James Minogue

Haptics in Education: Exploring an Untapped Sensory Modality

As human beings, we can interact with our environment through the sense of touch, which helps us to build an understanding of objects and events. The implications of touch for cognition are recognized by many educators who advocate the use of “hands-on” instruction. But is it possible to know something more completely by touching it? Does touch promote the construction of more connected and meaningful understandings? Current technology makes the addition of touch to computer-generated environments possible, but the educational implications of this innovation are still largely unknown. This article is a baseline review that examines the role of touch in cognition and learning and explores the research investigating the efficacy of the haptic augmentation of instruction.

The impact of haptic augmentation on middle school students’ conceptions of the animal cell

Of the five sensory channels—sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch, it is only our sense of touch that enables us to modify and manipulate the world around us. This article reports the preliminary findings of a systematic study investigating the efficacy of adding haptic feedback to a desktop virtual reality program for use in middle school science instruction. Current technology allows for the simulation of tactile and kinesthetic sensations via sophisticated haptic devices and a computer interface. This research, conducted with 80 middle school students, examined the cognitive and affective impact of this technology on students’ understandings of the structure and function of an animal cell. The results of this work offer valuable insights into the theoretical and practical considerations involved in the development and implementation of haptically augmented virtual reality instructional programs.

Haptic feedback and students' learning about levers: Unraveling the effect of simulated touch

While there has been extensive experimental research on haptics, less has been conducted on cross-modal interactions between visual and haptic perception and even less still on cross-modal applications in instructional settings. This study looks at a simulation on the principles of levers using both visual and haptic feedback: one group received visual and haptic feedback while the other just visual feedback. Using the triangulation of learning scores, eye tracking data, and video analysis of interaction with the levers, the efficacy of haptic feedback to improve learning was explored. The results indicate that while the total fixation time on the levers and numeric readout was greater for the visual and haptic group, very similar patterns of visual attention were seen between groups. Perhaps surprisingly, the visual only group scored higher on an embedded assessment. Explanations for these results are synthesized from theories of cross-modal perception and cognitive architecture.

Designing game-based learning environments for elementary science education: A narrative-centered learning perspective

Game-based learning environments hold significant promise for STEM education, yet they are enormously complex. Crystal Island: Uncharted Discovery, is a game-based learning environment designed for upper elementary science education that has been under development in our laboratory for the past four years. This article discusses curricular and narrative interaction design requirements, presents the design of the Crystal Island learning environment, and describes its evolution through a series of pilots and field tests. Additionally, a classroom integration study was conducted to initiate a shift towards ecological validity. Results indicated that Crystal Island produced significant learning gains on both science content and problem-solving measures. Importantly, gains were consistent for gender across studies. This finding is key in light of past studies that revealed disproportionate participation by boys within game-based learning environments.

Measuring the Impact of Haptic Feedback Using the SOLO Taxonomy

The application of Biggs’ and Collis’ Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes taxonomy in the evaluation of student learning about cell membrane transport via a computer‐based learning environment is described in this study. Pre‐test–post‐test comparisons of student outcome data (n = 80) were made across two groups of randomly assigned students: one that received visual and haptic feedback, and one that relied on visual feedback only as they completed their virtual investigations. The results of the Mann–Whitney U‐test indicated that the group mean difference scores were significantly different statistically (p = .043). Practically speaking, this study provides some early evidence suggesting that the haptic augmentation of computer‐based science instruction may lead to a deeper level of processing. The strengths and weaknesses of this current diagnostic approach and a novel approach based on a non‐verbal model of cognition are discussed in light of their potential contributions to the teaching and learning of science.

What is the Teacher Doing? What are the Students Doing? An Application of the Draw-a-Science-Teacher-Test

This study documents the use of the Draw-a-Science-Teacher-Test as diagnostic tool for both preservice teacher beliefs about science teaching and science methods course effectiveness. Direct comparison of pre-course to post-course images from 50 preservice elementary teachers was undertaken using McNemar’s test. Results indicated statistically significant shifts in participants’ mental models of science teaching and learning. Post-course more students portrayed student-centered reform minded practices. The limitations of this analytical approach, the practical significance of this work, and ideas for future research in this arena are discussed.

The Cross-Case Analyses of Elementary Students’ Engagement in the Strands of Science Proficiency

Recent reports have begun to lay the foundation for a re-visioned K-8 science curriculum which includes four strands that could be used to define and assess science proficiency for all students. Using these strands as an analytic lens, this pre-post multiple-case case study explores elementary school science teachers’ practices and their students’ actions. This work focuses on naturally occurring ordinary events and builds a description of how these strands of proficiencies are being developed. The results of cross-case analyses suggest that while the participating teachers do engage their students in activities and exercises that contribute to the development of all 4 strands of science proficiency; the nature, duration, and distribution (across the 4 strands) of these activities varied.

The development and validation of the Instructional Practices Log in Science: a measure of K-5 science instruction

ABSTRACT The Instructional Practices Log in Science (IPL-S) is a daily teacher log developed for K-5 teachers to self-report their science instruction. The items on the IPL-S are grouped into scales measuring five dimensions of science instruction: Low-level Sense-making, High-level Sense-making, Communication, Integrated Practices, and Basic Practices. As part of the current validation study, 206 elementary teachers completed 4137 daily log entries. The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence of validity for the IPL-S’s scales, including (a) support for the theoretical framework; (b) cognitive interviews with logging teachers; (c) item descriptive statistics; (d) comparisons of 28 pairs of teacher and rater logs; and (e) an examination of the internal structure of the IPL-S. We present evidence to describe the extent to which the items and the scales are completed accurately by teachers and differentiate various types of science instructional strategies employed by teachers. Finally, we point to several practical implications of our work and potential uses for the IPL-S. Overall, results provide neutral to positive support for the validity of the groupings of items or scales.

ASPECT sinking and floating: an interactive playable simulation for teaching buoyancy concepts

Traditional methods of teaching concepts relating to buoyancy (sinking and floating) to elementary students are often ineffective. With the development of new const-effective haptic controllers, we may be able to improve upon traditional teaching methods. Data was gathered during focus groups with both teachers and students to develop a list of misconceptions to target. In addition to targeting misconceptions, we use a Novint Falcon haptic force feedback controller to enable direct feeling of forces. To effectively merge the haptic controller into the system usability testing was performed. This paper presents the initial findings of our interactive playable simulation.

ASPECT: sinking and floating haptics for elementary school students

Traditional classroom methods of teaching concepts relating to buoyancy (sinking and floating) to elementary students are often ineffective. Incorporating haptic force-feedback controllers may help to improve traditional teaching methods. ASPECT: Sinking and Floating, targets student misconceptions via an interactive playable simulation. In addition to targeting misconceptions, ASPECT: Sinking and Floating also uses a Novint Falcon (http://www.novint.com/index.php/novintfalcon) haptic force-feedback controller to enable direct feeling of forces. This paper presents our design process and initial findings.