Multi-touch tables and the relationship with collaborative classroom pedagogies: A synthetic review

This article reviews the research and evidence about multi-touch tables to provide an analysis of their key design features and capabilities and how these might relate to their use in educational settings to support collaborative learning. A typology of design features is proposed as a synthesis of the hardware and physical characteristics of the tables so that the longevity of these factors and the associated analysis can be better preserved, particularly in relation to the range of ways in which they may be used collaboratively in classrooms. The variability of features relating to software is also analysed and key pedagogic issues identified. The aim that underpins this review is to relate the design of the technical features with key pedagogic issues concerning the use of digital technologies in classrooms, so as to provide a more robust basis for their integration in classrooms in terms of their potential to support or to improve learning.     

Experimental zones: two cases of exploring frames of participation in a dialogic museum

Abstract

A matter of concern for dialogic institutions such as museums is the struggle to find appropriate ways of integrating social media and digital technologies into dialogues with visitors. This paper addresses how co-creation and experimental methods may be applied in a situated, natural environment, exploring how these technologies may be shaped to support museum visitor relations. The concept ‘experimental zone’ is suggested as a format for a collaborative design space where digital media-based dialogues are explored in line with professional practices. This concept is discussed in relation to two design experiments undertaken in collaboration with the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology.     

“When Is Short,Sweet?” Selection Uncertainty and Online Review Presentations

Online customer reviews are an important part of e-commerce product selection. When used effectively, online reviews may reduce the uncertainty inherent in making product selection decisions online, but how best to deal with thousands of online customer reviews? Past research considers online review summarization, where reviews are reduced to numeric ratings, key phrases, keywords or product characteristics. However, in their original form, online reviews contain the carefully crafted narratives of past customers, elements of which may not be amenable to summarization. In this research, we present findings of a laboratory experiment which examines the impact of review summarization when evaluating different types of products online. Key findings include evidence that perceptions of product selection uncertainty depend on online review presentation format and the category of the product under consideration. Additionally, the study provides evidence that the e-commerce retailers may benefit from varying online review presentations across specific types of products.     

一种有效的软件评审模型

软件评审是软件开发过程中的一个重要步骤,有助于提高产品质量、降低生产成本和提高生产率.为了更好发挥软件评审在软件开发中的作用,对软件评审中涉及的活动和过程进行了描述,提出了根据开发流程采用技术评评审和管理评审的分层模型,讨论了评审与研发组织结构、评审实践中存在的误区和解决措施.为了检验提出的评审模型,在10个软件项目进行了初步应用,取得了较好的评审效果.     

Digital creativity and transdisciplinarity at postgraduate level: the design and implementation of a transdisciplinary masters programme and its implications for creative practice

This article investigates how transdisciplinary approaches to curriculum design on a taught masters programme in creative technologies enhance digital creativity in students. Drawing on the experience of developing and running the Masters in Creative Technologies (MA/MSc) at the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University, Leicester, we explore a number of areas relating to transdisciplinary teaching and learning in higher education, including: how digital technologies enable students to work in a transdisciplinary manner; how working creatively with technology enables transdisciplinary modes of working; and the ways in which transdisciplinarity, enabled by digital technologies, has affected the creative practice of learners. The article discusses how the programme has developed a climate for creativity, and outlines how the knowledge and skills gained during a creative technologies-related transdisciplinary programme meet the needs of a changing workplace.     

A video-based framework for the analysis of presentations/posters

Detection and recognition of textual information in an image or video sequence is important for many applications. The increased resolution and capabilities of digital cameras and faster mobile processing allow for the development of interesting systems. We present an application based on the capture of information presented at a slide-show presentation or at a poster session. We describe the development of a system to process the textual and graphical information in such presentations. The application integrates video and image processing, document layout understanding, optical character recognition (OCR), and pattern recognition. The digital imaging device captures slides/poster images, and the computing module preprocesses and annotates the content. Various problems related to metric rectification, key-frame extraction, text detection, enhancement, and system integration are addressed. The results are promising for applications such as a mobile text reader for the visually impaired. By using powerful text-processing algorithms, we can extend this framework to other applications, e.g., document and conference archiving, camera-based semantics extraction, and ontology creation.Received: 18 December 2003, Revised: 1 November 2004, Published online: 2 February 2005     

Physical Versus Digital Sticky Notes in Collaborative Ideation

In this paper, we compare the use of physical and digital sticky notes in collaborative ideation. Inspired by a case study in a design company, we focus on a collaborative ideation task, which is often part of pair-wise brainstorming in design. For comparison and to focus on the different materiality, we developed a digital sticky notes setup designed to be as close to the physical setup as possible, not adding any advanced digital features, even though technology has reached a stage where more sophisticated use of digital sticky notes on digital boards is possible. In this paper, we present a study of ideation among pairs of experienced sticky note users. The ideation sessions were video recorded and analyzed to focus on how collaboration is supported across the two setups. Based on quantitative analyses of the participants’ interactions with the artefacts, talking patterns, position and attention during the sessions, we qualify how the differences and similarities between the 2 setups have an impact on note handling, ideation techniques, group dynamics and socio-spatial configuration, e.g. the use of the room, the boards and tables. We conclude that, while the physical setup seems more appropriate for creating notes and posting notes, the digital setup invites more note interaction. Nevertheless, we did not find significant differences in the ideation outcome (e.g., number of notes created) or how participants collaborated between the 2 setups. Hence, we argue that collaborative ideation can successfully be supported in a digital setup as well. Consequently, we believe that the next step in a technological setup is not an either or, but should bring the best of the two worlds together.     

Embodied experiences of place: a study of history learning with mobile technologies

This paper reports an empirical study that takes a multimodal analytical approach to examine how mobile technologies shape students' exploration and experience of place during a history learning activity in situ. In history education, mobile technologies provide opportunities for authentic experiential learning activities that have the potential to re‐mediate students' understanding of space and place through enacted interaction, and to make the learning more memorable. A key question is how learners work with the physical and digital information in the context of that learning experience, and how this supports new experiences and understanding of space and place. Findings suggest that embodied mobile experiences foster the creation of both physical and digital markers, which were instrumental in concretizing the history experience and developing new narratives. The findings also show how different representational forms of digital information mediated interaction in specific ways and how digital augmentation can lead to conflation in student understanding of space and time. These findings inform our understanding of the value of mobile applications in supporting embodied learning experiences and provide key implications for pedagogical design, both in situ and back in the classroom.     

Adding critical sensibilities to domestic communication technologies

This paper presents suggestions for a more pragmatic approach to the design of emerging and future domestic communication technologies, particularly technologies destined for the home that may be deemed ‘ubiquitous’. This is achieved through two critical reviews of a small number of social studies related to the design and use of existing and emerging communication technologies. The first review explores how existing, recent and emerging technologies are adopted within the domestic home and explores how social patterns dictate adoption. The second review draws more broadly on research activity related to the design and development of ubiquitous technologies for everyday life and what lessons can be learnt from them. Together, these two reviews suggest novel communication technology adoption will evolve through small imperceptible steps from the edges of existing products and services; therefore design research needs to be more aligned to this approach. To make any real impact and influence, research activity needs to move away from attempts to deliver ubiquity in the home and place more emphasis at the pragmatic, incremental level of emerging communication services and products.     

Multimedia presentation organization and playout management using intelligent agents

This paper presents a model for organization, computation and management of automated multimedia presentations based on active multimedia segments retrieved from a multimedia information system as well as the Web. Existing multimedia presentation system is extended in such a way that its content selection component spans from local data resources to the entire Web by use of intelligent agents which associates related multimedia segments. We describe a multimedia presentation authoring environment in which a new heuristic method is introduced based on the multimedia resources selected and organization operators to apply. This method is used for the construction of a presentation graph representing an organized presentation. Once the presentation graph is constructed, we show how to obtain an event-point representation of the presentation graph. Based on event-point representation, three methods are given for playing out the constructed presentations at the presentation terminal. Presentation environments of the end-users are modeled as (i) without any constraint, (ii) with a single constraint, and (iii) with multiple constraints (one constraint for each type of multimedia segments in the organized presentation). In accordance with these limitations (i.e., without violating any of the end-user specified constraints), three methods play out any organized presentation.     

Guidelines for conducting systematic mapping studies in software engineering: An update

ContextSystematic mapping studies are used to structure a research area, while systematic reviews are focused on gathering and synthesizing evidence. The most recent guidelines for systematic mapping are from 2008. Since that time, many suggestions have been made of how to improve systematic literature reviews (SLRs). There is a need to evaluate how researchers conduct the process of systematic mapping and identify how the guidelines should be updated based on the lessons learned from the existing systematic maps and SLR guidelines.ObjectiveTo identify how the systematic mapping process is conducted (including search, study selection, analysis and presentation of data, etc.); to identify improvement potentials in conducting the systematic mapping process and updating the guidelines accordingly.MethodWe conducted a systematic mapping study of systematic maps, considering some practices of systematic review guidelines as well (in particular in relation to defining the search and to conduct a quality assessment).ResultsIn a large number of studies multiple guidelines are used and combined, which leads to different ways in conducting mapping studies. The reason for combining guidelines was that they differed in the recommendations given.ConclusionThe most frequently followed guidelines are not sufficient alone. Hence, there was a need to provide an update of how to conduct systematic mapping studies. New guidelines have been proposed consolidating existing findings.     

Visualizations of Digital Interaction in Daily Life

We inquire into how visual signage may make aspects of ubiquitous computing technologies visible and how digital tools and platforms impact that visual design and semiosis. We explore how visual interfaces have been designed and mediated within a design-research project that looked at technologies for mediating between digital media and the physical environment. Referring to visual and media theory, and to social semiotics, we problematize the role of interfaces and interaction with respect to advertising, services, and signage in urban settings. We link our interpretation to critical reflection on designed symbols that express potentials and implications of an emerging technology. This is elaborated as pointing towards a kind of research-by-design practice that we call “discursive design.”     

Scores vs. stars: A regression discontinuity study of online consumer reviews

With the rising popularity of consumer reviews, the design of the review system becomes increasingly crucial for e-commerce platforms and online retailers in their business decision-makings. Though the relationship between consumer reviews and sales has been extensively studied, only few studies have been conducted on the effects of different review designs. In this paper, we collect detailed review data from Meituan.com, a popular Chinese shopping website, to examine the effects of numerical presentation of consumer reviews (detailed to one decimal place) and graphical presentation of consumer reviews (in half-stars) on sales. By using a regression discontinuity design, we find that while consumer review scores may affect sales positively, the star presentation can create negative, rather than positive, jumps at cutoffs. Consumers restrict their attention to a star category; therefore, the “best” sellers in a lower star category are better off than the “worst” sellers in a higher star category. The incentive for review manipulation is strongly reduced, which in the long run will create trust and confidence for the review system as well as the sellers. For those sellers that are just below the cutoffs, simply crossing over the cutoffs would not lead to higher sales. Instead, they will have to substantially improve their service quality to attract consumers.     

The added benefit of an extra practice session in virtual reality on the development of presentation skills: A randomized control trial

Developing oral presentation skills is an essential objective of higher education. While previous research emphasized the importance of practice for developing oral presentation skills (OPS), it remains unclear what the optimal amount of practice is. This experimental field study examined the added benefit of an extra practice session in virtual reality (VR) on the progression of 35 graduate students in OPS, using a pre-test post-test design. In addition, the mediating effect of public speaking anxiety (PSA) was examined and the relation between PSA_, preparation practices, perceived utility of VR and OPS was explored. Questionnaires and performance assessments were used in data collection. Results showed that participants gained benefits from practicing a third time before a virtual audience. Both anxious and non-anxious participants progressed similarly on presentation skills and experienced the VR intervention comparably. However, the optimal number of practice presentations remains unclear and should be further investigated.     

A ‘benign addition’? Research on ICT and pre‐school children

Abstract This paper reviews the international research evidence on the ways in which information and communication technologies (ICT) are used in both formal and informal pre-school settings. The review addresses the debate over the value and desirability of young children using computers and computational toys; the relationship of these technologies to a media environment which encompasses television, video, books and magazines; the literacies involved in using these media; and interface design and interactivity.     

Method and metaphor in organizational analysis

The design of an information system begins with the analysis of an organization in order to identify problems and requirements for corrective action. We report on an empirical exploration of language use by system analysts in an organizational analysis exercise that reveals how the schemas used in the analysis shaped the formulation of problems and the choice of action. Organic and mechanistic metaphors were used to prime the two sets of schemas used by the subjects. The study supports structurational and enactment theories of organization that propose organizational strategies and structures that emerge from situated action and language practice. The idea that language use shapes information system design challenges the hope for a method of justifying our analyses based on an objective and neutral language. The study also shows how different schemas frame an organizational contradiction in different ways and propose different interventions to resolve it.     

Incorporating technology in service-oriented i* business models: a case study

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to enterprise information systems. This interest is motivated by the need for achieving better integration of new technologies (hardware and software) with the business processes of an organization. Business processes have become more and more dependent on technologies because technology has a direct impact on business processes, changing the way they are performed and thus also affecting the way analysts design the software system. However, at the present time, there are still some gaps between the definition of business processes and the technologies used in the organization. In practice, organizations have carried out their business processes using different technologies; however, it is sometimes not possible to determine how technologies are useful in achieving current business goals. This is because business models do not explicitly consider the technologies in the organizational requirements. The goal of this paper is to present a systematic process for integrating business processes and technologies at the conceptual level. To validate our approach, we present a case study that describes the processes of the inventory management department of a public research center.     

Rating reflection on experience: A case study of teachers’ and tutors’ reflection around images

Reflection on personal experience is described as a means to learn from experience, enable self-development and improve professional practice amongst other things. Recently there has been a move in HCI to explore new ways technology may support us in doing this. However, within this community there is little use made of existing literature to evaluate how well such tools support this reflection. In this paper we present a case study of the development of a ‘levels of reflection’ framework for the purposes of evaluating a wearable digital camera (SenseCam) to support teachers’ and tutors’ reflective practice. The framework enabled us to rate and compare reflection achieved by participants in different situations, and to explore the relationship between the ways images were used by participants and the level of reflection this led to, with implications for designing future SenseCam use to better support teachers’ and tutors’ reflection on experience. Beyond our particular case study, we suggest that the framework and associated methodological approach for rating reflection is of value to those within the HCI community interested in designing for reflection on experience. Rating reflection in this way can enable new tools or techniques for supporting reflection to be explored over time, across similar situations or with adaptations, and to build understandings of how reflection is being most effectively supported – ultimately inspiring the design of future technologies by building up an understanding of the most effective ways of supporting reflection on experience.     

新媒体 新体验 新设计——浅谈基于数字媒体的信息设计与传播

数字媒体是数字计算技术和现代通讯技术发展的产物,数字媒体的出现使信息的传输有了全新的方式和途径,给人们带来了全新的信息体验。同时,针对这一崭新媒体而进行的信息设计也发展成为一个令人兴奋而又富于挑战的新兴设计领域,体现出了不同于传统媒体设计的新特性。本文结合数字媒体的新特性,就基于数字新媒体的信息设计与传播谈了自己的一些初步认识。     

Digital twins-based smart manufacturing system design in Industry 4.0: A review

A smart manufacturing system (SMS) is a multi-field physical system with complex couplings among various components. Usually, designers in various fields can only design subsystems of an SMS based on the limited cognition of dynamics. Conducting SMS designs concurrently and developing a unified model to effectively imitate every interaction and behavior of manufacturing processes are challenging. As an emerging technology, digital twins can achieve semi-physical simulations to reduce the vast time and cost of physical commissioning/reconfiguration by the early detection of design errors/flaws of the SMS. However, the development of the digital twins concept in the SMS design remains vague. An innovative Function-Structure-Behavior-Control-Intelligence-Performance (FSBCIP) framework is proposed to review how digital twins technologies are integrated into and promote the SMS design based on a literature search in the Web of Science database. The definitions, frameworks, major design steps, new blueprint models, key enabling technologies, design cases, and research directions of digital twins-based SMS design are presented in this survey. It is expected that this survey will shed new light on urgent industrial concerns in developing new SMSs in the Industry 4.0 era.