NM4210 Assignment 3Emotion design probe

Improving learning experience in Lecture Theatres

By: Loh Weiye (U061162E)

Nilar Aye (U050024A)

Shen Weiwei (U047212R)

Improving Learning Experience in Lecture Theatres Emotion design probe from 3 perspectives:

Cultural Probe Laddering Ethnography Study

Cultural ProbeConvenient Sampling

Sampling size: 3

Probe PackNotebook x 1Pen x 1

Period of experiment1 week (11th to 15th Feb’08)

Findings: Non-lecture related experienceTiredness

Long travelling time to/ fro campus

Lack of seats on bus and trainsLack of sleep

Morning rushNo time for breakfast before

early lecture I NEED MY COFFEE!!! (Source: http://blog.simplyjean.com/)

Findings: Non-lecture related experienceDay of the week

Monday blues Mid-week crisis It’s Friday! (Read let’s skip lecture and go

out shopping)

Time of the year We should have 1 week break for CNY I’m so happy to see my friends after the

break

Peer influence My friend decided to skip lecture today,

so I’m skipping it too

Findings: Lecture related experience Lecturer

He/ She’s HOT/ NOT!!

Lecture Content Uninteresting topic Confusing topic

Lecturing Style Monotonous lecturing Reading off the slides Incomprehensible accents I love her French accent! C’est romantique

beaucoup

Findings: Lecture related experienceLecture Timing

Too early (8am – 10am) Too late (7pm – 10pm) Day of the week

Peer influence The group behind me is irritating!

Can’t stop talking! The LT is so empty! Where’s

everyone? My friend is sleeping during lecture

Laddering – Questionnaires (1) Participant is a third year student from FASS.

Interviewer: Please tell me something you like or dislike about learning in lecture theatre.

Participant: I don’t like the size of the lecture theatre. Interviewer: What do you not like about the size? Participant: The size is too big. Interviewer: Why is it not good to have a big sized lecture theatre? Participant: There are too many students and they sit scattered in the theatre.

Laddering – Questionnaires (2) Interviewer: Why is having many students sitting scattered in the lecture a bad

thing? Participant: They talk very loud. Interviewer: Why is talking very loudly a bad thing? Participant: I get distracted from what the lecturer is saying. Interviewer: Why is getting distracted from the lecturer’s a bad thing? Participant: I paid for the class, not for hearing other people’s talking.

Laddering – Questionnaires (3) Interviewer: Why does the fee matter? Participant: It is very expensive. Interviewer: Why is it important to listen to the lecture? Participant: I AM IN CLASS!!!

The Ladder

Making full use of tuition

Listening to lecture is very important

Distraction from the students’ talking

Talk very loud

Many students sitting scattered

Big size

Ethnography Study Methodology

“Crash” a lecture Observe Collection information on everything exposed to Make notes on everything seen and heard However, don’t judge or think

Key Findings (1) Students bring in their notebook computers and surf the internet during

lecture

Students fill up the back row seats, and talk amongst themselves

Some students bring in food and drinks

Some students sleep

Students’ limbs and belongings keep crashing into the seats in front

Key Findings (2) Lecture notes and writing materials almost falling off the writing tablets

Speakers have a hissing noise, drowning out the lecturer’s voice

Projector screen not focused enough, lighting casts a glare on it

Flipping and jostling of papers

Key Findings (3) Lecturer gives too little pause to allow students to catch up writing;

sometimes pauses too long and students start talking

When a student asks a question, everyone else strains to hear it; same with the lecturer’s reply

Lecture theatre half filled

Students cough and sneeze

Analysis – Common Problems (1) LT Design Factor

Size too big – hence LT half filled Hence, temperature too cold, makes people sneeze People like to sit at the back Those at the back talk, distract others Lecturer’s voice cannot reach back of LT, students behind cannot hear those in

front asking question Space between rows too restrictive

Analysis – Common Problems (2) Lecturer Factor

Lecturing style, speech/language, nuances, accents “Crowd control” of inattentive/noisy students Appropriate pauses for questions/taking down notes Grooming, personal appearance

Analysis – Common Problems (3) Student Factor

Poor time management, bad lifestyle, not getting enough sleep Peer influence – talking/sleeping/eating, distract others Insensitive to other students’ presence Incorrect learning attitude, Monday blues etc

Solutions? (1) Timetabling

Avoid lectures starting during peak hours – students either arrive late or frustrated or both

Avoid too many back to back lectures, resulting in students having to resort to eating in lecture

Students Sleep early, wake up early, take earlier bus Have a more positive attitude towards learning Be more considerate and sensitive to others

Solutions? (2) LT Design

Seminar style teaching, max 30 per class Split up big class into smaller lecture groups Eliminates the need for large LTs, resulting in cold temperature, lecturer not being

heard etc Lecturer can maintain better eye contact, students more involved and proactive Regular maintenance for projectors and sound system

Solutions? (3) Lecturers

Improve lecturing style, less monotonous, speak good English, do not read from slides

Proper crowd control Grooming, appear more like a speaker and less like a sloppy scientist/engineer Thought process – do not think so ahead, give students more time to catch up and

take notes Repeat students’ questions so that everyone can hear

The End