Unit 9 Gap Update
Category: Thesis Schedule/Plan
Thesis Task Timeline, Statement & Abstract
Task Timeline
Thesis Statement
Invisible interfaces can be used to create effective peer-to-peer learning in an online environment by facilitating “learning by doing” while also building social interaction.
Thesis Abstract
Peer to peer learning is not well supported in e-learning environment. Collaboration in virtual learning communities characterizes itself by heavily relying on interaction among the collaborators (Edwards, 2002; Biström, 2005). The collaborators can be instructors and learners, the interaction can be resources discovery, access, and sharing, as well as group communication and discussion, or simply any collaboration which has occurred among the instructors and learners. Nevertheless, such collaboration environment is generally not supported by conventional learning environments. Typical learning services for collaboration in virtual learning communities are content, access of certain learning subjects; making studying notes and annotation on learning subjects; group discussion, brainstorming for knowledge creation and sharing.
Peer-to-peer learning is characterized by providing intuitive ways for identifying right collaborators, right contents and right services in the right place at the right time based on learners surrounding context such as where and when the learners are (time and space), what the learning resources and services available for the learners, and who are the learning collaborators that match the learners’ needs (Ogata, & Yano, 2004; Zhang, Jin, & Lin, 2005; Takahata, et. al., 2004). Invisible interfaces are a powerful tool for observational learning because the interface appears only when needed reducing the cognitive load, reducing the investment required to learn the application, and making it easier for the user to focus on the task at hand. In this thesis, I will create a tutorial like peer-to-peer application with an invisible interface following Mark Lepper’s instructional design principles for intrinsic motivation and Johnson & Johnson concepts for developing effective peer-to-peer applications.
Thesis Schedule
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Course Progression
Studio I – Summer 2012
Interactive Design and Game Development Portfolio – Fall 2012
Review for Candidacy – Winter
Studio II – Winter
Thesis
Tasks
- Survey to find out what is missing from learning application. What desired features are needed and wanted. (Fall 2012)
- Create a prototype based on feedback received on the survey. (Fall 2012)
- Refine my thesis proposal.(Fall 2012)
- Refine my thesis abstract.(Fall 2012)
- MFA Thesis Review (Winter 2012)
- Survey using previous created prototype to show application main functionality (Winter 2012)
- Prototype revisions based on feedback (Winter 2012)
- Prototype with basic functionality and peer-to-peer learning implementation (Winter 2012)
- Survey to test peer-to-peer learning implementation (Winter 2012)
- Revisions based on survey feedback (Winter 2012)
- Keep on with the documentation portion of my thesis. (Spring)
- Review, proof read and edit my thesis documentation.(Spring)
Thesis Action Plan
- Survey to find out what is missing from learning application. What desired features are needed and wanted.
- Create a prototype based on feedback received on the survey
- Refine my thesis proposal
- Refine my thesis abstract
- MFA Thesis Review (1st attempt)
- Survey using previous created prototype to show application main functionality
- Prototype revisions based on feedback
- Prototype with basic functionality and peer-to-peer learning implementation
- Survey to test peer-to-peer learning implementation
- Revisions based on survey feedback
- Keep on with the documentation portion of my thesis.
- Review, proof read and edit my thesis documentation.
Short Description of the visual project
ROUGH THESIS STATEMENT
Using Facebook APIs to implement applications with better ‘interactions’ by providing customized information to the user focusing on the educational and business fields.
CONCEPT APPlICATION
1. Establish a connection with Facebook API
2. User allows permission for the site to access their Facebook information.
3. Site taps into Facebook JSDK and Facebook Graph API to obtain user Facebook information.
4. Once the information is obtained, a function will parse the contents compare then against the site preset and generate the results.
CONCEPT REASONING
By connecting with the Facebook API a site will be able to provide quality of a global user experience. The connection with the social network will allow the site to account for the human factors that affect interaction and interface design. The user information from the social network will be factor in from the beginning. Facebook will offer the site information like first name, last name, gender and location to name a few. This information then is used by the site to tailor the content presented to the user. For example: an educational site can show special offers and information trigger to people that were part of the military or are part of an organization that can offer then scholarship. The site can show a feed with the articles in the site that your friends like. Also, if the visitor has told Facebook that likes soccer and is visiting a news site then the sport section will load by default for this user.
I plan to focus the application of my thesis to the educational and business field.
EDUCATION FIELD
One of the projects that I propose to undertake for my thesis is an application that will show users how to implement Facebook APIs in their website. The application follows the concept of ‘Code Academy’ by providing an interactive way of learning how to code. In the case of ‘FB4You’, the user will learn through hands on training how the implementation of Facebook APIs can benefit their site.
‘FB4You’ will be a Facebook App. The advantage of making this game-like application and app is that it allows ‘FB4You’ to use test users. Providing ‘FB4You’ control over what informa- tion is available to display when performing API calls. Moreover, the application will provide the user with the knowledge needed to immerse their site in the “social interaction”.
“FB4You” will be divided in 3 stages: beginner, intermediate and expert. In the beginning stage the user will learn how to connect with the different Facebook APIs. The intermediate level will focus on FBJS and the expert level will focus on the Graph API.
The development of this application will allow me to gain a better understanding of the what the Facebook API can offer. Additionally, the same concept applied for this game-like application can be applied to any other educational app.
BUSINESS FIELD
Additionally with the learning obtained from developing ‘FB4You’ I propose to complete a set of websites, facebook pages and facebook apps using Facebook as the tools to provide customized information to the user. The user information obtained from Facebook will allow the site to factor in the user interest, aptitudes and likes to enhance the visual, usability
and technological qualities of an interface. The site will match up the user obtained input against six main qualities of successful user interface: usefulness, learnability, efficiency, ease of memorization, reliability, and user-friendliness to provided the user with a better user- oriented customized view.
ACTION PLAN
- Start working on ‘FB4You’
- Research the different options that Facebook API has to offer.
- Plan a set of usefull methods and guidelines that will help the “social interaction” process.
- Develop the structure and flow sequence of the application.
- Implemented the structure.
- Create a rough version of the application and test it out for bugs.
- Per test result update the draft, fix any functional issues.
- Create a Facebook test user for this app
- Re-test the app using the test user
10.Cross-browser check the application 11.Second round of test
12.Fix any issues.
The above process will also help me develop a basic set customazible functions that will be used to help the “social interaction” process. This will be the first stab to apply this functionality through Facebook.
Once the basic functions are created this library will be used to create the following:
- Facebook App – Exploring the “like” functionality and displaying concept once the userhas liked the content.
- Business Site using Facebook API to implement “social interaction”.
- Facebook & Sites – Moving informaton back and forward. Can we make informationposted in any of the two location populate in the other.
- Business Sites using Facebook Graph API actions to implement “social interaction”.
- Implement “social interaction” in Facebook Tabs.
Initial research of Facebook Functionalities research and rough sketches of how the website functionality will work is available here.
Please note that you will not be able to submit the action yet since in order to see them working you must be an administrator until the actions get approved by Facebook.
