Signal orchestration-system-classroom-jigsaw-ectel2011-hernandez-leo-et-al

Editor's Notes

• #4: …
• #5: Physical spaces, such as classrooms or the playground, have a relevant role in collaborative learning since they can bring students together and shape their interactions [1, 2]. The characteristics of a particular space can encourage experimentation, exploration, collaboration, and discussion. The introduction of technologies in physical educational spaces has brought new possibilities that are transforming the learning experiences [3]. Computational artifacts such as media representation systems, remote interaction systems, room-scale peripherals and devices such as handhelds have moved from being conceived as means to support distance communication and learning to be elements embedded in augmented physical spaces that can enrich face-to-face learning experiences [4, 5]. Teachers can design new learning strategies according to their perceived affordance regarding the properties of these technologies [6]. Technology-enhanced educational spaces go beyond the desktop computing by using interactive artifacts and computing facilities derived from three fields: tangible user interfaces, ubiquitous computing and augmented reality [7]. Tangible user interfaces involve explicit contact with the computing artifacts such as tabletops, smartboards, multitouch screens and tangible building blocks [8, 9, 10, 11]. Ubiquitous computing deals with situating and embedding devices within a space so that computational power is available everywhere and the interaction with the devices is mediated through this space. This is now possible due to improvements in computing power, hardware size, wireless communications, power management, and software architectures. Ubiquitous computing offers new possibilities for helping people organize and work collaboratively, mediating social interactions in technology-rich spaces. Ubiquitous computing devices used to support learning settings include light-weight and roomware awareness tool devices [12], mobile phones, QR codes, radio-frequency identification tags and GPS [13, 14, 15]. The devices can incorporate sensors, actuators or both, and can also be network linked. These tangible and ubiquitous devices are augmenting the reality, in the sense that they overlay and add digital information to real objects or integrate computer power into them [5, 16].
• #6: The orchestration of collaborative learning processes in face-to-face physical settings, such as classrooms, requires teachers to coordinate students indicating them who belong to each group, which collaboration areas are assigned to each group, and how they should distribute the resources or roles within the group.While the orchestration problem has been to a large extent solved in the context of PC-oriented learning environments (see for example the collaborative learning flows created with Collage and run in IMS LD compliant systems [18]), no solutions have been proposed to provide coordination information to students in wearable devices so that the use of a PC is not required and, therefore, more agile dynamics in different spaces are enabled.
• #7: The orchestration of collaborative learning processes in face-to-face physical settings, such as classrooms, requires teachers to coordinate students indicating them who belong to each group, which collaboration areas are assigned to each group, and how they should distribute the resources or roles within the group.While the orchestration problem has been to a large extent solved in the context of PC-oriented learning environments (see for example the collaborative learning flows created with Collage and run in IMS LD compliant systems [18]), no solutions have been proposed to provide coordination information to students in wearable devices so that the use of a PC is not required and, therefore, more agile dynamics in different spaces are enabled.
• #8: …
• #9: In this paper, we introduce a system that adds digital orchestration information to ubiquitous devices that can be worn by students. This orchestration information refers to coordination aspects of collaborative learning processes [17], such as group formation indicators, signals to indicate the distribution of resources during the activity, etc.
• #10: The Orchestration Signal system prototype includes multiple Personal Signal devices (PS-device), which have visualization module and a communication module, and the Orchestration Signal manager (OS-manager), a graphical user interface to monitor and control the experience.
• #11: As illustrated in Fig. 2, the PS-device visualization module displays several color combinations associated to signals that teachers would like to send students for indicating orchestration aspects of the collaborative learning flow, such as resources distribution or group formation. It consists of 4 leds (red, green, blue and yellow), which can be turned on and off individually or in pairs trough a communication module. This module includes a transceiver RF12B that allows the PS-device to be remotely controlled by a central computer from up to 100 meters away. The hardware used in the development of the PS-devices is based on JeeNodes, a low-cost Arduino clone board [20]. The board is powered by 3 AA batteries and includes an ATmega328 microcontroller which supports embedding programmed logic.The system includes a master node that relays commands between the computer with the OS-manager and each PS-device. The communication is unidirectional in order to avoid message sequencing and bottlenecks. Moreover, the data sent is coded into only 1 byte in order to optimize communication speed data transfer rate.----------------The physical casing of the PS-devices was selected to be physically and visually unobtrusive so as to minimally disrupt the user’s activity.  The devices can be moved and rotated freely around the participants’ neck to allow for a better viewing angle, or to share and match their visual indicator to that of their partners. The visual signal indicator is also located on a surface oriented to optimally display the illuminated led lights when seen from above. Finally, the casing is low-cost for a prototype and can be easily replaced---------------- We have considered low-cost wearable devices in contrast to mobile phone-based approach because, on the one hand, phones tend to be more expensive, sometimes it is difficult for a teacher to ensure that every student will own one which is compliant with the system requirements, and students can lose the concentration on the activity if they play with other mobile applications. On the contrary, wearable devices could be designed so that they are more visual and generic and can be used by students at any educational level in the classroom, the playground, etc.
• #13: …
• #14: The system, named Orchestration Signal system, has been used and evaluated in a real learning situation where 27 students are expected to follow a Jigsaw collaborative learning flow [19] for the collaborative analysis of three cases. According to the Jigsaw pattern, in a first phase students read individually one of the cases, in the second phase they meet in expert groups with other students that have read the same cases, and finally, in the third phase, the students join Jigsaw groups composed of students that have read different cases so as to solve a common problem that required the knowledge studied in the three cases. ----
• #15: In this initial phase, since the activity is individual, the members of each Jigsaw group do not need to be physically close in the classroom, however they should pick one case (out of three) so that in each member of a Jigsaw group reads a different case.  Orchestration signal required: indicating the case to pick
• #16: specific work area of the classroom so that they are close to each other.
• #17: Jigsaw groups will meet in a specific work area of the classroom so that they share a PC and are close to each other. These work areas should be as much separated as possible from other Jigsaw groups. Orchestration signal required: indicating Jigsaw groups and group working areas
• #20: En expert phasefalllosparaalumnos con mismocaso, A
• #21: The collaborative learning flow was followed as desired according to the Jigsaw intrinsic constraints (every expert group had more than 2 members, and every Jigsaw group included at least a member expert in each case). The Orchestration Signal system was not indispensable to achieve the orchestration, however, it decreased the teachers’ workload and required attention to the orchestration of students when distributing the cases and forming the groups.- The constraints of the Jigsaw collaborative learning flow were respected, and the flow of activities and distribution of groups in the classroom were achieved as desired (see Table 2)- 46% of the students rated the PS-devices as quite useful, 38% as very useful, 12% as somehow useful, 4% as not useful- Decrease the teachers’ workload“The system may enable to create different dynamics without the need that the teacher is close to you explaining the next step to follow…” (S1)“It avoids that the teacher decide the compositions of the groups… If a student is not happy in her group, she could not blame the teacher… ” (S2)“I didn’t need to indicate students in every moment what case each of them should read. Students were autonomous identifying their groups and task to accomplish. The group distribution was easier and agile since I didn’t need to pay attention to where each student were going…” (T1)“I can pay more attention to the tasks themselves and not that much to the organization” (T2)- Limited help of the teacher in the orchestration tasks (explaining meaning of the signals, tasks descriptions and moving the “signals” for the classroom collaboration areas)“Teachers needed to explain how to interpret the signals in the devices” (S3)“The teacher changes the position of the color cardboards to indicate the new group working areas” (O1)“The teacher shout that the Expert phase finished …” (O2)- The system is not indispensable“The device is not indispensable” (S4)“This can be also done with papers of different colors, though with children using the devices may be funny” (S5)“It’s helpful but it also depends on how expensive the devices are…” (S6)“The teacher explains the activity at the beginning but the students ask her to remind them every task along the phases of the Jigsaw” (O3)
• #22: Despite the unexpected incidents, teachers could easily rearrange the configuration of the orchestration transparently to the students. Teachers largely appreciated the flexibility supported by the system.-The Jigsaw flow was followed meaningfully despite the incidents without spending extra time (see Table 2).- Teachers’ comments and observations regarding flexibility aspects included:“The process for sending signals was easy; there was even a student that left the class during the second phase, and it didn’t occasion a problem…”(T3)“The system is very helpful, because it allows me to make changes during the activity in the signals to send…” (T4)“In one of the devices (nº 24) the red led is not working” (O4)“One of the students left in the minute 30 of the activity”(O5)
• #23: When compared to previous experiences of students and teachers, the system showed to facilitate a more organized and dynamic collaboration and a more engaging experience.- 77% of the students experienced similar collaboration situations in the past- Collaboration more organized and dynamic:“The devices speed up the dynamic” (S7)“The devices facilitated the organization of the activities” (S8)“Very helpful using the devices because they enables a complete organization” (S9)“It appeared to be a very well organized activity!”(S10)“I value that along the whole activity we keep the rhythm of the dynamic” (S11)“The system supported the group formation and the changes of groups were more rapid than previous years…” (T5)- The system facilitates the movement and mixture of students:“It’s good that not always the groups are formed by the same people” (S12)“The movement in the classroom is motivating and favors collaboration and motivation” (S13)- More engaging:“The devices open our interest and raise expectations of what will be the next signal” (S14)“It’s funny to see your color and then look for the place you need to go…” (S15)
• #24: signals were seen and understood fairly well and quickly- Signals:38% of the students said that they could see their signals in the PS-devices quite well, 35% very well, 12% not very well, 0% bad62% of the students said that they could see the signals of their classmates quite well, 15% very well, 23% not very well, 0% bad35% of the students said that they could see the “cardboard furniture signals” quite well, 42% very well, 19% not very well, 4% bad- Observations and comments regarding the global usability were:“The process followed for sending signals was easy” (T6)“The students get familiar with the device very quickly because it is very easy to use” (T7)“Students identify very quickly their colors”(O6)“All of the students saw the signals almost at the same time” (O7)“In the third phase students appeared to be used to the devices and understood very quickly what to do…” (O8)
• #25: More than a 70% of the students said that if they were to organize a similar activity, they would like to use the Orchestration Signal system. When asked about the positive aspects of the system they talked about dynamism, visual indicators, and engagement.---- 73% of the participants said that if they were to organize a similar activity, they would like to use the signal system, 8% said that they won’t like to use it and 5% indicates that it would depends on the situation.- More positive aspects indicated by the students (dynamism, visual, engaging)“Enabling a more dynamic class” (S16)“Facilitating a rapid group formation” (S17)“Fluid organization” (S18)“Fosters students mobility in the classroom” (S19)“New, motivating, funny…” (S20)“Raise expectations, curiosity, engagement…” (S21)“The organization of the dynamic is highly visible… you do not need to read continuously the description of the “logistics”…” (S22)“All the students pay a lot of attention to the device, expecting the signals” (O9)
• #26: Since the devices were prototypes, their design was not optimal in terms of size, weight and robustness. Some of the students did not were the PS-devices as expected and the students receiving only one color were confused thinking that they might need to see a second color. Future work proposed by the teachers include, the addition of intelligent functionalities to the PS-manager, being able to send signals also to furniture or locations in the classroom, and enabling students to send signals to the teacher from their PS-devices.
• #27: …
• #28: This paper has introduced a system that uses network linked ubiquitous computing devices to distribute signals to students indicating orchestration aspects in face-to-face settings. Examples of orchestration aspects that can be indicated with the signals include coordination indicators regarding group membership, collaboration areas assigned to each group, or distribution of resources and roles within groups. The prototype is named Orchestration Signal system and includes two components: an Orchestration Signal manager, which enables teachers to configure color signals to be transmitted, and a set of Personal Signal devices, which can be worn by students and display the transmitted orchestration signals. The Orchestration Signal system has been used in a real classroom activity based on the Jigsaw collaborative learning flow pattern. Students received signals in their personal devices indicating which documents they should read, in which group they were and in which area of the classroom they were expected to collaborate. The findings, analyzed following a mixed evaluation method, show that the system enabled and facilitated the Jigsaw activity with a positive impact in decreasing the teachers’ workload regarding the orchestration tasks. When compared to previous similar experiences, participants also indicated that the system supported a more dynamic, agile, organized and engaging activity. The system proved to flexibly support changes derived from unexpected incidents that emerged during the experience. Future work include conducting new experiences in classrooms and other educational spaces, such as the playground, implementing diverse collaborative learning flow patterns, such as the Pyramid or the Simulation or Roleplay [19]. These new experiences will incorporate revised versions of the prototype towards lighter and more compact PS-devices and an easier-to-use OS-manager extended with additional facilities for random composition of groups, consideration of the intrinsic constraints of the flow patterns, etc. Moreover, we plan to incorporate a sound signal to indicate the change of phases and add a new component to the system that will be easily bound to classroom furniture so that it can also receive and visualize configurable signals. Furthermore, we are also working towards supporting active interaction between the personal devices and the manager and between several personal devices, in a mesh node interacting on a multipoint fashion, so as to facilitate collaborative learning activities where the management of the orchestration could be also controlled by the students.