Investigating child-computer interactions within their contexts is vital for designing technology that caters to children’s needs. However, determining what aspects of context are relevant for designing child-centric technology remains a challenge. We introduce EXPLORA, a multimodal, multistage online methodology comprising three pivotal stages: 1) building a teacher-apprentice relationship, 2) learning from child-teachers, and 3) assessing and reinforcing researcher-apprentice learning. Central to EXPLORA is the collection of attitudinal data through pre-observation interviews, offering researchers a deeper understanding of children’s characteristics and contexts. This informs subsequent online observations, allowing researchers to focus on frequent interactions. Furthermore, researchers can validate preliminary assumptions with children. A means-ends analysis framework aids in the systematic analysis of data, shedding light on context, agency and homework-information searching processes children employ in their activities. To illustrate EXPLORA’s capabilities, we present nine single case studies investigating Brazilian child-caregiver dyads (children ages 9-11) use of technology in homework information-searching.
doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642070
This paper introduces interactive murals—artworks that combine longstanding traditions in community mural painting with ubiquitous computing—as new sites for collaborative STEAM learning. Using research-through-design and participatory design methods, we conducted an intensive spring and summer workshop in which high school students were introduced to electronics and programming through the process of creating an interactive mural. We describe the workshop activities, the mural design process, and the data collection and analysis methods. Through documenting student learning in programming and electronics and the collaboration that occurred, we build an argument for the novel learning affordances of interactive murals, emphasizing the unique opportunities that they provide for collaborative STEAM learning.
doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3641987
Self-efficacy and digital literacy are key predictors to incarcerated people's success in the modern workplace. While digitization in correctional facilities is expanding, few templates exist for how to design computing curricula that foster self-efficacy and digital literacy in carceral environments. As a result, formerly incarcerated people face increasing social and professional exclusion post-release. We report on a 12-week college-accredited web design class, taught virtually and synchronously, across 5 correctional facilities across the United States. The program brought together men and women from gender-segregated facilities into one classroom to learn fundamentals in HTML, CSS and Javascript, and create websites addressing social issues of their choosing. We conducted surveys with participating students, using dichotomous and open-ended questions, and performed thematic and quantitative analyses of their responses that suggest students' increased self-efficacy. Our study discusses key design choices, needs, and recommendations for furthering computing curricula that foster self-efficacy and digital literacy in carceral settings.
doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642717
Incorporating accessibility education into undergraduate computer science (CS) programs is essential for preparing future technology professionals to create inclusive technology. However, many CS programs lack accessibility coverage, often confining it to human-computer interaction (HCI) courses. To address this gap, we developed accessibility assignments seamlessly integrated into core CS courses. We collaborated closely with ten instructors to select and customize these assignments to suit their needs. To evaluate the impact of these assignments, we conducted interviews with instructors and administered surveys and interviews with their students. Our findings indicate significant improvement in students' familiarity with accessibility concepts and confidence in implementation following completion of the assignments. However, their mindset and future interest in accessibility remained the same. Instructors found it straightforward to incorporate these assignments without compromising core computing concepts. In sum, we validated a foundation for effectively resourcing instructors with accessibility teaching materials and increasing their capacity in accessibility knowledge.
doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642097
Despite efforts to raise awareness of societal and ethical issues in CS education, research shows students often do not act upon their new awareness (Problem 1). One such issue, well-established by HCI research, is that much of technology contains barriers impacting numerous populations—such as minoritized genders, races, ethnicities, and more. HCI has inclusive design methods that help—but these skills are rarely taught, even in HCI classes (Problem 2). To address Problems 1 and 2, we created the Matchmaker Curriculum to pair CS faculty—including non-HCI faculty—with inclusive design elements to allow for inclusive design skill-building throughout their CS program. We present the curriculum and a field study, in which we followed 18 faculty along their journey. The results show how the Matchmaker Curriculum equipped 88% of these faculty with enough inclusive design teaching knowledge to successfully embed actionable inclusive design skill-building into 13 CS courses.
doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642475