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Don't get me wrong, I like information rich interactive documents. I just think it is an illusion to think that these documents fit different (sized) devices wi

by ht_th 14y ago

Don't get me wrong, I like information rich interactive documents. I just think it is an illusion to think that these documents fit different (sized) devices without (extensive) editing. And there is nothing wrong with that as long as we are aware of that. The problem I currently see is that textbook writers (I work in education) write a textbook the traditional way and then digitize it poorly without any regard for the nature of the devices it is used on nor of modern information processing capabilities. Or, stated differently, think about how information is represented best on different devices (device groups).

sycren 14y ago
Perhaps I am far too naive on this subject, but I would have thought that it would be quite easy to algorithmically work out how best to present information on each device using different aspect ratios, colour levels and resolutions as variables to change em or % css values of elements, or even conditional css layouts.
- ht_th 14y ago
  With respect to a pure technically translation from one device to the other, you're absolutely right. The problem is in interpretation/representation/communication of information/ideas/knowledge. For example, I've built an interactive computer simulation connected to a graphing component to enable students to explore rate of change. On a computer screen the simulation and graph are thus positioned that there is a direct link between what happens in the graph and in the simulation. It doesn't fit on a smartphone. I can (automatically) change the setup to put the graph after (below) the simulation, but if the student cannot see the graph and the simulation simultaneously, they miss out on the support for learning the concept of change in the original configuration. Another example, I taught a course on regular expressions and that included a unit on deterministic finite automatons. For non-trivial examples these automatons aren't comprehensible on small screens. Zoom and pan doesn't work to get a picture of the whole. On the other hand, I can think of a simulation of an automaton that would give a better picture on a small screen how a particular automaton works by using a simplified track representing the whole and focusing on a local state and input to see the effect of connections in the track. However, this would mean two different approaches to learning automatons that aren't necessarily compatible, especially in an introductory course. Students will have different questions and problems with the different representations. They will construct different ideas about automatons that might make communicating in class about automatons troublesome as students don't understand each other while talking about the same thing. But it goes further than that, these representation will need different introductions, different exercises, maybe even a different structured learning trajectory to build a similar understanding of automatons.
  - sycren 14y ago
    Perhaps we need to invent different ways of displaying information when a lack of space is a given. For example, with your interactive simulation, could the entities change colour or shape to show rate of change? With your automatons, I would have thought it wise to try to separate the different groups and then step through each group. Understanding each group in order for me would be the best way to learn it than nitpicking at different parts of the whole system.
    - ht_th 14y ago
      Certainly, it is similarly to mobile versions of websites: build the best representation for the device and situation and be aware of the differences and potential effects of these differences. I think that smartphones do offer great opportunities in education, not as the main information gateway, but as an auxiliary tool for students and teachers to interact with the content, each other, and the learning environment.

by ht_th 14y ago

sycren 14y ago

Perhaps I am far too naive on this subject, but I would have thought that it would be quite easy to algorithmically work out how best to present information on each device using different aspect ratios, colour levels and resolutions as variables to change em or % css values of elements, or even conditional css layouts.

ht_th 14y ago
With respect to a pure technically translation from one device to the other, you're absolutely right. The problem is in interpretation/representation/communication of information/ideas/knowledge. For example, I've built an interactive computer simulation connected to a graphing component to enable students to explore rate of change. On a computer screen the simulation and graph are thus positioned that there is a direct link between what happens in the graph and in the simulation. It doesn't fit on a smartphone. I can (automatically) change the setup to put the graph after (below) the simulation, but if the student cannot see the graph and the simulation simultaneously, they miss out on the support for learning the concept of change in the original configuration. Another example, I taught a course on regular expressions and that included a unit on deterministic finite automatons. For non-trivial examples these automatons aren't comprehensible on small screens. Zoom and pan doesn't work to get a picture of the whole. On the other hand, I can think of a simulation of an automaton that would give a better picture on a small screen how a particular automaton works by using a simplified track representing the whole and focusing on a local state and input to see the effect of connections in the track. However, this would mean two different approaches to learning automatons that aren't necessarily compatible, especially in an introductory course. Students will have different questions and problems with the different representations. They will construct different ideas about automatons that might make communicating in class about automatons troublesome as students don't understand each other while talking about the same thing. But it goes further than that, these representation will need different introductions, different exercises, maybe even a different structured learning trajectory to build a similar understanding of automatons.
- sycren 14y ago
  Perhaps we need to invent different ways of displaying information when a lack of space is a given. For example, with your interactive simulation, could the entities change colour or shape to show rate of change? With your automatons, I would have thought it wise to try to separate the different groups and then step through each group. Understanding each group in order for me would be the best way to learn it than nitpicking at different parts of the whole system.
  - ht_th 14y ago
    Certainly, it is similarly to mobile versions of websites: build the best representation for the device and situation and be aware of the differences and potential effects of these differences. I think that smartphones do offer great opportunities in education, not as the main information gateway, but as an auxiliary tool for students and teachers to interact with the content, each other, and the learning environment.