Ideation Elizabeth: Physicalizing documentation triggers I was initially focused on developing a documentation camera after Zach noted that it would be easy to develop from scratch. However, after consulting with Marti and Daragh, I realized more and more that I was falling into a rut. There were a few novel features, including automatic photo uploads to the student gallery and easy, student-based photo categorization. However, the resulting benefits seemed peripheral at best, as our initial interviews revealed that students had less trouble with documentation, but more trouble with learning about physical computing in the first place. As a result, I revisited the core student needs from the early storyboards: how might we improve student learning in physical computing? From this, I came to one key realization that I previously failed to consider: a singular documentation practice is unsuitable for all processes in a physical computing project. For instance, while the beginning of a project might require more pen and paper for ideation sketching, the middle might require a more digital notation, as students typically work directly on the Arduino editor. As such, a documentation camera is not the most flexible solution given the changing nature of a physical computing environment.
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by Miranda Luong & Elizabeth Hanwww.mirandaluong.com & https://elizabethhan.myportfolio.com/ Research: Interviews + Spatial analysis of the Phys Comp Lab
Our research process began with conducting a spatial analysis of the physical computing lab, as well as interviews with past and present students in the Intro to Physical Computing course. As an auto-ethnographic study, we also based our analysis on our personal experiences with the lab as novice physical computing students. Primary findings dealt with how the organization of the space impacts student learning and collaboration. For instance, we concluded that the excess of noise in the “parts bin” area leads some beginners astray when looking for components for their projects. Student interviews also revealed that assistance from Zach was highly needed when learning about components necessary for projects, making the space difficult to optimize on their own. After discussing with Marti and Daragh about our initial analysis, we generated five criteria to consider when codifying the different areas of the lab.
After generating our analysis from the perspective of novice students, we spoke with Zach, who teaches the Intro to Physical Computing course and is the main gatekeeper of the physical computing lab, as well as his TA Harshini to gain a better understanding of the space from the organizers’ perspectives. During our interview with Zach, he gave us a run-through of the history of the space as well as the changes he has made since becoming in charge of it. Zach mentioned that many of the items in the lab were inherited from the previous gatekeeper. Slowly, he is still trying to figure out how to purchase parts without ordering too little or too much. He recognized his key role in introducing students to parts but felt disappointed by how little initiative students took by themselves to gain a deeper understanding of parts. He specifically mentioned how students would ask him questions already answered in the tutorials he publishes and makes available on his class site. As for Harshini, she emphasized how tinkering with electronics is the best and ideal way for a student to familiarize themselves with physical computing. She also pointed out how the parts bin is well organized if a student knows the exact part that they are looking for, as it is categorized in such a way that similar parts are placed near each other. However, the process becomes more difficult if the student has little experience and does not know what parts they need to use. This insight was particularly useful when moving onto our next storyboard phase, as we had to rethink how the current ideation phase could improve through spatial interventions. |
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