Chair: Hilary Hutchinson, Google, USA
The eLabBench in the Wild - Supporting Exploration in a Molecular Biology Lab -
PaperContribution & Benefit: Describes the long-term deployment of the eLabBench, a tabletop system for laboratories. We highlight its impact on biologists' practices in offices and labs and discuss implications for tabletop research.
Abstract » In this paper we present a field trial of the eLabBench, a digital tabletop-based laboratory bench designed to support the exploratory practices of molecular biologists in the laboratory. The eLabBench supports the organization of personal information, capture of experimental work for later access, and the use of a variety of computational resources directly at the lab bench. We deployed the eLabBench in a biology laboratory for 16 weeks, and invited seven molecular biologists to run experiments on it. We report on how they used the bench and how it fitted within their larger experimental process. The main impact of the eLabBench lies in the changes it sparked off in preparing, running, and documenting lab experiments. By supporting computation at the bench and management of physical objects in the office, the eLabBench blurred the separation between office and laboratory work. Based on our observations, we discuss how interactive systems for laboratories such as the eLabBench can support a more exploratory or design-oriented way of "doing" science.
ACM How Students Find, Evaluate and Utilize Peer-Collected Annotated Multimedia Data in Science Inquiry with Zydeco -
PaperContribution & Benefit: Presents a study on how students (ages 11-13) search for, evaluate, and use annotated student-collected data. This can assist others developing inquiry systems or data-rich software for students.
Abstract » Scientific inquiry can be more authentic and meaningful to students when using personal and peer-collected data. The challenges of organizing and evaluating a potentially large amount of data can be overcome through the use of annotations (title, tags, and audio notes). We created Zydeco, a multi-component system that students use to collect annotated multimedia data from a museum (using a smartphone app), and then create a scientific explanation with their personal and peers' data (using a tablet app). We ran a classroom study with 54 students (ages 11-13) investigating how students searched for, evaluated, and used annotated data to construct a scientific explanation. We found that tags supported data interpretation, while title searching and panning through the unfiltered data set supported finding and using data.
ACM Phylo-Genie: Engaging Students in Collaborative 'Tree-Thinking' through Tabletop Techniques -
PaperContribution & Benefit: Describes the design and implementation of an interactive tabletop system, Phylo-Genie, which supports the learning of phylogeny. Study shows that Phylo-Genie promotes engagement, collaboration, and learning compared to traditional learning tools.
Abstract » Phylogenetic trees are representations of evolutionary relationships amongst species. Interviews of instructors and students have revealed that novice biologists have difficulty understanding phylogenetics. Moreover, misinterpretations of phylogenetics are common among college-level students. In this paper we present Phylo-Genie, a tabletop interface for fostering collaborative learning of phylogenetics. We conducted an experimental study with 56 participants, comparing students' conceptual learning and engagement using Phylo-Genie as: 1) a multi-touch tabletop interface and 2) a pen and paper activity. Our findings show that the tabletop implementation fosters collaborative learning by engaging users in the activity. We also shed light on the way in which our design principles facilitated engagement and collaborative learning in a tabletop environment.
ACM The Student Activity Meter for Awareness and Self-reflection -
Long Case StudyContribution & Benefit: Describes the iterative design and evaluation of visualizations to improve self-reflection and awareness for learners and teachers. The methodology can be valuable for other visualization tools, e.g. in personal informatics.
Abstract » Visualization of user actions can be used in Technology Enhanced Learning to increase awareness for learners and teachers and to support self-reflection. In this paper, we present our Student Activity Meter that visualizes learner actions. We present four design iterations and results of both quantitative and qualitative evaluation studies in real-world settings that assess the usability, use and usefulness of different visualizations. Results indicate that our tool is useful for a variety of teacher and learner needs, including awareness of time spent and resource use. Tools like SAM can also be deployed in other settings that require awareness and self-reflection, e.g. in personal informatics and health monitoring, where motivated users will value the flexible mechanisms to analyze trending data.