Active Learning has been shown to substantially improve learning outcomes in a variety of contexts, including undergraduate education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). It engages learners in forming their own understandings by constructing their own knowledge, situating the locus of control more squarely with students. I have been interested in ways to incorporate Active Learning in my teaching of Information Visualization. In this talk, I describe one approach I have created, “Data Manifestations”, and reflect on its successes and shortcomings. I will offer you my view upon the intersection of learning and making meaning in the classroom. Along the way, I will praise the power of Peanut M&Ms and torpedo the tyranny of the tiered lecture theatre. Do join me for the fun.
Brock Craft joined UW Human Centered Design & Engineering from the department of Computing at Goldsmiths, University of London. He was Senior Tutor on the MA in Information Experience Design MA at the Royal College of Art. His areas of specialization include Information Visualization, Human-Computer Interaction, Physical Computing, and Learning Design.
Dr. Craft holds a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) from DePaul University in Chicago, and a PhD in Computer Science from University College of London Interaction Centre (UCLIC), an HCI research center. He was a co-founder of Tinker London, an IoT design consultancy focused on creating products that bridge the digital and the physical, for clients including Sony, Nokia, and the BBC.