Abstract:

Multi-display systems is a collective term used to describe a set of new technologies which have interesting, emerging pedagogic affordances within certain learning situations. Usually developed to support business meetings, various examples of such technologies have been adopted within education institutions due to their perceived potential for student engagement and increased group interaction. The facilities provided by such systems for the simultaneous display of multiple pieces of information, and the flexible non-linear navigation of that information during presentation, has meant that they have been promoted as a potential next step for interactive whiteboard and voting system scenarios. Additionally, the fact that many of these systems offer functions to support remote participation has caused comparisons to be drawn with shared desktops, videoconferencing and, from an earlier era, telewriting systems.

Despite this speculation, there is a paucity of research publications on the use of this emerging type of technology, especially with reference to appropriate teaching and learning scenarios. The aim of the studies reported here was to consider such scenarios by evaluating the affordances and constraints of a particular example of these technologies, the PolyVision Thunder system, in two installations as used by undergraduate students from disciplines as varied as Built Environment (Architecture), History, Education and Classics.

Within this paper, we begin by adopting a structured case study approach. We draw our data from several academic courses in which learning scenarios were designed and implemented, and then recorded using video equipment; associated focus groups and individual interviews with students and tutors were also conducted, audio recorded and transcribed. Our analysis shows consistent benefits of varying magnitude within the situations: naturalistic flows of presentational information are enabled; interesting juxtapositions of information can be constructed allowing for structured analysis by students; and increased interactivity between learners and tutors, and different learners within a group, can be promoted in a meaningful way. We also uncover attendant risks, such as information overload, inadvertent misdirection of student attention and the potential that large amounts of display information might be unsuitable for purpose.

We continue by analysing those elements of the learning and teaching scenarios which enabled appropriate practice, including the mode of interaction within the session, the physical space within which the two Thunder systems were located, and the technical features of the system which were useful. We conclude by briefly scrutinising three other multi-display systems of recent or imminent market release, considering the likely affordances and constraints associated with those systems and demonstrating that our results are applicable to a range of systems and scenarios.

Keywords:

innovation, technology, research projects [arial, 10, alignment left].