Bertrand Schneider

Benefits of a Tangible Interface for Collaborative Learning and Interaction

We investigated the role that tangibility plays in a problem-solving task by observing logistic apprentices using either a multitouch or a tangible interface. Results showed that tangibility helped them perform the task better and achieve a higher learning gain. In addition, groups using the tangible interface collaborated better, explored more alternative designs, and perceived problem solving as more playful. Mediation analysis revealed that exploration was the only process variable explaining the performance for the problem-solving task. Implications of this study are discussed in terms of the benefits of tangibility for education and directions for future research.

Real-time mutual gaze perception enhances collaborative learning and collaboration quality

In this paper we present the results of an eye-tracking study on collaborative problem-solving dyads. Dyads remotely collaborated to learn from contrasting cases involving basic concepts about how the human brain processes visual information. In one condition, dyads saw the eye gazes of their partner on the screen; in a control group, they did not have access to this information. Results indicated that this real-time mutual gaze perception intervention helped students achieve a higher quality of collaboration and a higher learning gain. Implications for supporting group collaboration are discussed.

Physical space and division of labor around a tabletop tangible simulation

We describe a tangible tabletop simulation, the Tinker Table, which is designed to train logistics apprentices in Switzerland. Vocational training is organized following a dual model which combines practice on the workplace and theory in the professional school. Two groups of learners were observed during an activity which consists of optimizing the layout of a warehouse. We propose a descriptive account of how the spatial position of resources and learners influences the type of manipulations which are performed by each of them.

Combinatorix: a tangible user interface that supports collaborative learning of probabilities

Teaching abstract concepts is notoriously difficult, especially when we lack concrete metaphors that map to those abstractions. Combinatorix offers a novel approach that combines tangible objects with an interactive tabletop to help students explore, solve and understand probability problems. Students rearrange physical tokens to see the effects of various constraints on the problem space; a second screen displays the associated changes in an abstract representation, e.g., a probability tree. Using participatory design, college students in a combinatorics class helped iteratively refine the Combinatorix prototype, which was then tested successfully with five students. Combinatorix serves as an initial proof-of-concept that demonstrates how tangible tabletop interfaces that map tangible objects to abstract concepts can improve problem-solving skills.

Using Mobile Eye-Trackers to Unpack the Perceptual Benefits of a Tangible User Interface for Collaborative Learning

In this study, we investigated the way users memorize, analyze, collaborate, and learn new concepts on a Tangible User Interface (TUI). Twenty-seven pairs of apprentices in logistics (N = 54) interacted with an interactive simulation of a warehouse. Their task was to discover efficient design principles for building storehouses. In a between-subjects experimental design, half of the participants used 3D physical shelves, whereas the other half used 2D paper shelves. This manipulation allowed us to control for the “representational effect” of 3D tangibles: the first group saw the warehouse as a small-scale model with realistic shelves, whereas the second group had access to a more abstract layout with rectangular pieces of paper. Both groups interacted with the system in the same way. We found that participants in the first group (i.e., who used 3D realistic shelves) better memorized a warehouse layout, built a more efficient model, and scored higher on a learning test. Additionally, students wore eye-tracking goggles while completing those tasks; preliminary results suggest that 3D interfaces increased joint visual attention, which was found to be a significant predictor for participants’ task performance and learning gains. Implications for designing TUIs in collaborative settings are discussed.

The Effect of Highly Scaffolded Versus General Instruction on Students’ Exploratory Behavior and Arousal

Technology is changing the way students interact with knowledge, and open-ended activities are one of the main types of tasks that students engage with in technology-rich environments. However, the amount of guidance needed to promote learning in these environments remains unknown. We explore this issue by focusing on the effects of step-by-step versus generic instructions on student’s exploratory behavior and arousal levels. In this experiment, students completed three computer-based activities within a physics simulation software: building a tower, building a bridge and a free task. We did not find any effect of our experimental manipulation on students’ task performance. We found, however, that detailed instruction induced higher level of activation followed by a relaxation phase and a recovery of the activation level in the last segment of the task (U-shaped curve). On the other hand, generic instructions seemed to lead students into a continuous relaxation pattern along the task (decreasing slope). Moreover, low and high-aroused students appear to be affected by the instructions differently, with high-aroused students at baseline showing less cognitive flexibility. Finally, we observed carryover effects, where types of instruction kept influencing students’ levels of activation in a following open-ended task. We discuss implications of those results for designing learning activities in constructionist, technology-rich environments.

BrainExplorer: an innovative tool for teaching neuroscience

Neuroscience has recently brought many insights into the inner workings of the human brain. The way neuroscience is taught, however, has lagged behind and still relies on direct instruction or textbooks. We argue that the spatial nature of the brain makes it an ideal candidate for hands-on activities coupled with a tangible interface. In this paper we introduce BrainExplorer, a learning environment for teaching neuroscience. BrainExplorer allows users to explore neural pathways on a custom tabletop platform. We conducted an evaluation with 28 participants comparing students who learned neuroscience content through using BrainExplorer with students who learned by reading a textbook chapter. We found that our system promotes learning along 3 dimensions: memorizing scientific terminology, understanding a dynamic system, and transferring knowledge to a new situation.