2011
2.
Parsons, Paul; Sedig, Kamran
Human-information interaction: An emerging focus for educational cognitive tools Book Section
In: Mendez-Villa, A (Ed.): Education in a technological world: Communicating current and emerging research and technological efforts, pp. 245–251, Formatex, Badajoz, Spain, 2011.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: cognitive tool, distributed cognition, human-information interaction, interactivity, learning
@incollection{Parsons2011,
title = {Human-information interaction: An emerging focus for educational cognitive tools},
author = {Paul Parsons and Kamran Sedig},
editor = {A Mendez-Villa},
year = {2011},
date = {2011-01-01},
booktitle = {Education in a technological world: Communicating current and emerging research and technological efforts},
pages = {245--251},
publisher = {Formatex},
address = {Badajoz, Spain},
abstract = {Educational cognitive tools are interactive, computer-based tools that augment one’s mind to facilitate learning. Examples of these include interactive mathematical software, interactive physics simulations, and interactive biology visualizations. While using these tools a learner’s mind becomes coupled with the tool, forming a cognitive system, such that cognitive processes are distributed across this system. The coupling of this system is strong, as the cognitive tool actively contributes to information-processing tasks by serving a representational function. By representing information at their interface, cognitive tools provide learners with access to information. Additionally, as cognitive tools are interactive, learners can perform actions upon the represented information. These actions serve an epistemic function and can be considered part of thought itself. Epistemic actions are basic actions that a learner may perform on any interactive cognitive tool and thus are technology-independent. Therefore, there is a need for designers and educators to focus on the ways in which learners use, interact with, and think with information, independent of the technology that is mediating the interaction. This chapter examines the dynamics of human-information interaction as an emerging area of interest, the implications for educational cognitive tools, and some of its emerging research efforts.},
keywords = {cognitive tool, distributed cognition, human-information interaction, interactivity, learning},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Educational cognitive tools are interactive, computer-based tools that augment one’s mind to facilitate learning. Examples of these include interactive mathematical software, interactive physics simulations, and interactive biology visualizations. While using these tools a learner’s mind becomes coupled with the tool, forming a cognitive system, such that cognitive processes are distributed across this system. The coupling of this system is strong, as the cognitive tool actively contributes to information-processing tasks by serving a representational function. By representing information at their interface, cognitive tools provide learners with access to information. Additionally, as cognitive tools are interactive, learners can perform actions upon the represented information. These actions serve an epistemic function and can be considered part of thought itself. Epistemic actions are basic actions that a learner may perform on any interactive cognitive tool and thus are technology-independent. Therefore, there is a need for designers and educators to focus on the ways in which learners use, interact with, and think with information, independent of the technology that is mediating the interaction. This chapter examines the dynamics of human-information interaction as an emerging area of interest, the implications for educational cognitive tools, and some of its emerging research efforts.
2010
1.
Liang, Hai-Ning; Parsons, Paul; Wu, H -C; Sedig, Kamran
An exploratory study of interactivity in visualization tools: ‘Flow’ of interaction Journal Article
In: Journal of Interactive Learning Research, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 5–45, 2010.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: cognitive tool, interaction, interactivity, visualization
@article{LiangParsons2010,
title = {An exploratory study of interactivity in visualization tools: 'Flow' of interaction},
author = {Hai-Ning Liang and Paul Parsons and H -C Wu and Kamran Sedig},
url = {http://www.editlib.org/p/32419
https://www.dvclab.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/JILR2010.pdf, Liang et al. - 2010 - flow of interaction},
year = {2010},
date = {2010-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Interactive Learning Research},
volume = {21},
number = {1},
pages = {5--45},
abstract = {This paper deals with the design of interactivity in visualization tools. There are several factors that can be used to guide the analysis and design of the interactivity of these tools. One such factor is flow, which is concerned with the duration of interaction with visual representations of information—interaction being the actions performed by users on these representations and the reactions given back by the representations. Four forms of flow can be identified: 1) continuous action, continuous reaction; 2) continuous action, discrete reaction; 3) discrete action, continuous reaction; and 4) discrete action, discrete reaction. Structuring micro-level interactions of tools based on these forms of flow can have varying effects on the cognitive processes of users. Based on this classification of flow, four versions of an interactive visualization tool were created and studied. The testbed for this study was 3D geometric solids—more specifically, Platonic and Archimedean solids. A multi-method empirical study was conducted to evaluate the usability of these four interfaces and their effect on learning, visual thinking, and exploration. This paper reports some findings of this study.},
keywords = {cognitive tool, interaction, interactivity, visualization},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This paper deals with the design of interactivity in visualization tools. There are several factors that can be used to guide the analysis and design of the interactivity of these tools. One such factor is flow, which is concerned with the duration of interaction with visual representations of information—interaction being the actions performed by users on these representations and the reactions given back by the representations. Four forms of flow can be identified: 1) continuous action, continuous reaction; 2) continuous action, discrete reaction; 3) discrete action, continuous reaction; and 4) discrete action, discrete reaction. Structuring micro-level interactions of tools based on these forms of flow can have varying effects on the cognitive processes of users. Based on this classification of flow, four versions of an interactive visualization tool were created and studied. The testbed for this study was 3D geometric solids—more specifically, Platonic and Archimedean solids. A multi-method empirical study was conducted to evaluate the usability of these four interfaces and their effect on learning, visual thinking, and exploration. This paper reports some findings of this study.