On the Use of Large Interactive Displays to Support Collaborative Engagement and Visual Exploratory Tasks.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Educational Technology
• Collaborative Learning

Background:

• Large interactive displays offer potential for co-located collaborative learning with visual information.
• Understanding optimal configurations for these displays is crucial for effective learning environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of display configuration on collaborative learning outcomes.
• To determine the effects of workspace number, display number, collaborator arrangement, and interaction modes on knowledge acquisition, engagement, and task performance.

Main Methods:

• A user study involving 72 participants across 6 groups was conducted.
• An interactive tool was developed for collaborative exploration of 3D visual structures.
• Four factors were manipulated: virtual workspaces, number of displays, collaborator position, and collaborative modes.

Main Results:

• A single shared workspace and a single display configuration led to superior user performance and engagement.
• The back-to-back collaborator arrangement, facilitating shared view and control, was most beneficial.
• This configuration positively impacted learning outcomes and engagement during collaboration.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing the configuration of large interactive displays, specifically using a single shared workspace and display with a back-to-back arrangement, enhances collaborative learning.
• These findings provide practical insights for designing effective learning spaces utilizing interactive display technology.