Rachelle S. Heller

Assessing the benefits of interactive prediction using Web-based algorithm animation courseware

This study used educational software—courseware—that contained algorithm animations and data structure visualizations that were implemented with the programming language Java, and were embedded in a collection of World Wide Web pages. The objective of this study was to determine whether the interactive prediction facility provided by this courseware produced a significant learning advantage. Two experiments were conducted. The results indicated that the students who used the interactive version of the courseware spent significantly more time using it than those who used the noninteractive version. Students who used the interactive version scored better on several of the questions that tested the more difficult lessons, but performed more poorly overall. None of the differences were statistically significant.

American and Soviet Children's Attitudes toward Computers

For a decade significant resources in the United States have been expended to put computers in the schools. Many school districts are now taking stock of the effects of this computerization as they prepare strategic plans for the school reform of the next decade. Similarly, recent events in Eastern Europe are bringing about massive school reform, and the role that the computer could play in reform efforts is being carefully considered. As plans for increased use of computer technology are made, it is important for policy makers, educators and researchers to understand how children relate to the new technologies. In this study the attitudes of eight to twelve year old American and Soviet children toward computers were examined by comparing their responses to attitude statements and their drawings of computer users. Although some significant differences by country and gender were found, the attitudes of the children from both countries were found to be very similar and mostly positive. One of the greatest differences found was in the level of parental use of computers. A majority of Soviet parents were not computer users, whereas a majority of American parents were computer users. The most significant gender differences occurred in the drawings of computer users with most boys drawing males and most girls drawing females as computer users.

Using a theoretical multimedia taxonomy framework

Multimedia (MM) is a polysemous term, a term with many definitions, and in this case, many roots. In this paper, multimedia is defined as the seamless integration of two or more media. Each ancestor brings another requirement, muddying the field and making it difficult to work through. A multimedia taxonomy based on a previous media taxonomy is proposed to help organize the discipline. The taxonomy helps to classify the space called multimedia and to draw attention to difficult issues. The paper outlines the forms contributing to multimedia—text, sound, graphics, and motion—and aligns them with probable formats—elaboration, representation, and abstraction— and sets them within a context—audience, discipline, interactivity, quality, usefulness, and aesthetics. The contexts are more clearly defined in two areas: interactivity and the information basis for a discipline. Examples are presented describing the use of the taxonomy in the design and evaluation of student projects in a computer science-based multimedia course.

Integrating algorithm animation into a learning environment

Abstract Algorithm animation would seem to be a useful tool for teaching algorithms. However, previous empirical studies of using algorithm animation have produced mixed results. This paper presents an empirical study in which the subjects programmed the algorithm which they had seen animated. The results of the experiment indicate that combining the animation with the implementation of the algorithm was an effective way to teach the animation, and also produced transfer effects for general recursion problems.

Mind the Gap: Women in STEM Career Breaks

The slow advancement of women in scientific fields remains a persistent problem, especially in academia. Highly trained doctoral women in the sciences drop out of the academic pipeline for a variety of reasons that are poorly documented. This paper reports on a qualitative exploratory study based on structured interviews with 15 women who have taken career breaks after receiving their science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) PhD, but wish to re-enter the academic career track. The study aims to understand the pressures that contribute to taking such breaks, how women remain connected (or not) to their field during breaks and how re-entering the field after a career break could be facilitated. Suggestions based on the interviews include career development workshops and networking opportunities for women in breaks, as well as systemic changes such as reduced fees for society membership and conferences, changes in the way resumes are reviewed by faculty search committees, and in the design and implementation of maternity and child care leave policies.

Measuring the level of teacher concerns over microcomputers in instruction

The attitudes and concerns of teachers regarding the use of innovation, such as microcomputers in instruction, will determine whether or not the innovation becomes permanently institutionalized into the curriculum. In this study the concerns of 495 teachers from three large suburban school districts regarding the use of microcomputers in instruction are measured using the Stages-of-Concerns Questionnaire (SoCQ), based upon seven stages-of-concern about educational innovations [4]. The teachers in this study were all involved in their first year of microcomputer use in instruction as part of the official curriculum of their school districts. The resulting composite profiles show a high level of personal concern characterized as a nonuser profile, regardless of computer training, years of teaching experience, or level of use of the microcomputers. Reasons for this phenomenon and suggestions for ways to alleviate it are described.

EC/NSF workshop on universal accessibility of ubiquitous computing: providing for the elderly event report

The workshop took place on Alcácer do Sal, Portugal from May 22nd to May 25th, 2001 with the purpose to discuss approaches to universal usability for the elderly constituency. Elderly citizens are a growing age group within developed countries and their needs have been mostly ignored by Information Technology and Computing as a whole. The surge of mobile communications and universal access materialized in the push for UMTS in Europe provided a strong leitmotif for this meeting. For the better part of a week, a group joining twenty-six people from several different communities gathered to discuss strategic issues arising from the new context. The aim is to provide strategic inputs for major research programs in EU, USA and Japan. The present document contains a summary account of the proceedings.

Designing for diverse users: will just a better interface do?

An important challenge to user interface designers is meeting the needs of users who differ in gender, culture, age, and/or abilities. At least two strategies have emerged: to design different interfaces for each group or to just design good interfaces. The panel will discuss approaches to and issues related to accommodating diversity.

Some guidance on conducting and reporting qualitative studies

This paper sets out to address the problem of the imbalance between the number of quantitative and qualitative articles published in highly ranked research journals, by providing guidelines for the design, implementation and reporting of qualitative research. Clarification is provided of key terms (such as quantitative and qualitative) and the interrelationships between them. The relative risks and benefits of using guidelines for qualitative research are considered, and the importance of using any such guidelines flexibly is highlighted. The proposed guidelines are based on a synthesis of existing guidelines and syntheses of guidelines from a range of fields.

Use of a keystroke log file to evaluate an interactive computer system in a museum setting

Abstract Multimedia evaluation and evaluation of public space learning environments are complex processes. The typical challenges of public space design and implementation, such as the inability to really know the user as well as the lack of access to the setting for long term evaluation require the evaluator to use a series of tools and techniques. This paper discusses the results of using a keystroke log file to identify the use and visitor usage patterns of the sophisticated interactive multimedia system installed at the Wexner Learning Center of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The findings of the evaluation include the identification of four typical sessions, a series of engagements with the technology and with the content and the need for other evaluation techniques to determine the cause of some of the exhibited behaviors.