Conversation-based hybrid UI for the repertory grid technique:A lab experiment into automation of qualitative surveys

A frequent use of conversational user interfaces (CUIs) today is improving the users’ experience with online quantitative surveys. In this paper, we explore the use of CUIs in qualitative surveys. As a concrete use case, we adopt a specific, well-structured, qualitative research method called the repertory grid technique (RGT). We developed a hybrid user interface (HUI) that combines a graphical user interface (GUI) with a CUI to automate the distinct stages in a RGT survey. A pilot study was used to verify the feasibility of the approach and to fine-tune interface aspects of an initial prototype. In this paper, we report the results of a within-subject lab experiment with 24 participants that aimed to establish the performance and UX in a realistic context of a more advanced prototype. We observed a small decrease in UX in some hedonistic aspects, but also confirmed that the HUI performs similarly to a human agent in most pragmatic aspects. These results provide support for our hypothesis that automating qualitative surveys is possible with proper interface design. We hope that our work can inspire other researchers to design additional tools for qualitative survey automation, especially now that generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT, open up interesting new ways for computer systems to interact with users in natural language.</p

Üç Boyutlu Sanal Ortamlar ve Artırılmış Gerçeklik Uygulamalarının Öğrenme Başarısı Üzerindeki Etkisi: Bir Meta-Analiz Çalışması

The objective of the study is to analyze the effect of three dimensional (3D) virtual environment and augmented reality applications on learning achievement. In line with this purpose, experimental studies were considered and the effects of experimental and control groups on learning achievement analyzed. In the experimental group, the applications which were established through the 3D virtual environment and augmented reality technologies while control group consisted of face to face environment. In order to realize this aim, the meta-analysis method used in educational sciences was preferred. Key words for 3D virtual environments meta-analysis scanning are: ‘“3D virtual world” &amp; achievement’ and ’“3D virtual environment” &amp; achievement’. And the key word determined for the augmented reality meta- analysis scanning is ’“augmented reality” &amp; achievement’. Within the context of the research, the databases such as Science Direct, ERIC, Taylor &amp; Francis, EBSCO, Emerald, JSTOR, SAGE, SpringerLink and Google Scholar were analyzed. The determined keywords were entered into the aforementioned databases and 4.682 articles published between 2010 and 2016 were controlled in terms of their conformity to the objectives of the research. After the initial analysis, 47 articles were determined on 3D virtual environment while 57 articles were on the augmented reality. Among the 47 articles on 3D virtual environments, 20 articles which conform to the inclusion criteria were determined and 24 articles among the 57 articles on augmented reality were employed for meta-analysis. The dependent variable of the research is learning achievement while independent variable is experimental and control groups. Education level was determined as the moderator variable in the research. According to the results of the research, it was found that 3D virtual environments had moderate levels of effect on learning achievement on behalf of the experimental group (d=0.32). similar to those results, augmented reality applications had also moderate level of effect on learning achievement on behalf of experimental group (d=0.46). According to the results of the moderator analysis conducted, it was determined that the selection of the study sample as undergraduate, primary school, high school and secondary school did not change the effect size of the 3D virtual environments on the learning success. Again, according to the results of the moderator analysis, it was determined that the selection of the study sample as a secondary school, primary school and graduate did not change the effect size of the augmented reality applications on the learning success.Araştırmanın amacı, 3 boyutlu (3B) sanal ortam ve artırılmış gerçeklik uygulamalarının öğrenme başarısı üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, deneysel çalışmalar dikkate alınarak, deney ve kontrol gruplarının öğrenme başarısı üzerindeki etkisine bakılmıştır. Deney grubunda, bu teknolojiler kullanılarak oluşturulan uygulamalar yer alırken, kontrol grubunda yüz yüze ortam yer almıştır. Bu amacı gerçekleştirebilmek için eğitim bilimleri alanında kullanılan meta-analiz yöntemi tercih edilmiştir. 3 boyutlu sanal ortamlar meta-analiz taramasına yönelik olarak belirlenen anahtar sözcükler: ’“3D virtual world” &amp; achievement’ ve ’“3D virtual environment” &amp; achievement’ olmuştur. Artırılmış gerçeklik meta-analiz taraması için belirlenen anahtar kelime ise ’“augmented reality” &amp; achievement’ olmuştur. Araştırma kapsamında ilgili araştırmalara ulaşabilmek için Science Direct, ERIC, Taylor &amp; Francis, EBSCO, Emerald, JSTOR, SAGE, SpringerLink ve Google Scholar veri tabanları incelenmiştir. Bu veri tabanlarına belirlenen anahtar kelimeler girilerek, 2010-2016 yılları arasında yayınlanmış olan 4.682 makalenin araştırmanın amacına uygunluğu kontrol edilmiştir. Yapılan ilk incelemeden sonra, 3B sanal ortamlar için 47 makale, artırılmış gerçeklik için ise 57 makale belirlenmiştir. 3B sanal ortamlar için 47 makale içerisinden dâhil etme kriterlerine uyan 20 makale, artırılmış gerçeklik için ise 57 makaleden dâhil etme kriterlerine uyan 24 makale belirlenerek meta-analize tabi tutulmuştur. Araştırmanın bağımlı değişkeni öğrenme başarısı iken bağımsız değişkeni deney ve kontrol gruplarıdır. Araştırmada moderatör değişken olarak öğretim seviyesi belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, 3B sanal ortamların deney grubu lehine öğrenme başarısı üzerinde orta düzeyde bir etki büyüklüğü (d=0.32) olduğu görülmüştür. Bu sonuca benzer olarak, artırılmış gerçeklik uygulamalarının da deney grubu lehine öğrenme başarısı üzerinde orta düzeyde bir etkiye (d=0.46) sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Yapılan moderatör analizi sonucuna göre çalışmanın örnekleminin lisans, ilkokul, lise ve ortaokul olarak seçilmesinin, 3 boyutlu sanal ortamların öğrenme başarısı üzerindeki etki büyüklüğünü değiştirmediği belirlenmiştir. Yine yapılan moderatör analizi sonucuna göre çalışmanın örnekleminin ortaokul, ilkokul ve lisans olarak seçilmesinin, artırılmış gerçeklik uygulamalarının öğrenme başarısı üzerindeki etki büyüklüğünü değiştirmediği belirlenmiştir

Designing speculative artifacts

In recent decades, Mark Weiser's vision of ubiquitous computing has become today's reality through embedded electronics, the rise of machine learning, and the proliferation of wireless Internet access. This development brings not only opportunities but also new challenges for the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community. Technology, for example, is (1) entering novel application scenarios and pristine interaction environments, (2) leaving the screen and conquering the physical world, and (3) changing the previous tool-like nature of computers to social, self-learning, and pro-active entities. As a result, there are no already established interaction paradigms, metaphors, and design strategies for designing such systems. Thus, HCI faces questions about the interaction design in the context of embedded systems and novel materials, the conceptualization of intelligent systems in everyday environments, and, subsequently, the consequences on human-technology relations. To approach such questions, a standard tool in HCI research is the human-centered design process, which creates knowledge about user needs and considers user perspectives to inform design decisions. Observations and interviews are used to understand the context, workflow, or tools, before developing ideas and concepts for technological improvements or solutions. This process has proven to be effective when dealing with matters familiar to users, such as their workplaces, leading to improved workflows and experiences. However, it remains open how design can be grounded if future technologies result in unfamiliar situations. When people can no longer contribute with their domain knowledge, what are novel interaction concepts, paradigms, and designs based on? To tackle these problems, I present and discuss a programmatic design approach to generate original design ideas and concepts. This approach builds on Speculative and Critical Design practices within the HCI context. The main idea central to this work is to create designs using real-world patterns to inform HCI since these patterns still comply with users' prior knowledge, experiences, and perception of fundamental social or natural principles. Such Real-World Patterns (RWP) can be familiar metaphors, morphologies, or mental models - e.g., understanding causality in the physical world or knowing the basic working principles of musical instruments. These patterns are chosen and then transferred into designs to meet or contradict users' expectations of the technology in order to create confrontational situations in which new perspectives are opened up. Based on the confrontation with the speculative artifacts, implications and requirements are deduced, which in reverse can be applied to future technologies. The projects presented apply this approach in various HCI research domains, including human-robot interaction, new interfaces for musical expression, and deformable and flexible interfaces. In this dissertation, I reflect on the approach using three questions: (Q1) How does the use of RWPs complement the Research through Design practice?; (Q2) How can RWPs be instrumentalized in the design of HCI systems?; and (Q3) How does the use of RWPs in design affect the relation between humans and technology? This thesis contributes (1) an overview of the approach as well as three perspectives which are instrumental in understanding and applying RWPs in the design of HCI, (2) eight speculative artifacts, which exemplify the approach, (3) theories and concepts inspired by the used RWPs, and (4) empirical knowledge deduced from the associated studies and surveys.In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist Mark Weisers Vision des Ubiquitous Computing durch eingebettete Systeme, den Aufstieg künstlicher Intelligenz und die Verbreitung des drahtlosen Internetzugangs zur heutigen Lebensrealität geworden. Diese Entwicklung bringt nicht nur Chancen, sondern auch neue Herausforderungen für die Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Community mit sich. Technologien dringen bspw. in neuartige Anwendungsszenarien und noch unberührte Interaktionsumgebungen ein, verlassen den Bildschirm und erobern die physische Welt und verändern so den bisherigen werkzeugartigen Charakter von Computern zu sozialen, selbstlernenden und proaktiven Entitäten. Infolgedessen gibt es keine bereits etablierten Interaktionsparadigmen, Metaphern und Designstrategien, auf die für die Gestaltung solcher Systeme zurückgegriffen werden könnte. Für die HCI stellen sich daher Fragen zur Interaktionsgestaltung im Kontext eingebetteter Systeme und neuartiger Materialien, zur Konzeptualisierung intelligenter Maschinen in Alltagsumgebungen und folglich zu den Auswirkungen auf die Beziehung, in der Mensch und Technologie zueinander stehen. Um sich solchen Fragen zu nähern, ist in der HCI der Human-Centered Design Prozess eine verbreitete Vorgehensweise, die Erkenntnisse über die Bedürfnisse der Benutzer:innen schafft und deren Perspektive bei Designentscheidungen berücksichtigt. Beobachtungen und Interviews werden genutzt, um den Kontext, die Arbeitsabläufe oder Werkzeuge zu verstehen, bevor Ideen und Konzepte für technische Lösungen entwickelt werden. Dieses Vorgehen hat sich als effektiv erwiesen und führt zu Verbesserungen von Technologien, solange die betreffenden Situationen den Nutzer:innen vertraut sind. Offen bleibt jedoch, worauf Design-Konzepte bauen können, wenn zukünftige Technologien zu ungewohnten Situationen führen. Worauf basieren neuartige Interaktionskonzepte, Paradigmen und Entwürfe, wenn Menschen nicht mehr mit ihrem Fachwissen und Erfahrungen beitragen können? Um diese Problematik anzugehen, präsentiere und diskutiere ich in dieser Dissertation einen programmatischen Ansatz, um neuartige Designideen und -konzepte zu entwickeln. Dieser baut auf den Praktiken des spekulativen und kritischen Designs im HCI-Kontext auf. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Entwicklung von Designs unter Verwendung von Mustern aus der realen Welt, da diese das Vorwissen der Nutzer:innen sowie soziale und natürliche Prinzipien einbeziehen. Bei solchen Real-World Patterns (RWP) kann es sich um vertraute Metaphern, Morphologien oder mentale Modelle handeln, bspw. um das Verständnis von Kausalität in der physischen Welt oder um die Kenntnis der grundlegenden Funktionsprinzipien von Musikinstrumenten. Potentielle Muster werden ausgewählt und derart in Entwürfe übertragen, dass die Erwartungen der Nutzer:innen an die Technologie erfüllt oder ihnen widersprochen wird. So werden konfrontative Situationen geschaffen, in denen sich neue Perspektiven eröffnen. Aus der Konfrontation mit den spekulativen Artefakten werden Implikationen und Anforderungen abgeleitet, die sich im Umkehrschluss auf zukünftige Technologien anwenden lassen. Die vorgestellten Projekte wenden diesen Ansatz in verschiedenen HCI-Forschungsbereichen an, unter anderem in der Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion, im Kontext neuer Schnittstellen für die musikalische Interaktion, sowie für deformierbare und flexible Schnittstellen. In dieser Dissertation reflektiere ich den Ansatz anhand dreier Fragen: (Q1) Wie ergänzt der Einsatz von RWPs die Research through Design Praxis?; (Q2) Wie können RWPs für das Design von HCI-Systemen instrumentalisiert werden?; und (Q3) Wie beeinflusst der Einsatz von RWPs die Beziehung zwischen Mensch und Technologie? Der Beitrag dieser Arbeit liegt in (1) einem Überblick über den Ansatz sowie in den drei Perspektiven, die für das Verständnis und die Anwendung von RWPs in der Gestaltung von HCI maßgeblich sind, (2) den acht spekulativen Artefakten, die den Ansatz beispielhaft darstellen, (3) den Theorien und Konzepten, die von den verwendeten RWPs inspiriert sind, und (4) den empirischen Erkenntnissen, die aus den zugehörigen Studien und Umfragen abgeleitet wurden

Influences on Beginning Teacher Construing: Beliefs, Stories and Trajectories

This study focuses on the experiences of beginning teachers in the British Army’s training and education branch. The research sought to identity what influenced participants’ construing about teaching and learning, teacher identity, role, and trajectory during initial teacher education. By utilising Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) and Communities of Practice as analytical frameworks, the impact of influences on the construing of the research participants was identified. The research was underpinned by a constructivist and interpretive epistemology and utilised a collaborative, narrative-based case study approach. Interviews, Repertory Grids and Trajectory Targets were used to provide insight into the construing and experiences of the participants during their teacher education. The research was conducted by a former Army officer and data were collected from and analysed with five participants during their teacher education programme. Research data suggested that these beginning teachers were highly influenced by their previous experience as a student and this experience left strong personal biographies and images of teaching that appeared to be maintained throughout their early explorations of professional practice. The beginning teachers in this study appeared to rely heavily on these stable images and constructs during their early practice when classroom 'survival' was paramount and at this point attached little value to the pedagogical content of their teacher education programme. Data further suggested that it is only once these beginning teachers built a level of confidence, began to 'routinise' aspects of their practice, and had the opportunity to validate their initial images of teaching that they become more receptive to other influences such as their teacher education or their community of practice. This confirmed the findings of a number of other studies and, by utilising the theories that underpin PCP, a rationale for this situation was advanced. The implications of the research findings suggest that care must be taken to ensure that teacher education courses are designed to allow the opportunity for beginning teachers to critically analyse and validate their initial beliefs and constructs through the experience of practice before embarking on significant theoretical and practical pedagogical content. It is argued that this initial period of professional practice provides the opportunity for beginning teachers to develop the cognitive and emotive dissonance or 'anxiety' that appears to be required before they are willing to step away from the relative stability and safety of their personal biographies. Based on these research findings a '4-dimensional' pedagogical model (Do, Discover, Diversify, Deepen) is developed to underpin the design of practice-based teacher education programmes

Promoting Andean children's learning of science through cultural and digital tools

Conference Theme: To see the world and a grain of sand: Learning across levels of space, time, and scaleIn Peru, there is a large achievement gap in rural schools. In order to overcome this problem, the study aims to design environments that enhance science learning through the integration of ICT with cultural artifacts, respecting the Andean culture and empower rural children to pursue lifelong learning. This investigation employs the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framework, and the Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology using an iterative process of design, implementation and evaluation of the innovative practice.published_or_final_versio

ECLAP 2012 Conference on Information Technologies for Performing Arts, Media Access and Entertainment

It has been a long history of Information Technology innovations within the Cultural Heritage areas. The Performing arts has also been enforced with a number of new innovations which unveil a range of synergies and possibilities. Most of the technologies and innovations produced for digital libraries, media entertainment and education can be exploited in the field of performing arts, with adaptation and repurposing. Performing arts offer many interesting challenges and opportunities for research and innovations and exploitation of cutting edge research results from interdisciplinary areas. For these reasons, the ECLAP 2012 can be regarded as a continuation of past conferences such as AXMEDIS and WEDELMUSIC (both pressed by IEEE and FUP). ECLAP is an European Commission project to create a social network and media access service for performing arts institutions in Europe, to create the e-library of performing arts, exploiting innovative solutions coming from the ICT

Mobile learning and content creation for location-based learning applications

Using mobile devices to enable new ways of learning has been a big area of interest in research for quite some time. Mobile devices have the opportunity to foster free movement and enable structured context-aware learning activities regardless of time and location restrictions. The increased amount of mobile devices and advances in mobile technologies has made creating these new learning applications a reality. This thesis discusses the possibilities mobile learning offers to the field of education and the type of actions that must be taken in order to support the adoption of m-learning. Mobile learning is discussed by first looking at the history of technology enhanced education and the special affordances that mobile devices have to offer. In order to create applications that can provide meaningful learning experiences and go beyond the novelty factor of using mobile devices, supportive pedagogies must be developed and integrated into tools that can be used in designing learning content for these applications. The main concepts and pedagogies for mobile learning are discussed by looking at some example applications and previous research. The main challenge for adopting m-learning in practice is to develop generic and easy to use tools for the educators to author the learning content to be used. This thesis focuses especially on content creation for location-based mobile learning applications and presents some examples of existing solutions. As a result from the constructive part of this thesis this kind of tool was also developed as a part of the Seek'N'Share platform for location-based mobile learning

AFFECTIVE QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES MEASUREMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION MARKETING

Educational marketing has become an increasingly important area within Higher Education as the competition for students has intensified. Being able to measure and understand the quality of educational services – a key factor in the decision making process for a prospective student – is an incredibly challenging problem as it involves the quantitative measurement of factors such as emotions and affections towards an Institution or programme, which themselves tend to be intangible. The application of total quality management philosophy and methodology in the context of higher education today is fully acknowledged and widely used. These conditions have defined the main task of this research: to develop a methodology for quantitative measurement of the affective quality of educational services for marketing management analysis. In other words offered research investigates how to measure things that have often been considered immeasurable. It was hypothesized that availability of a methodology for quantitative estimation of the affective quality of educational services provides additional important information that ensures an effective decision-making process in the marketing department in higher education institutions. Kansei engineering formalizes such concepts as affections and emotions and highlights their role in the purchase decision-making process. Our KanMar (short for Kansei Marketing) approach is aimed on the implementation of the main Kansei engineering ideas in the context of educational marketing and provides the framework for the quantitative measurement of educational services’ affective quality. KanMar enables the formalization of the affective quality of educational services for its marketing analysis: comparison, prediction, control, etc. The results of such an analysis help to position own services in today’s competitive market more effectively. Data obtained using KanMar methodology enables to find out the stakeholders’ implicit motivations or attitudes. So, for example, data obtained during the conducted survey has indirectly confirmed the students’ orientation to the practical activity. This orientation is typical for the Universities of Applied Sciences and the respondents for this survey have all been students at one of them. KanMar approach also addresses major gaps of existing instruments based on SERVQUAL methodology aimed to measure service quality in education. The hypothesis was tested and partly confirmed using case study that illustrates the application of the KanMar approach