Visualizing classroom interactions

This project proposal aimed to use visualization to help lecturers gain feedback and create better learning environments for their students. It was specifically designed to help ensure equal classroom opportunities for students of varying backgrounds.

Overview

Past research suggests that successful classrooms promote:

1. Active learning through alternation of small and large group activities as opposed to pure didactic methods

2. Contributions from a wide variety of students around the classroom

3. Dialogue that promotes higher-level thinking

For this project, we explored how visualizations of classroom interactions could provide feedback for instructors to improve the success of their classrooms, and proposed a lo-fi interface concept to bring it to life.

Classroom interaction dynamics can be approximated through decibel variation with different signatures. In combination with annotation at the individual student and comment-quality level, instructors will have the feedback they need to improve.

In compliment of the decibel signatures, a lo-fi interface was proposed as a way to keep track of interactions. This includes swiping the direction of dialogue and labeling quality.

The resulting visualization can be used to inform instructors how well they meet our three criteria listed above. From here, adjustments can be made and their effect tracked over time. On the student side, visualizations can help identify struggling students to get them help early.