Transcript
Page 1: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Towards multimodal dialogue games

Andrew Ravenscroft

Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Page 2: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Overview of talk

Problems and challenges addressedWhy dialogue games?The InterLoc approach and toolPilot testingMultimodal enhancementsDiscussion

Page 3: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Educational problem

Promoting the development of dialogical and reasoning skills across educational contexts (traditional HE, ODL, Continuing Education etc.)

Common problems of limited participation and superficial interaction with generic CMC tools well documented (e.g. Bonk et al., 1998)

Need to promote deep dialogical learning– engaging, meaningful and ‘transformative’ interactions– link social and cognitive dimensions of learning process– Improve knowledge and learning processes (e.g. internalisation

of dialectic and reasoning processes)• Iterative internalisation (Elsayed & Hartley, 2005)

…promote the development and practice of thinking and ‘interthinking’

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Technical challenge

Realising the ‘Open Source’ vision for learning technology:– working within the UK JISC ELF (E-Learning Framework)– develop e-learning tools that are reusable, adaptable and

interoperable with other tools and applications– tools development follows conventions for Open Standards

and developed within the Open Source community (e.g. software on Sourceforge)

– two e-tools projects funded by JISC to develop and pilot test Dialogue Game/InterLoc approach (though inspired by and build upon lots of other work)

Page 5: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Why (Educational) Dialogue Games?

A method for specifying interaction designs in terms of dialogue features (e.g. goals, roles, tactics and rules) needed to realise particular pedagogical goals (e.g. critical discussion and reasoning, creative thinking)

A level of description that captures these features and is capable of being implemented through socio-cognitive tools (Ravenscroft & Pilkington, 2000)

Scaffold particular forms of dialogue (e.g. argumentation) for particular educational purposes (e.g. development of reasoning skills)

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Educational Dialogue Games: features

Pedagogical goals (or purpose) for conducting the game, approx. the type of game supported (e.g. critical discussion and reasoning, exploratory talk, creative thinking).

Numbers of players (e.g. small groups of 4 - 8) Roles of the participants - may be symmetrical or asymmetrical

(discussant, facilitator etc.) Dialogue Moves (or tactics) that represent the intention of the

performed utterances, e.g. Inform, Question, Challenge.– In designed tools: locution Openers used to‘scaffold’ the

expression of the actual ‘surface level’ realisation of the Moves, that may vary depending on the particular game being played (e.g. I think…, Let me explain…, Why do you say that…? Don’t we need more evidence…?)

Rules of interaction that guide and structure the dialogue process in ways that make it legitimate, coherent and relevant in meeting the pedagogical goals (e.g. turn-taking and permissible move sequences)

Page 7: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

A mediating tool : InterLoc

Page 8: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Pilot testing: Contexts & details

4 Universities: LonMet, OU, Soton, Oxford– Range of students and contexts (HE, ODL, Cont.Ed)– 4 × 4-8 LonMet/OU, 2 × 4-8 Soton/Oxford (48-96)

DGs added or linked to course curriculum – Comp. Science, PGCE Maths, MSc Science, Philosophy

Methods:– Post game questionnaire, follow up interviews (students &

lecturers), DA of transcripts

…data collection two thirds complete

Page 9: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Pilot testing: Interim findings

…student feedback positive and interesting (responses to open questions)

Enjoyable (“I loved it!”) Ss Valued DGs as a (new) forum for debate and learning

– qualitatively better than available alternatives Promoted fair and even contributions, Ss felt ‘safe’ to express

themselves and challenge others– empowerment of those less confident

Found the organisation and management relatively intuitive (better than other CMC approaches)

Ss wanted to use it again ‘made them think’ and focussed the discussion Generally, led to learning and better understanding

Page 10: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Pilots: Learners comments

Did the dialogue game, using the sentence openers, change how you expressed, clarified

or refined your ideas on this topic? Please comment as appropriate (LonMet)

S1. Yes it did, with the openers, I then had to t think before composing the rest of the sentence

As a student, would it be useful to participate regularly in dialogues like this one?

(Southampton)

S2. Yes, because everyone can put their views across without loads of pupils shouting!

S3. Good point.Often quiet people do have very good points to make, but are too scared to make them.

Did you enjoy discussing the topic in this way, and do you have any further comments?

(LonMet)

S4. yes. %100

…number remarked preferred DG to f2f dialogue!

.

Page 11: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

Pilot testing: the Locution Openers

…positive yet ambivalent remarks:+ ve

– scaffolded contributions• confidence and linguistic skills

– variety of options– stimulated and supported thinking– legitimised disagreement, challenging etc.

- ve– restrictive – not always appropriate

? ‘didn’t like’ formal thinking’ (= hard work)

…felt pressurised to make ‘quick’ response, hangover from chat

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Multimodal enhancements

Increase expressive and linguistic richness and semantic clarity in an economical and intuitive way (cf. more openers)

– Graphical representation of locutionary force of some openers (high, neutral, low) using icons, graphics, colours etc.

– “I disagree because…” [high, neutral, low] More sophisticated integration of multimedia/multimodal artefacts

– Improve relevance, motivation and engagement• Increase sensory experience during discourses

– Coordination of dialogues about and around multimedia material through shared views• multimedia dialogue games

– Use of web-cams/representation of identity & co-presence Graphical representation of dialogues and arguments (‘argument maps’)

– reflective summary and personal conceptualisation and articulation of performed dialogues

Additional input methods to increase flexibility and support additional user scenarios?– auditory input (is mixing modalities in this way problematic?)– handwritten input (via a tablet)

• Moving towards mobile possibilities

…any other ideas?

Page 13: Towards multimodal dialogue games Andrew Ravenscroft Learning Technology Research Institute London Metropolitan University

More information

Contact & papers etc.: [email protected] http://homepages.unl.ac.uk/~ravensca/

InterLoc project: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=etools2 Software: http://sourceforge.net/

Research theme: Learning interaction and networked communities http://www.unl.ac.uk/ltri/research/interaction.htm


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