No abstract

External representations have been shown to play a key role in mediating cognition. Tangible environments offer the opportunity for novel representational formats and combinations, potentially increasing representational power for supporting learning. However, we currently know little about the specific learning benefits of tangible environments, and have no established framework within which to analyse the ways that external representations work in tangible environments to support learning. Taking external representation as the central focus, this paper proposes a framework for investigating the effect of tangible technologies on interaction and cognition. Key artefact-action-representation relationships are identified, and classified to form a structure for investigating the differential cognitive effects of these features. An example scenario from our current research is presented to illustrate how the framework can be used as a method for investigating the effectiveness of differential designs for supporting science learning.

No abstract

The increasing importance given to the development of computational thinking in children is leading to the appearance of a number of digital games involving the logic of programming in exploratory environments. However, the lack of appropriate methods to determine the quality of these games hinders their adoption in schools. Through a case study, this paper presents formative and objective analyses of pedagogical and technical aspects that proved to be relevant in children's interaction with a game of the kind. These aspects can become parameters of a formal evaluation method specific for such games. Resumo. A crescente valorização do desenvolvimento do pensamento computacional em crianças tem impulsionado o surgimento de jogos digitaisque envolvem lógica de programação em ambientes exploratórios. Porém, a falta de métodos apropriados para avaliar a qualidade desses jogos dificulta a sua adoção em escolas. Através de um estudo de caso, este artigo apresenta análises formativa e objetiva de aspectos pedagógicos e técnicos que se mostraram relevantes no processo de interação de crianças com um jogo desse tipo. Tais aspectos têm o potencial de se tornarem parâmetros de um método de avaliação formal específico para jogos do gênero. IntroduçãoExiste uma crescente valorização da importância de se estimular o pensamento computacional no ensino básico, por se tratar de uma habilidade transversal a outras áreas do conhecimento, que vem se tornando essencial na sociedade contemporânea [Barr e Stephenson 2011][Wing 2006]. O pensamento computacional remete a estratégias para resolução de problemas através de raciocínio lógico e formal, em vários níveis de abstração, estendendo faculdades cognitivas [Wing 2006], o que foi apontado de forma visionária por Seymour Papert com a linguagem de programação Logo, dirigida a crianças [Papert 1980]. Entretanto, passadas décadas, grandes desafios permanecem em relação à exposição das crianças ao pensamento computacional, principalmente a maneira de integrá-lo à sala de aula e quais habilidades exigir dos alunos [Barr e Stephenson 2011]. Iniciativas precursoras incluem robótica educacional, computação desplugada, ferramentas visuais e jogos digitais envolvendo lógica de programação, sendo estes últimos o foco deste artigo [França et al. 2014][Gomes e Melo 2013].

Drawing on the 'representation' TUI framework [21], this paper reports a study that investigated the concept of 'representation location' and its effect on interaction and learning. A reacTIVision-based tangible interface was designed and developed to support children learning about the behaviour of light. Children aged eleven years worked with the environment in groups of three. Findings suggest that different representation locations lend themselves to different levels of abstraction and engender different forms and levels of activity, particularly with respect to speed of dynamics and differences in group awareness. Furthermore, the studies illustrated interaction effects according to different physical correspondence metaphors used, particularly with respect to combining familiar physical objects with digital-based table-top representation. The implications of these findings for learning are discussed.