Gunver Majgaard

Self-Assessment and Reflection in a 1st Semester Course for Software Engineering Students

How can student self-assessment be used as a tool and become beneficial for both lecturers and students? We used a simple self-assessment tool for pre- and post-testing in a first-semester engineering course. The students graded their knowledge on human-computer interaction based on their ability to understand and explain specific concepts. The assessment tool was inspired by the SOLO-model and promoted practice reflections on the academic concepts. In the pre-test the students became aware of specific academic expectations in the course and they had the opportunity to grade the gap between their own current knowledge and what would be expected at the end of the course. The lecturer could from the very beginning sharpen the academic semester plan based on the assessment results. From the lecturer’s perspective the post assessment was useful in optimising the course for the next throughput.

Design-Based Action Research in the World of Robot Technology and Learning

Why is design-based action research methodology important in the world of robot technology and learning? This article explores how action research and interaction-driven design can be used in the development of educational robotic tools. Our case study is the development of “Fraction Battle” which is about learning mathematical fractions in primary school. An outdoor digital playground is taken into the classroom and then redesigned to create the game. The article argues for interaction design taking precedence over technology- or goal- driven design in the development of educational tools.

Initial phases of design-based research into the educational potentials of NAO-robots

In this paper, we describe our initial research, using the humanoid robot NAO in primary and secondary schools. How does a programmable humanoid enrich teaching and how do we prepare the teachers? Ten school classes are using the robot for creative programming. So far we have experienced that the robot enriches the learning processes by combining the auditory, visual and kinaesthetic modalities.

The Learning Potentials of Number Blocks

In this paper it is described how an interactive cubic user-configurable modular robotic system can be used to support learning about numbers and their pronunciation. The development is done in collaboration with a class of 7–8 year old children and their mathematics teacher. The tool is called Number Blocks, and it combines physical interaction, learning, and immediate feedback. Number Blocks support the children’s understanding of place value in the sense that it allows them to experiment with large numbers. We found that the blocks contributed to the learning process in several ways. The blocks combined mathematics and play, and they included and supported children at different academic levels. The auditory representation, especially the enhanced rhythmic effects of using speech synthesis, helped the children to pronounce large numbers. This creates a new context for learning mathematical aspects of number names and the place value system.

Design of Trigonometry Apps for Vocational Education

How can smartphones apps enrich the learning of mathematics in vocational education? This article examines how mathematics teaching can be enriched by apps using smartphone sensors such as gyroscope, compass, camera, and touch screen in a gaming context. An iterative and participatory design process involving two classes of carpentry students from different vocational colleges resulted in two highly successful and course-relevant games based on trigonometry. Each game consists of quests and missions whose successful completion unlocks more theoretical multiple-choice exercises for the classroom. The combination of competition to unlock exercises, competition for placing on the high-score list, and physical activity proved very motivating for the students and was also approved by their teachers. In this article we describe our design principles, the overall game architecture and the games themselves. We talk about our experience in implementing our design process and subsequently summarize the pros and cons of the application and the smartphone platform and how the app developed contributes to vocational mathematics teaching.

Making Video Tutorials in the Classroom - Tacit Knowledge on Display.

The paper presents the first experiences of teaching design of video tutorials in a ninth semester engineering cause titled “Learning and technology”.