A design science exploration of a visual-spatial learning system with feedback
📝 Abstract
Our paper is research in progress that is research investigating the use of games technology to enhance the learning of a physical skill. The Microsoft Kinect is a system designed for gaming with the capability to track the movement of users. Our research explored whether such a system could be used to provide feedback when teaching sign vocabulary. Whilst there are technologies available for teaching sign language, currently none provide feedback on the accuracy of the users’ attempts at making signs. In this paper we report how the three-dimensional dsplay capability of the technology can enhance the users’ experience. Also, when using tracking to identify errors in physical movements, how and when should feedback be given. A design science approach was undertaken to find a solution to this real world problem. The design and implementation of the solution provides interesting insights into how technology can not only emulate but also improve upon traditional learning of physical skills.
💡 Analysis
Our paper is research in progress that is research investigating the use of games technology to enhance the learning of a physical skill. The Microsoft Kinect is a system designed for gaming with the capability to track the movement of users. Our research explored whether such a system could be used to provide feedback when teaching sign vocabulary. Whilst there are technologies available for teaching sign language, currently none provide feedback on the accuracy of the users’ attempts at making signs. In this paper we report how the three-dimensional dsplay capability of the technology can enhance the users’ experience. Also, when using tracking to identify errors in physical movements, how and when should feedback be given. A design science approach was undertaken to find a solution to this real world problem. The design and implementation of the solution provides interesting insights into how technology can not only emulate but also improve upon traditional learning of physical skills.
📄 Content
Australasian Conference on Information Systems
Ellis, Fisher, Willoughby, Barca 2015, Adelaide
Exploration of a visual-spatial learning system
1
A design science exploration of a visual-spatial learning
system with feedback
Kirsten Ellis
Faculty of Information Technology
Monash University
Victoria Australia
Email: kirsten.ellis@monash.edu
Julie Fisher
Faculty of Information Technology
Monash University
Victoria Australia
Email: julie.fisher@monash.edu
Louisa Willoughby
Faculty of Arts
Monash University
Victoria Australia
Email: louisa.willoughby@monash.edu
Jan Carlo Barca
Faculty of Information Technology
Monash University
Victoria Australia
Email: jan.barca@monash.edu
Abstract
Our paper is research in progress that is research investigating the use of games technology
to enhance the learning of a physical skill. The Microsoft Kinect is a system designed for
gaming with the capability to track the movement of users. Our research explored whether
such a system could be used to provide feedback when teaching sign vocabulary. Whilst there
are technologies available for teaching sign language, currently none provide feedback on the
accuracy of the users’ attempts at making signs. In this paper we report how the three-
dimensional display capability of the technology can enhance the users’ experience. Also,
when using tracking to identify errors in physical movements, how and when should
feedback be given. A design science approach was undertaken to find a solution to this real
world problem. The design and implementation of the solution provides interesting insights
into how technology cannot only emulate but also improve upon traditional learning of
physical skills.
Keywords (Sign Language, Microsoft Kinect, Design Science)
Australasian Conference on Information Systems
Ellis, Fisher, Willoughby, Barca 2015, Adelaide
Exploration of a visual-spatial learning system
2
1 Introduction
Relatively inexpensive mainstream games technologies are now able to track users’
movements in a level of detail not previously available in affordable systems. The availability
of this technology enables many previously unconsidered problems to be approached but
there are a plethora of assumptions that have to be made given the lack of empirical evidence
on which to base design decisions. We are using a design science approach to investigate the
implementation of a system to teach Australian Sign Language (Auslan) using a mainstream
games technology, the Microsoft Kinect. The Kinect system uses one RGB camera and an
infrared sensor to capture users’ movements allowing users to interact with what is displayed
on the screen. It is an affordable technology with the potential of providing an alternative to
sign language classes, which are not always available particularly for those not living in a
major city (Fisher et al. 2014). Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is the signed language used
by the Australian Deaf community but the knowledge gained about Sign Language (SL)
learning is transferable to other signed languages.
Our ongoing broader research project is seeking to answer the question “Can a mainstream
game system assist people in learning Auslan?” The questions discussed in this paper are:
Can the spatial capability of three-dimensional systems assist Auslan learners? How can
effective feedback be provided to learners using technology to learn signs? When should this
feedback be provided to the learner by the system?
We have designed and built a prototype system that is enabling us to explore possible
designs for each aspect of the system. The research is an iterative process involving the
design and building of a system with ongoing trialling with users to ensure a meaningful
learning interaction with the system.
2 Background
Ninety precent of deaf children are born to hearing parents, so if they want to communicate
using sign language they have the significant challenge of learning a new language (Daniels
2001; Grushkin 1998). One could argue that learning sign language is often different to
learning other languages as often it is a necessity rather than a choice. For deaf people SL is
the only fully accessible language so families of deaf children are forced to learn SL if they
want to communicate with their child (Grushkin 1998). For SL learning, as with other
physical skills, feedback to the learner from the teacher is an important component. There
are methods of learning Auslan apart from classes include using videos and DVDs (Ghazarian
2005); whilst useful for learning to recognise signs these do not provide feedback on the
accuracy of signs learned and do not vary the pace to meet the learner’s ability (Ellis and
Blashki 2004). Newer technologies have demonstrated that they can check that users are able
to recognise a sign accurately but cannot provide feedback to the learner on making a sign as
happens
This content is AI-processed based on ArXiv data.