Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
manipulation greatly improves comprehension (Glenberg
2010
; Glenberg et al.
2011
) and that digital manipulatives have the potential to expand the range of
concepts that children understand (O'Malley and Fraser
2005
; Zuckerman et al.
2005
), promoting peer collaboration and negotiation (Hornecker
2005
; Hornecker
and Buur
2006
; Zuckerman et al.
2005
) and particularly supporting exploratory and
expressive learning activities (Marshall
2007
).
Zaman et al. (
2012
: 368) summarise the affordances of digital manipulatives as
follows:
Specifi city of input devices, which reduces modality on the interface
Improved accessibility of the interaction, building on everyday skills and experi-
ences of the physical world
Employment of bimanual and haptic interaction skills
Facilitation of spatial tasks through the inherent spatiality of TUIs
Tight coupling of control of the physical object and the manipulation of its digi-
tal representation
Resnick and colleagues (
2005
; Resnick and Silverman
2005
) suggest
Design
Principles for Tools to Support Creative Thinking
, placing the emphasis on promot-
ing exploration and creativity:
Support exploration
Low threshold, high ceiling and wide walls
Support many paths and many styles
Support collaboration
Support open interchange
Make it as simple as possible - and maybe even simpler
Choose black boxes carefully
Invent things that you would want to use yourself
Balance user suggestions, with observation and participatory processes
Iterate, iterate - then iterate again
Design for designers
12.3
Exploring the Design of Digital Manipulatives
with Children
Previous research has shown that one of the most effective ways of designing child-
centred technology is to involve children in the design process. In fact, children's
participation in the evaluation of technology goes back to the 1970s, where children
were involved as users in the development of new technology (Papert
1977
). Today
this is a common practice, and based on the relation that children and the research
team have, as well as the stage at which children integrate the design process,
children can be users, testers, informants or design partners (Druin
1999
,
2002
).
