Team

Alissa N. Antle (PI, research and design lead)
Dr. Alyssa Wise (NYU)
Dr. John Robinson (UBC)

Students:
Amanda Willis
Perry Tan
Rachael Eckersley
Saba Nowroozi
Jill Warren
Min Fan
Josh Tanenbaum

Other Media

Youtopia (YouTube)

Learn more here

Project Summary

Youtopia is a hybrid tangible and multi-touch land use planning activity for elementary school aged children implemented on a PixelSense Surface tabletop. Youtopia was developed to investigate issues surrounding how to design and evaluate children’s collaborative learning applications using digital tabletops and designing to support emergent dialogue (values-based discussion). In particular we looked at how the interface design supported values-based discussion, negotiation and conflict resolution between pairs of children around issues in sustainable development.

Research Objectives

Investigate design strategies for tangible-touch learning games that support interdependence and emergent dialogue in collaborative learning about value laden domains such as sustainable land development.

Social Impact Goals

Evidence for two tangible tabletop design strategies that enable effective value-based collaborative learning, productive conflict and rich dialogue in an educational sustainability simulation.

Keywords

Tangible tabletop design, value-based design, collaborative learning, children, sustainability education.

Technology

Microsoft Surface PixelSense (IR camera vision), Processing

Community Partners

Stratford Hall Independent World School (Vancouver)

Funders

GRAND NCE, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS), SSHRC Insight & NSERC Discovery

Awards

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Conference, Best Design nomination 2015.