Consequences for Teachers’ Roles and Competence 81
4 Patterns of Disappearance 81
4.1 “Computers in Disguise” (Mimicry) 82
4.2 Hidden Computers and Conceptual Disappearance 82
4.3 Computers Outside Classrooms 83
5 Focusing on the Expressive Function of Interactive Educational Media 83
6 Interactive Media in Educational Settings 85
7 Conclusion 88
References 89
Supporting Collaboration with Augmented Environments 92
1 Introduction 93
2 Don’t Try to Change the People, Simply Change the Affordances 95
2.1 New Affordances Modify Behaviour 95
2.2 Addressing the Activity by Adapting the Context 98
3 Guiding Micro-Decisions Along the Activity Path: Cognitive Attractors 98
3.1 A Pinball Model of the Office Worker 98
3.2 Cognitive Attractors 99
3.3 Data in the Environment and Lata in the Mind 100
3.4 Tuning Attractors 101
4 Experimental Reality Design of Augmented Meeting- Rooms 102
4.1 Experimental Reality 102
4.2 Design Strategy 105
4.3 Zeroing Adoption Costs 106
5 Disseminating Practice: Trickle Down and Social Anchoring 108
5.1 Social Anchoring 109
6 Conclusion: A Design Process Uneasy to Plan 110
References 111
Rethinking the Podium 112
1 Introduction 112
2 Context: Rethinking the Conference Room 114
2.1 Function Follows Form: Interactive Furniture for Meeting Rooms 116
2.2 Related Work 116
3 Rich Media and Active Meeting Participation 118
4 Operation: Functionality Follows Form 119
4.1 Mode 1: Rich Media Presentation 119
4.2 Mode 2: Image and Data Capture 119
4.3 Modes 3 and 4: Avatar/Interactive Whiteboard 121
4.4 Post-Laptop Design 121
5 Physical Design and Technology 121
5.1 Custom Electronics and Software 122
5.2 CNC-Machined Parts, Custom Modules 124
6 Next Steps 124
References 124
Collaborative Tabletop Research and Evaluation 126
1 Introduction 126
2 Usability Challenges 127
2.1 Tabletop Content Orientation 127
2.2 Occlusion and Reach 128
2.3 Gestural Interaction 131
2.4 Legacy Application Support 133
2.5 Group Interaction Techniques 135
2.6 Walk-up and Walk-away Usage Issues 136
3 Evaluations, Experiences, and Reflections 138
3.1 Orientation Side Effects 138
3.2 Input Precision 139
3.3 Non-speech Audio Feedback 140
4 Conclusion 141
References 141
Interpersonal Computers for Higher Education 144
1 Personal and Interpersonal Computers 144
2 Designing Computers that Scaffold Productive Interactions 147
3 DOCKLAMP, A Portable Projector-Camera System 148
4 REFLECT, A Conversation Board 151
5 Other Technologies for Interpersonal Computers 152
5.1 Input Tools 153
5.2 Public Displays 154
5.3 Context-Awareness 155
6 Interpersonal Computers As Key Components for Integrated Learning 156
References 156
Exploratory Design, Augmented Furniture 162
1 Introduction 162
2 The Poetics of Everyday Objects, and Their Abilities to Elicit Meaningful Interactions 163
2.1 The Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder? 163
2.2 Objects’ Presence? 164
3 Designing Objects with a “Presence” and “Personality”: Physical, Relational and Cultural 165
3.1 Characteristics of Furniture 165
4 Augmented Furniture: Incongruous Chairs and Tables Designed to Elicit “ Small Moments” 168
4.1 Therapeutic Furniture: Robotic Massage Chairs and Squeeze Chairs 169
4.2 Mediating: Conversation Table, Stealing Table and Table Childhood 172
5 Taxonomy of Augmented Furniture: Functional, Relational and Poetic 175
5.1 Functional 175
5.2 Relational 176
5.3 Poetic 177
6 What Kinds of User Evaluations are Appropriate? 177
7 Concluding Remarks 179
7.1 On People 179
7.2 On Things 179
7.3 On the Poetics of Playful Interactions, Or “Small Moments” 180
References 180
Author Index 182
Subject Index 186