Multi-touch Display Technology and Collaborative Learning Tasks

TL;DR: This research demonstrates the use of multi-touch display technology for collaborative tasks in the classroom via task breakdown and role assignment for individual learners and discusses the interface and interactive considerations raised by the arrangement of four learners around a single interactive input device.

Abstract: This research demonstrates the use of multi-touch display technology for collaborative tasks in the classroom via task breakdown and role assignment for individual learners Multi-touch displays can provide a large shared digital workspace and multiple simultaneous user inputs This paper provides a brief background discussion of improvements to a hardware and software multi-touch platform and then focuses on the design of collaborative learning software using the example of a Phonics literacy application Collaborative learning design issues discussed include; i) learning task analysis, ii) learning task decomposition and role assignment, iii) engaging collaborative communication mechanisms, and iv) multi-person interface issues The paper then discusses a pilot study of the usability and analysis of the data gathered Conclusions and further research opportunities are then discussed Background and Technology Update Several studies have investigated the use of multi-touch technology in educational contexts (Jochen & Rogers, 2008; Mansor, et al, 2008; Fleck, et al, 2009) The educational applications of multi-touch technology have also been discussed at conferences such as ‘Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces 2009’ and at workshops such as the ‘Tabletops for Education and Training’ session at the Rendez-Vous 2009 event which was sponsored by STELLAR In addition the potential for multi-touch display technology to facilitate direct collaboration between learners has been raised previously, as discussed in Morgan & Butler (2009) In that paper a hardware platform for constructing low cost but large format multi-touch displays was described The multi-touch displays were specifically customised for the classroom in that they could be deployed in both tabletop and display board configurations and support up to four users The paper also discussed several theoretical issues such as the impact on the cognition of groups of learners on various layers of information exchange and transformation enabled by large format shared digital workspaces Finally the paper discussed the interface and interactive considerations raised by the arrangement of four learners around a single interactive input device Fig 1: Modular design of an updated multi-touch display prototype Since the publication of that paper, a number of improvements have been made by the research team with regard to the development of the hardware and software platform In terms of the hardware design (Figure 1) a second prototype has been constructed that divides the display into three separate modules The top module contains the Perspex screen and infra-red LEDs It can be quickly detached to allow for easy transport The middle module