Multi-touch tables and the relationship with collaborative classroom pedagogies: A synthetic review

Abstract

This article reviews the research and evidence about multi-touch tables to provide an analysis of their key design features and capabilities and how these might relate to their use in educational settings to support collaborative learning. A typology of design features is proposed as a synthesis of the hardware and physical characteristics of the tables so that the longevity of these factors and the associated analysis can be better preserved, particularly in relation to the range of ways in which they may be used collaboratively in classrooms. The variability of features relating to software is also analysed and key pedagogic issues identified. The aim that underpins this review is to relate the design of the technical features with key pedagogic issues concerning the use of digital technologies in classrooms, so as to provide a more robust basis for their integration in classrooms in terms of their potential to support or to improve learning.

An Artifact Ecology in a Nutshell: A Distributed Cognition Perspective for Collaboration and Coordination

“…That is, tabletops could help overcome the lengthy procedure of controlling the shared screen, reduce dominant actions, and increase the level of naturalness in the artifact ecology. There is already substantial work on using tabletops to support collaborative learning [30] [31]. There is also ev idence that tabletops can help address the above-mentioned issues, moving attention away from a single input device such as a mouse or keyboard [32], promoting equal participation and shared control [33].…”

Multi-touch User Interfaces to Treat Social, Communicative and Collaborative Impairments in Children with Autism: A Review

“…UI designers who build multi-touch interfaces for children with Autism. In this respect, the review conducted in [3] was a recent and sound work to consider. The authors of this synthetic review have highlighted focal points about the available multi-touch hardware, as well as the related software -that we were interested in.…”

Analyzing roles of individuals in small-group collaboration processes

“…Emma M. Mercier, Steven E. Higgins and Laura da Costa examine the work of student groups using multi-touch tablets. The authors build on their previous study of pedagogies related to this technology (Higgins et al 2011). They view the group as the cognitive unit and see leadership as a form of interaction within the group.…”