Smart Spaces for Making Networked Physical Tools to Support Process Documentation and Learning
Smart Spaces for Making Networked Physical Tools to Support Process Documentation and Learning
Carnegie Mellon University’s — Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) and School of Architecture (SoA) as part of an NSF-funded exploratory research and design project are developing smart technologies to scaffold documentation practices in creative project based learning experiences.
This project is a close creative collaboration with three practice partners that represent undergraduate, informal and formal maker learning contexts — the Startable Pittsburgh and Quaker Valley High School and IDeATe@CMU. Through a co-design process with our partners, we generated 30 ideas for smart tools to augment documentation practices in creative project-based learning settings. Initially, we began by prototyping purpose built devices to meet the needs, expectations and cultures for each partner site: e.g. an instagram display for Startable, and an emoji voting button for Quaker Valley. We will now be actively prototyping a series of hardware based probe-tools. These include:a context-aware button, dial, RFID reader, audio capture, visual capture, printer and other elements. Individually they represent basic building blocks for documentation practices through tangible interfaces. Collectively, we envision instructors can program relationships between these ‘building blocks’ to nudge and support documentation practices. For example, the button might be used to trigger visual capture, while the RFID might be used to initiate an output for the printer.