An aesthetics of touch: investigating the language of design relating to form

How well can designers communicate qualities of touch? This paper presents evidence that they have some capability to do so, much of which appears to have been learned, but at present make limited use of such language. Interviews with graduate designer-makers suggest that they are aware of and value the importance of touch and materiality in their work, but lack a vocabulary to fully relate to their detailed explanations of other aspects such as their intent or selection of materials. We believe that more attention should be paid to the verbal dialogue that happens in the design process, particularly as other researchers show that even making-based learning also has a strong verbal element to it. However, verbal language alone does not appear to be adequate for a comprehensive language of touch. Graduate designers-makers’ descriptive practices combined non-verbal manipulation within verbal accounts. We thus argue that haptic vocabularies do not simply describe material qualities, but rather are situated competences that physically demonstrate the presence of haptic qualities. Such competencies are more important than groups of verbal vocabularies in isolation. Design support for developing and extending haptic competences must take this wide range of considerations into account to comprehensively improve designers’ capabilities

EFFICACY OF ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT TRAINING (ACT) IN A TELE-HEALTH FORMAT TO TREAT INDIVIDUALS WITH AN EATING DISORDER

Disordered eating is a serious condition which affects an individual’s mental and physical health (Donaldson & Gordon, 2015; Forney et al., 2016). Patients exhibiting the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder are most commonly treated through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and, more specifically, enhanced CBT (CBT-E). Recent studies have evaluated Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) in reducing disordered eating behaviors and increasing psychological flexibility, demonstrating positive patient outcomes (Berman, Boutelle, & Crow, 2009; Juarascio et al., 2013; Hill et al., 2015; Hill et al., 2020). The purpose of the present study is to further evaluate ACT as an effective treatment for patients exhibiting disordered eating behaviors utilizing a tele-based format. Participants were assigned to one of two groups – ACT and Control – receiving weekly sessions designed to promote values-based behaviors and reduce disordered eating behaviors. Additionally, pre-, mid-, and post-treatment indirect assessments were conducted with each participant in order to evaluate general disordered eating symptomatology, body-image acceptance, psychological flexibility, and cognitive defusion

Compensatory Consumption and Consumer Compromises: A State of the Art Review

Compensatory consumption has been an increasingly researched yet widely debated area of consumer behaviour over the last 20 years. Extant research formulates the term as overwhelmingly negative, largely due to the simplistic and fragmented conceptualisations assumed in prior work. The purpose of the current paper is to present a comprehensive review of the umbrella term of compensatory consumption, incorporating a continuum of behaviours and accounting for the pre- and post-consumption periods including both positive and negative viewpoints. In addition, expanding upon the theory of need satisfaction, the current paper introduces a novel conceptual distinction between compensation and compromise. Finally, a proposed theoretical framework is presented that differentiates between compensatory and compromisory consumption based on the extent of consumer consciousness, rationality and rationalisation. Future research directions are offered

Exploration Games:Can Game-Guided Systems Support Users in Automated Exhibition Sites?

This article delves into the potential of incorporating elements fromadventure games into museum exhibitions, with a particular focus on automatedexhibition sites. We advocate that principles derived from adventure games canadeptly bridge the two primary expectations of exhibitions: enlightenment andexperience. Exploration-based games, such as Explore the Redoubt (XTR)crafted for automated venues, enable users to fulfill both these objectives. XTR,conceived to address the prevailing research voids, integrates game mechanicsinto the automated exhibition environment, enhancing visitor motivation andengagement. It harnesses interactive digital mediums to present cultural heritagein a relaxed, informal manner.Existing research scarcely touches upon the design of experiential learninggames developed for automated sites, which encompass both indoor and outdoordisplays. Our methodology contemplates the transformation of visitor conduct atexhibitions, morphing them into avid knowledge seekers. We challenge theadequacy of current user experience models in portraying exhibitions striving toprovide both enlightenment and an immersive experience. Consequently, weintroduce a framework for museum interactions that deeply engages users, urgingthem to define their exploration trajectories, seamlessly fusing enlightenment,and engagement. Our study is set in a 17th-century redoubt where initialobservations indicated greater outdoor engagement compared to indoor spaces.This observation fueled our initiative to amplify indoor visitor participation.After testing XTR with 30 participants and employing a combination ofobservations and interviews, we derived key insights on designing digitalexploration games that seamlessly combine enlightenment and engagement. Weconclude with three design strategies to enhance visitor curiosity and exploration

Game feature and expertise effects on experienced richness, control and engagement in game play

The extent to which game play is experienced as engaging is an important criterion for the playability of video games. This study investigates how video games can be designed towards increased levels of experienced engagement over time. For this purpose, two experiments were conducted in which a total of 35 participants repeatedly played a video game. Results indicate that experienced engagement is based on the extent to which the game provides rich experiences as well as by the extent to which the game provides a sense of control. In view of the influence of both game features and players’ expertise on the levels of experienced richness and control, it is concluded that game features should be modified over time to maintain optimal levels of engagement

A mixed methods study of the relationship between dialogic inquiry and engagement in active learning Shakespeare education

This study evaluated the relationship between dialogic inquiry and student engagement within the context of active learning Shakespeare education. Active learning is a pedagogical framework that challenges students to experience Shakespeare’s literature by embodying the text through voice and movement. A mixed methods approach was designed to gather data from students in sixth to 12th grades, who attended a Shakespeare camp that used active learning. The experimental group had the addition of dialogic inquiry to their learning experience. Surveys, video recordings, and focus groups from both the control and experimental groups were conducted with students to investigate the dialogic inquiry approach and its relationship to engagement. The data revealed that both groups experienced significant increases in engagement, but the amount of change in behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement between the two groups was not significantly different. The qualitative elements of the surveys, video recordings, and focus groups helped explain elements of dialogic inquiry and active learning that students found meaningful and provided context for these findings

Alignment or Detachment: College Educators’ Perceptions of Experiential Learning Pedagogy

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how college educators’ perceptions of experiential learning influence the design, implementation, and assessment of their courses. A second purpose of this study was to examine the way’s college educators use experiential learning in their classes. A final purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between a college educators’ prior experience with experiential learning and how they utilize that prior experiences to design, instruct, and assess their courses. A descriptive research design was used in this study. A randomized and anonymous survey containing 29 items was emailed out through Qualtrics to 3000 college educators across the world. The results of the study indicate that college educators develop aptitude in experiential learning in a wide variety of ways. The results of this study also show that college educators believe their prior experience/exposure to experiential learning has been influential to their educational practice. In addition, this study found that college educators believe students should have input in designing, modifying, or evaluating their learning experience. Finally, the results of this study found that college educators typically teach the way they were taught, and that they use a wide variety of assessment and instructional methods in their classrooms

Reinventing the Wheel of Teaching Business? Learning in the Academic Classroom - The Case of the Business Consulting Course

The purpose of this study is to use the case of the Business Consulting course to demonstrate and enhance the significance of the application of effective and experiential learning in the academic classroom. Three Learning Theories are considered: Classical, Social, and Experiential Learning. Principles of effective learning and learning goals are described, and are looked at through the description of a Business Strategy and Business Consulting courses run in a US North-Eastern public university. The Business Consulting course is then compared with a standard lecture course and a course that uses case studies to demonstrate how the learning goals can be best achieved and validated in the context of the experiential learning involved in this course. Similar course’s design could be formulated and used as a template for the formation of effective educational experiences in other disciplines of business education. Advantages and limitations are offered

Avatar Training - A Humanistic and Creativity Driven Approach

Avatar Training A Humanistic and Creativity Driven Approach This project is about the development of a program prototype for a humanistic and creativity driven approach to avatar training to be delivered in Second Life™ (SL). Specifically, the program aims at developing the skills necessary to make a presentation in, and to safely explore, SL. It was proposed to create a unique learning framework that takes into account the targeted clientele, adult professionals with no or limited experience with SL, the sensibilities of 3D immersive social virtual environment, the avatar training needs, and the possibility to weave in creativity skills practice. To that end, the resulting framework for a humanistic and creativity driven approach to avatar training integrates elements of the following four learning frameworks: 1) Dialogue Education, a framework for adult learning; 2) Torrance Incubation Model, to weave in creativity skills training; 3) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, to inform the hierarchy of avatar training needs; and 4) Scopes’ Cybergogy of Learning Archetypes and Learning Domains to take advantage of the affordance of Second Life for immersive and experiential learning