For my Design and Education class, we were asked to observe one of our classes at Parsons and compare that to an online video lesson. The write up of my observations is below the break.
I decided to observe the course Dynamic Interfaces, a course designed to investigate the pervasive role of digital technologies in our everyday lives. This course is taught by Jamie Kosoy, a part time faculty member at Parsons and a lead developer at the advertising firm Big Spaceship. The semester has been divided into two halves. During the first, we focus on solely digital content: social media, dynamic data sets, APIs, etc. During the later half, we will focus on the intersection of digital technologies and interaction: the places where software and hardware meet, how users experience technology, etc. There are about 18 students in the class and we meet in a standard computer-lab classroom in Arnold Hall on Mondays from 6pm to 8:40pm.
The topic of class I observed was Data Visualization. Normally each class meeting is split into two sections. The first half of the class, which usually turns into the first two thirds of the class, is spent discussing theory or hypothetical situations, everyone “unplugged” (no computers open, phones away) and focused on the discussion. The second half is dedicated to a guided tutorial on some relevant technology. On this day, as every day, Jamie came prepared with slides containing pointed and rhetorical questions, as well as examples of current works on the topic of data visualization. Arguably the most compelling thing he brings to the conversation is an immense knowledge and enthusiasm for the topic of the day. Jamie is quick. He anticipates further discussion points before class so that he can lead us in the right direction if we cannot get there on our own, or to give relevant examples when the discussion reaches a certain point naturally. Another technique Jamie employs is writing notes on the board. Jamie listens to student’s thoughts and then plots them in interesting ways on the board with a marker. This allows us all to visualize the points and connections we have made, and to keep a written record for future reference.
Although the course meets late on Monday evening, usually the end of a long day for most in the class, students are more often than not deeply engaged in the discussion. The success of the discussion was dependent on a few variables. First, Jamie sits in a chair as if he is another student in the class. He puts himself on our level and does not claim to be superior to us in any way. He cracks jokes, sometimes speaks profanities, and looks each student in the eye as they speak. These techniques help students to feel relaxed and open to share their thoughts more candidly. He also encourages us to respond to each others’ comments directly. Discussion does not flow like a question-and-answer session, but rather a free flowing round table. While we often stray from the initial intent of the planned discussion, it is only because we have dug deeper than expected. On this particular day, Jamie had planned for the discussion to last the entire class session and for the technology tutorial to occupy an entire upcoming session.
The internet tutorial I observed was The ROI of User Experience with Dr. Susan Weinschenk, a production of Human Factors Internationally posted on YouTube. The tutorial is an animation that gets drawn as Dr. Weinschenk is speaking and results in a handy poster that users can print out after viewing the video. Viewers are introduced to the topic of the tutorial instantly; they would probably not watch the video if they were not interested in the description given as the title. Dr. Weinschenk gives background on the topic, defines relevant yet specific terms, and (literally) draws connections and conclusions using simple animations and two marker colors.
The video tutorial has obvious setbacks. It is not live, nor is it even possibly for it to be interactive, so there is no opportunity for questions, clarification, etc. We never see the speaker, so no social cues can be transmitted. Finally, it is only an introduction to the topic, so viewers do not get the entire picture or receive a deep understanding.
It is interesting to compare the experience of these two learning techniques, although their implementations are clearly very different. Obviously, the classroom experience I describe above is ideal. Nothing can compare to an engaging teacher in a captivated classroom. Discussion and reflection are required for critical thinking and I do not believe a video tutorial can easily encourage these. It should be mentioned that the video was well done. The illustrations helped viewers to visualize the content and connect concepts. Content was organized well and presented clearly. As an introduction to the topic, it was effective; as a cross-discipline tactic for any lesson, it would not be.
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned from this exercise is that engaging students is key to a successful teaching experience. Whether that is through discussions or thoughtful visualizations, students can be intrigued by most any content and take something away from the experience if they are actively participating and invested in the lesson.
Tags: d&e