DIDET: Digital libraries for distributed, innovative design education and teamwork. Final project report

The central goal of the DIDET Project was to enhance student learning opportunities by enabling them to partake in global, team based design engineering projects, in which they directly experience different cultural contexts and access a variety of digital information sources via a range of appropriate technology. To achieve this overall project goal, the project delivered on the following objectives: 1. Teach engineering information retrieval, manipulation, and archiving skills to students studying on engineering degree programs. 2. Measure the use of those skills in design projects in all years of an undergraduate degree program. 3. Measure the learning performance in engineering design courses affected by the provision of access to information that would have been otherwise difficult to access. 4. Measure student learning performance in different cultural contexts that influence the use of alternative sources of information and varying forms of Information and Communications Technology. 5. Develop and provide workshops for staff development. 6. Use the measurement results to annually redesign course content and the digital libraries technology. The overall DIDET Project approach was to develop, implement, use and evaluate a testbed to improve the teaching and learning of students partaking in global team based design projects. The use of digital libraries and virtual design studios was used to fundamentally change the way design engineering is taught at the collaborating institutions. This was done by implementing a digital library at the partner institutions to improve learning in the field of Design Engineering and by developing a Global Team Design Project run as part of assessed classes at Strathclyde, Stanford and Olin. Evaluation was carried out on an ongoing basis and fed back into project development, both on the class teaching model and the LauLima system developed at Strathclyde to support teaching and learning. Major findings include the requirement to overcome technological, pedagogical and cultural issues for successful elearning implementations. A need for strong leadership has been identified, particularly to exploit the benefits of cross-discipline team working. One major project output still being developed is a DIDET Project Framework for Distributed Innovative Design, Education and Teamwork to encapsulate all project findings and outputs. The project achieved its goal of embedding major change to the teaching of Design Engineering and Strathclyde's new Global Design class has been both successful and popular with students

DRAFT-What you always wanted to know but could not find about block-based environments

Block-based environments are visual programming environments, which are becoming more and more popular because of their ease of use. The ease of use comes thanks to their intuitive graphical representation and structural metaphors (jigsaw-like puzzles) to display valid combinations of language constructs to the users. Part of the current popularity of block-based environments is thanks to Scratch. As a result they are often associated with tools for children or young learners. However, it is unclear how these types of programming environments are developed and used in general. So we conducted a systematic literature review on block-based environments by studying 152 papers published between 2014 and 2020, and a non-systematic tool review of 32 block-based environments. In particular, we provide a helpful inventory of block-based editors for end-users on different topics and domains. Likewise, we focused on identifying the main components of block-based environments, how they are engineered, and how they are used. This survey should be equally helpful for language engineering researchers and language engineers alike

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

A review and framework for designing interactive technologies for emotion regulation training

Emotion regulation is foundational to mental health and well-being. In the last ten years there has been an increasing focus on the use of interactive technologies to support emotion regulation training in a variety of contexts. However, research has been done in diverse fields, and no cohesive framework exists that explicates what features of such system are important to consider, guidance on how to design these features, and what remains unknown, which should be explored in future design research. To address this gap, this thesis presents the results of a descriptive review of 54 peer-reviewed papers. Through qualitative and frequency analysis I analyzed previous technologies, reviewed their theoretical foundations, the opportunities where they appear to provide unique benefits, and their conceptual and usability challenges. Based on the findings I synthesized a design framework that presents the main concepts and design considerations that researchers and designers may find useful in designing future technologies in the context of emotion regulation training

Cultivating Systems Leadership in Cross-Sector Partnerships: Lessons from the Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence

Investments in the social sector have become increasingly complex, with many foundations shifting from supports for single organizations toward more systemic strategies focused on improving outcomes for entire communities. As a result, the field has become awash in regional, or place-based, investments that rely on cross-sector partnerships and networks to drive change. These efforts require coordination among stakeholders across all levels of the practice and policy continuum – from direct service providers, to nonprofit intermediaries, funders, advocacy organizations, and policymakers.It is in this context, and in the spirit of continuous learning, that The James Irvine Foundation's Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence investment serves as a systems change experiment, offering insights and critical lessons that can inform others undertaking similar work. The aim of this Issue Brief – authored by Equal Measure and Harder+Company – is to contribute to field dialogue and learning about the role of leadership in complex systems change strategies, particularly those focused on producing equitable impacts in college and career readiness.Equal Measure and Harder+Company serve as the evaluators of The James Irvine Foundation's Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence. They work in partnership with Jobs for the Future, the intermediary and technical assistance provider for this initiative

Sustainability assessment and complementarity

Sustainability assessments bring together different perspectives that pertain to sustainability in order to produce overall assessments and a wealth of approaches and tools have been developed in the past decades. But two major problematics remain. The problem of integration concerns the surplus of possibilities for integration; different tools produce different assessments. The problem of implementation concerns the barrier between assessment and transformation; assessments do not lead to the expected changes in practice. This paper aims to analyze issues of complementarity in sustainability assessment and transformation as a key to better handling the problems of integration and implementation. Based on a generalization of Niels Bohr’s complementarity from quantum mechanics, we have identified two forms of complementarity in sustainability assessment, observer stance complementarity and value complementarity. Unlike many other problems of sustainability assessment, complementarity is of a fundamental character connected to the very conditions for observation. Therefore complementarity cannot be overcome methodologically; only handled better or worse. Science is essential to the societal goal of sustainability, but these issues of complementarity impede the constructive role of science in the transition to more sustainable structures and practices in food systems. The agencies of sustainability assessment and transformation need to be acutely aware of the importance of different perspectives and values and the complementarities that may be connected to these differences. An improved understanding of complementarity can help to better recognize and handle issues of complementarity. These deliberations have relevance not only for sustainability assessment, but more generally for transdisciplinary research on wicked problems

To Frame or Reframe: Where Might Design Thinking Research Go Next?

Design thinking is gaining widespread attention in the practitioner and academic literature. Successful implementation has been documented, and its value shown in empirical studies. There is little examination, however, of how design thinking practices fit with other approaches from which firms might choose to frame and solve problems such as agile, lean startup, scientific method, Six Sigma, critical thinking, and systems thinking. By digging into the basic capabilities underlying design thinking, academic researchers might better understand problem framing and solving in general and provide insight for practitioners as to where alternative approaches might be applied

Minds Online: The Interface between Web Science, Cognitive Science, and the Philosophy of Mind

Alongside existing research into the social, political and economic impacts of the Web, there is a need to study the Web from a cognitive and epistemic perspective. This is particularly so as new and emerging technologies alter the nature of our interactive engagements with the Web, transforming the extent to which our thoughts and actions are shaped by the online environment. Situated and ecological approaches to cognition are relevant to understanding the cognitive significance of the Web because of the emphasis they place on forces and factors that reside at the level of agent–world interactions. In particular, by adopting a situated or ecological approach to cognition, we are able to assess the significance of the Web from the perspective of research into embodied, extended, embedded, social and collective cognition. The results of this analysis help to reshape the interdisciplinary configuration of Web Science, expanding its theoretical and empirical remit to include the disciplines of both cognitive science and the philosophy of mind

RoboSTEAM Project Systematic Mapping: Challenge Based Learning and Robotics

STEAM Education is nowadays a key element for our current digital society. Integrating STEAM and developing competences such as Computational Thinking is highly demanded by the industry and higher education institutions. In order to do so new methodological approaches are required. RoboSTEAM project is an Erasmus+ project defined to address these topics by using of physical devices and robotics employing Challenge Based Learning methodology. One of the first steps in the project development is the definition of current landscape in the research field. Which means to carry out a literature mapping that considers previous applications of Challenge Based Learning in STEAM education and use of robots and physical devices to do so. This paper shows the mapping review process and the main results obtained. The mapping analyze 242 candidate works from the most relevant bibliographic sources and selected 54. Form them it was possible to see that there are not many initiatives on STEM Education related to Challenge base learning and the most of them are specially focused on the application of specific tools and in the development of concrete competences