Potentials of Multi-Touch Interactions for Teaching and Learning
Keywords:
Multi-touch, ICTs, open and distance learning, iPad, gestures, interactivityAbstract
There has been a lot of buzz around multi-touch devices since Apple released the iPhone in 2007 and Microsoft unveiled their surface computer the same year. However, many of the applications developed were primarily for games, and not many applications have focused on teaching and learning of key educational concepts. The multi-touch environment can be used to accommodate learners who prefer to learn by doing and enrich the experiences of visual learners, leading to meaningful learning for everyone. B&), alternatives are being sought for the traditional point-and-click systems used for inputs (Bhuiyan and Picking, 2009) because they can be slow and cumbersome to use especially among the elderly (Kendon, 1997). Multi-touch devices are possible replacements. These developments have led to the evolution of different gestures for accomplishing certain tasks on the devices. The need therefore arises for serious applications to be developed using context-specific gestures so that the intuitiveness of solutions and user interface issues can be investigated and standardised. This paper provides an overview of multi-touch hardware, products and markets as well as their uses in education for teaching and learning purposes; it presents a synopsis of the emergence and historical development of multi-touch devices and products li- have become available. It also discusses findings from a group of computer science students who used an iPad to carry out diagramming tasks using an Entity-Relationship diagram modelling tool prototype. Test results showed diagramming tasks to be possible and students' recognition of the potential of such applications in meeting their educational needs.
References
Apple, (n.d.). IOS Human Interface Guidelines:. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from:http://developer.apple.Com/library/ios/# documentation/ UserExperience/ Conceptual/ MobileHIG/ Introduction/introduction. html
Batmaz, F. (2007). A Web-Based Semi-Automatic Assessment Tool for Conceptual Database Diagram. Proceedings of the Sixth IASTED International Conference on Web-Based Education, 427-432.
Bhuiyan, M., & Picking, R. (2009). Gesture-Controlled User Interfaces, what have we done and what's Next? Proceedings of the fifth collaborative research symposium on security, E-learning, Internet and Networking,59.
Boudreaux, T. (2009). Programming the iPhone User Experience. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly.
Chen, P. P. (1976). The Entity-Relationship Model: Toward a Unified View of Data. ACM Transactions on Database Systems, Vol. 1. pp. 9 - 36.
Dawson, R. (2009). Relational Databases: Design and Use. Loughborough: Group D.
Dunn, R. (2009). Impact of Learning-Style Instructional Strategies on Students' Achievement and Attitudes. Perceptions of Educators in Diverse Institutions.
Gartner Predicts (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2011, from Top Information Technology Predictions:http:// www.gartner.com/ technology/research/predicts/
Kendon, A. (1997). Gesture. Annual Review of Anthropology.
Kerlinger, F. N. (1986). Foundations of Behavioral Research. New York: Reinhart and Winston.
Lee, S., Buxton, W., & Smith, K. C. (1985). A Multi-Touch Three-Dimensional Touch-Sensitive Tablet. Proceedings of the SIGCFII Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
Medeiros, I. N. (2010). Reflections on the Fast and Furious. OCLC Systems & Services, 65 -68.
Nielson, J. (1994). Usability Inspection Methods, Chapter Heuristic Evaluation. John Wiley and Sons.
Norman, D. (n.d.). Don Norman's Gestural Interfaces: A Step Backwards in Usability. Retrieved 7 23, 2011, from
http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/gestural_interfaces_a_step_backwards_
in_usability_6.html
Potts, J., & Moore, N. (2011). Developing Mobile Learning Applications for Electrical Engineering Courses. Proceedings of IEEE Southeastcon.
Stone (n.d.). Design Your ER Diagrams and Get Fast, Detailed Feedback on Your Efforts. Retrieved November 11, J011, from http://co- draw/index.php
Stone, A., & Livingstone, N. (2004). A Framework for Considering How the Use of Adaptive Content Architectures and Learning Objects Impacts on the Achievement of Learning Outcomes in e-Learning and M-Learning. International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning.
Stone, R., Batmaz, F., & Rickards, T. M. (2010). A Multi-Touch ER Diagram Editor to Capture Students' Design Rationale. IAENG.
Wentk, R. (2010) iPhone OS Development; Your Visual Blueprint for Developing Apps for Apple's Mobile Devices. Indianapolis. IN: Wiley Publishing.
Wolff-Michael, R. (2001). Gestures: Their Role in Teaching and Learning. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 71, no. No. 3. pp. 365-392.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
