Generational Computing Tastes:Generational Computing Tastes: Tablet PCs in the Communicative Ecology Tablet PCs in the Communicative Ecology

of Multimedia Design Studentsof Multimedia Design Students

Marsha BerryMarsha Berryaa, Margaret Hamilton, Margaret Hamiltonbb

aaSchool of Creative Media, School of Creative Media, bbSchool of Computer Science and Information Technology,School of Computer Science and Information Technology,

RMIT University, AustraliaRMIT University, Australia

IntroductionIntroduction

Will increased mobility would enhance the Will increased mobility would enhance the collaborative skills of Generation Y students collaborative skills of Generation Y students

and motivate further engagement with their and motivate further engagement with their learning resources ? learning resources ?

BackgroundBackground

• Information is central and knowledge Information is central and knowledge paramountparamount

• Computing technologies and e-learning Computing technologies and e-learning enable classrooms to reach well beyond the enable classrooms to reach well beyond the confines of physical learning spacesconfines of physical learning spaces

• Interactions with networked computing Interactions with networked computing devices are changingdevices are changing

MotivationMotivation

• Our dreams as educators are that students Our dreams as educators are that students will use the full extent of their will use the full extent of their communicative ecologies for learning as communicative ecologies for learning as well as entertainmentwell as entertainment

• We like to envision scenarios where ‘spare’ We like to envision scenarios where ‘spare’ time used for traveling is also used for time used for traveling is also used for learninglearning

Our DreamOur Dream

Traveling provides Traveling provides opportunities for opportunities for moments of situated moments of situated learning.learning.

Ubicomp allows devices Ubicomp allows devices to become good tools.to become good tools.

Our DreamOur Dream

• A student brainstorms motion design piece on the trainA student brainstorms motion design piece on the train

• She uploads to it blog visual diaryShe uploads to it blog visual diary

MethodologyMethodology

• A qualitative ethnographic approach grounded in A qualitative ethnographic approach grounded in everyday human and computer interaction was everyday human and computer interaction was chosen as the epistemological approach for our chosen as the epistemological approach for our studystudy

• The ethnographic action research cycle comprises The ethnographic action research cycle comprises four stages that make up an iterative loop: four stages that make up an iterative loop: planning, doing, observing and reflectingplanning, doing, observing and reflecting

Communicative EcologyCommunicative EcologyA large mediascape involves connections between situated practices of production, consumption and interpretation.

Understanding a communicative ecology involves close examination of the relationship between producers and consumers

• the texts they exchange

• their shared literacies and interpretative practices

• their relations with other social systems.

Mobile TechnologyMobile Technology

• HP donated twenty Tablet PCs for student useHP donated twenty Tablet PCs for student use

• They run under Windows XP and we installed They run under Windows XP and we installed several packages, which are licensed within the several packages, which are licensed within the University, including Microsoft Office – Word, University, including Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Macromedia Studio – Excel, Powerpoint, and Macromedia Studio – Flash MX 2004, Fireworks MX, Dreamweaver Flash MX 2004, Fireworks MX, Dreamweaver MX 2004, Freehand MX and MX 2004, Freehand MX and Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat

StudentsStudents

• Participants in this study are enrolled in the Participants in this study are enrolled in the second year of a cross-disciplinary program second year of a cross-disciplinary program involving Science, Engineering, Design and involving Science, Engineering, Design and Business Schools – full-time undergraduatesBusiness Schools – full-time undergraduates

• The students are diverse, with academic interests The students are diverse, with academic interests ranging from interactive media design to software ranging from interactive media design to software developmentdevelopment

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

• To what extent does the human computer To what extent does the human computer interaction of Generation Y interaction of Generation Y motivate further motivate further engagement with their learning resources?engagement with their learning resources?

• How far does increased mobility facilitate How far does increased mobility facilitate learning?learning?

• How does Generation Y interact with How does Generation Y interact with computing devices?computing devices?

Data GatheringData Gathering

• We asked the students questions relating to their We asked the students questions relating to their access to computers and the internet, and their use of access to computers and the internet, and their use of drawing devices such as the WACOM tablet.drawing devices such as the WACOM tablet.

• We used a survey with a five-point Likert scale and We used a survey with a five-point Likert scale and asked them to score their perceived skill levels and asked them to score their perceived skill levels and experience in response to the statements according experience in response to the statements according to whether they believed themselves to be expert (5), to whether they believed themselves to be expert (5), intermediate (4), novice (3), none (2) or unsure (1). intermediate (4), novice (3), none (2) or unsure (1).

• We also held focus group discussionsWe also held focus group discussions

Skill LevelsSkill Levels

So what does this mean? So what does this mean?

• these are all markers towards Ubicompthese are all markers towards Ubicomp• each person has several computing deviceseach person has several computing devices• the devices are not being used to their full the devices are not being used to their full

functionality and capabilityfunctionality and capability• Generation Y in Australia largely still thinks of Generation Y in Australia largely still thinks of

devices as being stand-alonedevices as being stand-alone• ever present computing devices used for learning ever present computing devices used for learning

in sites such as trains are still a way off for the in sites such as trains are still a way off for the majority of studentsmajority of students

Tablets for DesignTablets for Design

• Participants integrated the Tablet into their daily Participants integrated the Tablet into their daily work practices at variable rates. work practices at variable rates.

• Case: The visual journal entry is testimony to how Case: The visual journal entry is testimony to how mobile technology can extend learning spaces into mobile technology can extend learning spaces into places not generally associated with learning and places not generally associated with learning and can facilitate learning design and conceptual can facilitate learning design and conceptual development.development.

FindingsFindings

• each participant had his or her own niche within each participant had his or her own niche within the overall communicative ecologythe overall communicative ecology– There are those students who take full advantage of the There are those students who take full advantage of the

enabling features and push the boundaries of enabling features and push the boundaries of functionalities finding new usesfunctionalities finding new uses

– There are those that use features and functionalities in There are those that use features and functionalities in conventional ways as intended by manufacturersconventional ways as intended by manufacturers

– There are those who are passive and only use that There are those who are passive and only use that which falls in their laps, as it were, who are content which falls in their laps, as it were, who are content with hand me down phones and computers and with hand me down phones and computers and software several versions behindsoftware several versions behind

Problems with the TechnologyProblems with the Technology

• The penThe pen lagged : lagged :– Some reported it as really annoying and disruptive Some reported it as really annoying and disruptive

whereas others said one could adapt to it quite easilywhereas others said one could adapt to it quite easily

– Most preferred to use keyboards in lectures as they can Most preferred to use keyboards in lectures as they can type faster than they handwrite.type faster than they handwrite.

• The wireless networkThe wireless network was not always accessible was not always accessible and did not connect to the serverand did not connect to the server

• Not many students connected their Tablets Not many students connected their Tablets together to share information, preferring to email.together to share information, preferring to email.

Tablets for ProgrammingTablets for Programming

““I use time on the train to do programming I use time on the train to do programming because I can use that time now.” because I can use that time now.”

““I use Eclipse [ a platform for Java] because I use Eclipse [ a platform for Java] because you don’t need to be connected to the you don’t need to be connected to the internet, I find it really useful because you internet, I find it really useful because you can do programming anywhere.”can do programming anywhere.”

““I use it for programming homework.”I use it for programming homework.”

FindingsFindings

• By putting Tablet PCs into the communication ecology, these By putting Tablet PCs into the communication ecology, these students have constant access to a computer capable of writing, students have constant access to a computer capable of writing, compiling and running programs. compiling and running programs.

• Whether they are traveling on the train, or sitting in the cafeteria, Whether they are traveling on the train, or sitting in the cafeteria, they can open up their familiar programming environment and they can open up their familiar programming environment and practice their skills. practice their skills.

• Hence programming can become a daily habit enabled by a Hence programming can become a daily habit enabled by a mobile computing device that it largely invisible, outside of mobile computing device that it largely invisible, outside of tutorials and laboratory time and extra to the lecture time. tutorials and laboratory time and extra to the lecture time.

• Since the student is likely to be traveling alone, this practice can Since the student is likely to be traveling alone, this practice can be undertaken on their own and provides an extra opportunity to be undertaken on their own and provides an extra opportunity to reinforce their personal skills and undertake self-directed learning.reinforce their personal skills and undertake self-directed learning.

ConclusionsConclusions

We can say that our Generation Y students are:We can say that our Generation Y students are:• very familiar with the internet and finding general very familiar with the internet and finding general

information on the web. information on the web. • conservative consumers of the internet, exploring what is conservative consumers of the internet, exploring what is

there currently, but not pushing the boundaries, and not there currently, but not pushing the boundaries, and not comfortable with contributing and developing new comfortable with contributing and developing new material and websites. material and websites.

• not yet producers of information for the internet, not yet not yet producers of information for the internet, not yet putting together their own blogs until directed, or using putting together their own blogs until directed, or using them to the extent expectedthem to the extent expected prior to the study prior to the study

• need support and direction to take advantage of Ubicomp need support and direction to take advantage of Ubicomp and convergenceand convergence

Conclusions contConclusions cont

• Mobility in the communicative ecology does increase Mobility in the communicative ecology does increase engagement with learning resourcesengagement with learning resources

• Students can be better prepared for lectures and classes, Students can be better prepared for lectures and classes, becoming more active learnersbecoming more active learners

• Our approach with its focus on social & cultural practices Our approach with its focus on social & cultural practices meant Tablets became enabling Ubicomp rather than meant Tablets became enabling Ubicomp rather than instructional technologyinstructional technology

• Benefits of Ubicomp extended to the whole cohort, not just Benefits of Ubicomp extended to the whole cohort, not just the participantsthe participants

• Mobile networked computing encourages rethinking and Mobile networked computing encourages rethinking and renewing assessmentrenewing assessment