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Human society
has created extraordinarily diverse media for creating and sharing
information. While text-based systems have had exceptional influence,
this course is devoted to exploring the value of a diverse range of
non-textual visualizations of concepts, models, and knowledge for the
purposes of learning.
Visualization
has been defined as "the use of computer-supported, interactive, visual
representations of data to amplify cognition," but we will also examine
how non-computational visualizations may support cognitive and
communicative processes. What are some of the distinctive cognitive and
social advantages of visual representations for learning? How are new
computational systems for visualization transforming inquiry and
communications in science, mathematics and other knowledge domains?
What new forms of visual literacies and representational practices are
emerging and what do we know about their challenges for learners?
We will
consider theory and research literature encompassing visualizations
such as 2-D images and 3-D models, diagrams, visualizations in science
and social science, temporal visualizations such as animations and
video, concept maps, tree-maps, and matrices. Subject areas for our
consideration will span various sciences, mathematics, medicine,
architecture, history, psychology, and teacher education. This course
should be of interest for learning
theorists, designers of instructional and interactive learning
environments, and those concerned more broadly with augmenting human
capabilities with information technologies.
Our work
together will involve critical discussions of key readings on theory
and research in visualization, and demonstrations and explorations of
information visualization environments and tools useful for learning.
After the first three orienting weeks, student groups will provide a
series of short presentations and interactive activities that engage
the core ideas of the readings. Students will also prepare an
integrative final paper that is due on the final day of class, and a
presentation of their final paper work. Here are some suggested topics for projects.
Class Meets:
Thursdays 9-11:50am, in CERAS, Rm. 108.
3 Units.
Course Deliverables:
- Weekly reaction papers to the readings (500
words total). Papers should focus on
two of the papers in the reading list for that week. If it is a
theory paper, write about how you think that theory could be applied.
If it is a systems paper, write about how it relates to the theory we
have read? Note that you have one free excuse for the quarter, i.e. you
can skip the reaction papers once and your grade will not be affected.
Late papers will not be accepted, since the point is for you to have
thought about the readings before
class.
- In groups of
two or three, prepare and deliver two
class presentations during weeks 4-9. Each presentation should be
about 75 minutes (including about 30 minutes of lecture and 45 minutes
of activities). Presenters should also prepare questions for the class
discussion at the end of class.
- Two short
homeworks, due at the beginning of the third and fifth class sessions.
The first is a visualization critique, and the second is a 2-3 page
project proposal paper.
- Final paper:
5-7 pages, on a topic of your choosing (with approval from me).
- Final
project presentation: about 15-20 minutes, on the last day of class
(3/10).
Assessment will
be based on class participation and the above deliverables. It will be
possible to establish student
teams to work collaboratively in creating the final presentation and
paper. Required books are listed below; for more details, please visit
the schedule
page.
Required
Course Materials:
- Course Reader, comprised of selected
preprints and articles, available for purchase the first day of class
or ordered from Copy Source, (650) 968-6351, located at the
intersection of Alma St.
and Rengstorff in Mountain
View.
- Miscellaneous
articles available online: These will be linked from the online version
of the syllabus.
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