Mtg 18/26: Thu-14-Mar-2024

Outline for Today

Metaphors, Mental Models, and the Project

Administration

• Happy Thursday
• Attendance
• Class calendar for today
• Upcoming events

Response to Responses

Interesting…

Today

• Metaphors
• Mental Models
• the Project

For Next Meeting

• Submit your response to this meeting before noon tomorrow
• Take quiz before the start of our next meeting

Wiki

Link to the UR Courses wiki page for this meeting

Media

No Media

Transcript

Zoom Audio Transcript

• How's everyone doing today? Okay, it's 1130 now. So surprised, I'm here on time. and not a minute later than 1130, anyway. So let me tell you a funny story, not very funny, but made a little sad when I duplicated the other assignment for the for the last assignment for the Zoom versus brought versus Proctor track. I duplicated it fine, but then I edited the wrong.
• I edited the copy.
• so I made the copy. Wait a day. so can you hear that I'm turned? I've turned on the doorbell. There should be another option for the door. It took me a long time to find the option to turn on. But the doorbell sound. The documentation on Zoom wasn't great. but or didn't match the current client that I have. There could be an option, though once the meeting starts. don't ring the doorbell. I was concerned because I was used to getting the doorbell. When I have zoom office hours. I was used to getting it. Then I realized people were coming in through my office hours, but I wasn't being notified. so I turned it on then. Oh.
• okay.
• I just saw it because it was coming out.
• It's loud enough for me to hear. I thought you might be able to hear it as well.
• anyway. So it's kind of buried in some menus. and it's not in a where I think it would should be. but I turned it on, and I think for the most part it will be a good thing to have. anyway. So I digress. I was telling you about my mix up with you are courses. So I copied the first assignment, the empathized assignment. and duplicated it to make the last assignment about comparing zoom. breakout rooms, and Proctor track. so I duplicated fine. But then I edited the wrong. I changed the empathized assignment into the I change the original appetite assignment into the assignment. 5 on both Zubin Proctor track. so that the then made it look like all the submissions are gone. and then some people submitted again to the original, to the the remaining empathize assignment which was intended to be the Zoom versus Procter track assignment. Does my play by play make sense to you. anyway? So when it happened. I just thought I've been. I don't want to touch anything. so I didn't quite understand what was going on at first. and I was dealing with groups and stuff. So I asked. view our course's support, and so say gently pointed out my error. and and likely had a good laugh about it. So? Is that a funny story. or is it a funny story about me or none of the above? Okay, so we've got the assignments sorted out? I think so to make you feel better if check your assignment group for the empathize. Yeah. everything gets funny over time, doesn't it? This only happened last week. So it's not quite comedy yet, I think. anyway. So I think I think the markers will get in touch if anyone's missing an assignment submission. and we won't penalize you for being late. but we may. So there might be one submission lost. So have a look at your submissions there. not all the ones that don't have a submission beside them are lost. But maybe on the save side, you can add them. Okay. does that make sense? And so I've renamed groups again. So so now I've so the 7 30 groups are the same. The 4 20 groups assignment groups. If they're groups of 4, they have a letter, A in the name, and then a number. So there's 9 groups with with 4 members each, and for 4, 28. Here, let me end up over here. A. So under participants. and I select overview. No oops is good enough. I think. So. Here the same. The assignment groups for 4, 28, so a one through 9, those each have 4 members. and then there are 5 groups with 2 members. and then there are 16 15. Pardon me 15 groups with one person in them. So 15 plus 10, 5 times 2 plus 36, 9 times 4, 36, plus. It's 46, and then less 15. That's 61. That's how many students we're in. 4, 28, anyway. So I've divided. I divided them up that way. So I was trying to give them a more more clear organization. So then. then. the project group. If you have a group of 4 up here for the assignments. you'll see the same group for your project group. and then for the people who weren't in a group of 4. Then I've made 6 new project groups do not knew they were there before. but I've rearranged, rearranged them so that there aren't and duplicates. So there's no warning message on the assignment that some people are in no groups or in more than one group. And so I've taken care to preserve the groups of 2, except we're instructed to not do that. so I hope everyone is clear and not upset about what I've done with the project groups. Any questions about that. So that's interesting. I'm looking at the chat, and I'm presuming the circle with a line through it is no. II know, is in my first interpretation of that. I would say. Maybe that's more like forbidden questions about project groups are forbidden. No, that doesn't make sense, either. Anyway, it's interesting. Well. I okay. So what are some other ways to say? No, I guess I didn't mean to disapprove of the circle with a line through it. I just thought it was an interesting choice. Some of these I can't see very clearly. I'll have to. Can I zoom in on the chat? Let's see. not a lot. Yes, so we'll talk about the project today. And I thought we'd even do break up rooms with the project stuff. Okay. hey? So now we've got the group sorted out out of the way. So I'm gonna talk about metaphors. So I was. So we had. We came up with some unkind descriptions about a metaphor for the current groups interface. complicated, unintuitive. But I think maybe folders is a useful distinction. Let me see if I can come up here. Bring up an example on the Mac here. So this is my directory for my website. So these these are the column views. So on the left. there's it's the enclosing directory. and then in the middle. there's the next level. Then I can open another level. and I can open another level. So is this. So this has some potential as a metaphor. except well, we have that if we're thinking about organizing files in a directory, then if we want to include the same group in more than one hierarchy. how do we extend the metaphor to do that. So we don't want to duplicate the files, because then then that gets away from what we wanted wanted to do. So we don't want to. So I guess on the rightmost column we'd have students. and then we can group them in different ways and then put them in groupings. So the the way I thought about letting letting the same students be in different groupings. Different groups and groupings would be like creating a symbolic link in the system. So for every grouping, we create a a reference to that same student. So we. we have the students in different groups and groupings. But they're all referring to this. All the references to Darrell in your courses as pointing to the same. So person they're not. I'm not being copied or cloned. Is that helpful as part of the metaphor? How many people are familiar with that kind of did you just have you? Do you call that from 3 30 CS. 3, 30. Anyone. So can you tell? Dame's written set like, send to or move to? Yeah. Okay. so I don't want to. I don't want to cause any. And in I don't want to have anyone relive painful memories. But for the most part, maybe teachers are not the ones who are going to understand that. So what? How can we convey that, or what would it be like? So send to or move to? What? What what about those. Can you explain those a bit more? Okay? So like, yeah, Urls, that we're we're linking. So we have a resolvable yeah, URL for each student. And then that's put into groups and groupings. More of a web focus. You think that's more clear for people. Anyone wanna comment on that in the chat I'm sensing. Nobody wants to comment. Okay. So if we have students. the collection of students or individuals in the class as a set of but say, web pages. So then, the groupings we create are they are the groups and groupings we create? Are they separate from the web pages? So we just manage the organization of the of the links. and would we be able to divide. to divide the or compose groups and groupings? Sophie said. there's a grouping for CS. 4, 28, and grouping for 7, 30. Could we then say that there's a grouping? There's a class grouping that contains CS. 4, 28, and CS. 7, 30 groupings. So could we nest them? Would that make sense? So I think that's so. Let's test that metaphor out. So Micaelo said. So the students are web pages which are like book marks and groups of, or folders of bookmarks we create in the browser. So does that seem. Can we discuss that a bit to see whether that seems like a good metaphor for dealing with students and putting them in groups. Okay, so you have a bit of support for that idea. Okay. well, I don't want to. So that's a possible way to think about this. So in your courses at present, we can't nest groupings. So I've tried that. and it doesn't work. That's why I have created. So I created assignments 4, 28. Oh. I didn't switch back my sharing. Sorry. So for the groupings in the class. I've created assignments. and I tried to make assignments contain assignments for twin aid and assignments. 7, 30. But I couldn't do that. So I created the one here. Same thing. Here I did projects 4, 28, and project 7, 30 as a way to add a bit more structure. But I wasn't allowed. and so that to be combined grouping. I'll show you how that works or why I created it. That's how I came up with the project groups to begin with. So I said. auto create groups. So the add sign is the letter. So create a number of groups. No, we won't create. We'll create based on members per group. And we want groups of 4 students. And then we can select a grouping to be combined select members from group soul. not from a particular group inside that grouping. So it seems like I could. I didn't want to do this, so I didn't check it, but it seems like it's not respecting the choice of grouping here. because I don't think these are compatible where they might beep uncompatible, and I'm not sure it will happen. Then let's try it. A at sea ship. We'll just do preview. There are no civil users witness in the selected role. Let me see if changing this to none. Oh. now there are. Okay. Let me switch back to here. Let's test this again. Okay. none. Preview. Okay? So then that's how I made. I can make some groups then. So that's why I put I created that to be combined grouping. Okay? So the metaphors like the one we discussed about the bookmarks and bookmarks organize in folders? If we have a comprehensible metaphor like that. does that help? Does it help the users. Does it help you to think about how to work with groups? Does it influence how you develop a mental model of the workings of the group mechanism. So think about on Tuesday, when we went through, and we describe the metaphor as complicated, unintuitive. and so on. And then think about today with students have their Ids on the Ur course system, and we can link to them. So grouping them is like organizing bookmarks in a series of nested folders. So a question about the bookmark analogy. the question of the book? I'll answer the question in second question with the bookmark. Analogy is, if we organize. say, the individual students into 18 groups of 4. Which is our case approximately. can we can we work with bookmarks that? And we work with bookmarks in folders at different levels. So okay, the example I'm thinking of, let's say. in our case 4, 28 has 9 groups of 4. So that's straightforward, too. And we want to create groups of 4? Can can we use the metaphor to think about combining 2 groups of 2 to make a group of 4, and to a group of 2 and 2 groups of one to make a 4 with that. would that be possible that we could think about in our metaphor of organizing bookmarks. And so the question about can we have one student be part of multiple groups? So I would say. yes, that's so. Yes, we could have students be part of multiple groups. But maybe we want to have the condition that every student is only in is in one. And only one group inside a grouping. Does that make sense? And then so the problem here that you're asking about from the chat I'm reading. you're asking about the fact that we're moving the folders and not the book marks themselves. When we have nested groups. I'm gonna try and draw something. I can play a chime for raised hands. But I can't. It doesn't give me the chance to change the doorbell for new entries. anyway. Baker urge. So I'm not. Gonna I'll see if I can make this work here. So this is a group of or so we have. or try and draw it. And this is a group of 4. This is a group of 2. So who can see my right, my diagram? Here. let me let me try instead of me trying to find my Powerpoint and open it up and draw something on the screen. Does that make sense? Okay? So a metaphor doesn't have to work exactly. Yes. just needs to be close enough to think about. so that people can transfer the general ideas from from the familiar concept to the new interface. So in the case of making a group of 4 from from 4 student, from 4 students. we can create the group of 4 as some kind of separate or new entity. And so with where we have the group of 2 plus 2 individuals we have, we could have the group of 2 be created as a new entity. Then, when we're making groups. We can use these other entities as well. So we could have the 4 individuals become a group of 4, and we could have 2 individual, the group of 2 plus 2 individuals become a group of 4. I'm not saying that we have to have a perfect metaphor for that. and I encourage you to think to brainstorm about things, and let's ideas that are further out out in left field, so to speak. Don't discard them right away, and just think about the implications. So for the project. I'm asking you to take a part of the groups interface. So focus on one activity in that piece of the interface. so it might involve. and brainstorming and conceptualizing new metaphors for groups in general to support the activity. the identity, the activity you identified. and your new designs for that activity, the interface for that activity. so creating groups. managing groups. assigning markers to groups. sorting by groups. checking that groups for an assignment have everybody in one and only one group. so we don't have the bug that message by so scrolling through the whole list. So when I get that error message that says you've required a group to submit. but not everybody's in a group or or in on either. Some people are not in a group or there in more than one group. So then, I have to go. This is the way that I understand how to fix it. To go through the list of groups, and there's a message there. either not in a group or in more than one group. Then I have to go to another page to see which groups the person is in anyways. So the other fertile addition, an additional fertile ground for project ideas is looking at the mobile interface. So please don't send me direct messages. Would it be helpful to make to due date next Thursday instead of Tuesday? Okay, so any questions about that. So trying to keep it focused. So we're just looking at a particular aspect of the group's interface and the user as a teacher. you can. you can look to me for details. You can ask me about my experience. So I just want to give you a an experience of going through some of the these steps. So are there questions about that? Should we want? So I can talk to people individually about issues that's do the breakout rooms. And let's create 18. Let me create 18. I'll let you choose your room. But now I realize that that it's groups aren't numbered. So let's so a a one through 9, you can use the the number of your group there. so that takes care of the first 9 rooms. then the next 3 are the 7 30. So that's 1011, 12, and then 13. Through 18 are projects A, BC, DE, and F. OK. I'm going to open the rooms, and I'll come around.

Zoom Chat Transcript

• Morning
• morning
• Good morning Daryl
• good morning
• Good morning sir
• doing all right
• Can you hear the doorbell sound on the audio?
• Replying to "Can you hear the doo..."
• Cannot hear it
• Morning
• yes
• Yes
• time + tragedy = comedy
• Reacted to "time + tragedy = com..." with ☝️
• Reacted to "time + tragedy = com..." with ☝️
• too soon
• yes
• Any questions about project groups?
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with ❌
• better?
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with ❌
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 👎
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with ⛔
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 🙅
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 🙅‍♀️
• Reacted to Any questions about ... with "💀"
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 🙅‍♂️
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 💀
• Can you give more details about Project please?
• Reacted to "Any questions about ..." with 🙅‍♀️
• This definitely seems the most similar in structure
• it's more like the Send To... or Move To... function
• pointers? lol
• trauma flashbacks, sorry
• Would another example be more like links? if each student was a page that we were linking to?
• So the students are webpages which are like bookmarks, and Groups are folders of bookmarks we create in the browser?
• Reacted to "So the students are ..." with 👍
• Replying to "So the students are ..."
• Reacted to "So the students are ..." with 👍
• Can we have one student be a part of multiple groups?
• So is the problem here that you're asking about the fact that we're moving the folders and not the bookmarks themselves when we have nested groups?
• If yes, then the metaphor doesn't quite work, as I believe browsers not allow one bookmark to be in multiple folders.
• I can see it
• I'm starting to worry about how that's going to affect the other due dates
• I have many project based classes this semester and I have to plan my time very carefully, too much stuff due all at once could kill me lol
• I don
• I don’t want that! For anyone! Let’s keep it where it is now.
• Professor, I need some more time for it. I will not be able to complete it. It will be better for my group if you extend some time for this current project only.
• we join by our assignment group name?
• Dorcas, use room 5
• Patrick room 1
• May I know 730Asgn 1 which room?
• 10
• Thanks
• which room is 730Asgn 2 ?
• you are muted sir
• Sorry my internet is not stable that's why I went out suddenly.

Responses

What important concept or perspective did you encounter today?

• Today we continued the discussion about the project and specifically what is required for it. We need to come up with the metaphors for using Groups or Groupings feature in UR Courses, and analyze how it would impact the interface design.
• mental mondels
• Project
• Discussed about group project and breakout room
• Learning about the group error that was fixed
• About how best the UR courses structure can be described and the group assignments
• a further look into moodle groups on urcourses
• Important concept I found was mental models and more details on it and its functions
• Detailed discussion About the project
• I was able to meet with my group and discuss some things with you and my group
• The important perspective I got to know is the metaphors and all about it and how it works and uses
• Today I will start working with my group to narrow down the focus for our assignment, and start colaborating on the work involved.
• About metahors regarding the design
• talked about grouping feature, talked about assignments, projects and project group issue on urcourses
• A little more about the empathize assignment and what we should be striving for as far as requirements and parts that could be looked at for a redesign
• Talked more about metaphors and Moodle of URCourses. Hepting guided us through the assignment and the groupings and assigned us to breakout rooms near the end.
• metaphors of urcourses
• Today we discussed the nuances of metaphors and how they can be used to describe confusing or unintuitive interfaces, and how you can be creative when determining the proper metaphor for an interface.
• The importance of metaphors
• I encountered the metaphors used in URCourse. I found it is very challenging and interesting when discussing about metaphors.
• It was interesting to learn about metaphors
• Today's talk on groups and how we organize them was really helpful. We had a good conversation, sharing ideas and learning from each other. It was a valuable discussion.
• We talked about creating and organizing groups in today's lecture. In the breakout room, we also had a fruitful conversation.
• Mental models and how they affect our perception differently, so designing for different models is hard to anticiopte
• The mental models and their importance pertaining to interaction design!
• More project discussion, breakout rooms
• An important perspective I learned today is that for UR Courses groups, the metaphors are that students are bookmarks and that groups are folders.
• In today's lecture we discussed about Metaphors, Mental Models the Project doubts session at last. However the project was understandable after today's lecture and had a lot of clarity.
• Mobile interface project and Project Due
• UR Courses
• The concept of metaphors to explain processes
• We discussed the groups metaphor, which organizes students in groups like folders and website bookmarks.
• the concept of groups interface's metaphor and mental model
• learn more about Metaphors, Groups and Grouping in URcourses.
• learned more abut metaphors

Was there anything today that was difficult to understand?

• Coming up with suitable metaphors is not as easy as it seems.
• Everything was easy to understand
• no
• No
• No
• nope
• I did not found anything difficult today
• NO
• The quiz answer confused me since “complicated” and “unintuitive” are not really metaphors so a explanation would be nice
• Todays class was basics
• No
• The project grouping
• not at all
• A little confused about the breakout rooms at the end of class since I left to go to the bathroom and came back with almost nobody in the main zoom room, but it was eventually figured out that what needed to be done.
• no
• I was a little confused about what we were supposed to be doing in the breakout rooms LOL
• Not particularly
• No, everything was straight forward.
• When talking about group featuring i was still a littlwe bit confused and by the end when joining a breakout room I did not know what to do since I was the only one from my group was was there.
• No there was nothing difficult to understand
• No
• Does everything have metaphors and does a good design need to link back to one ?
• Not today!
• I found it difficult to understand how metaphors still stand even if they do not make sense once functionalities change. For example, in class talking about websites and bookmarks.
• No.
• Not really for today's lecture, concepts were clear and just again if we get the final exam syllabus early on that would be really appreciated as a lot practice will be required for the same.
• No
• None
• No
• There were no difficulties to understand today.
• no
• no
• no
• Didn't quite understand what we were suppose to do in the breakout rooms.

Was there anything today about which you would like to know more?

• Later on when we get to the third part of the project, would like to have some clarification in what format our final product should be.
• Not at this moment.
• no
• No
• No, all the topics were thoroughly discussed
• how to approach the upcoming project
• I would like to know more about project
• NO
• I want to learn more about the metaphor design since I am sort of confused on how to translate designs into metaphors or how to design something based off of a metaphor
• I would to know more about mental models
• Still working on bringing the group together to get started
• About why we are in multiple groups
• nope, everything was upto the point
• Not really, the assignment is still a bit confusing but once I meet again with my group to better figure out the task at hand things should be going well.
• no
• Not especially
• No, there isn't anything.
• I would love to learn more about the upcoming assignments and human centered communication
• No
• Some more on the upcoming larger project
• Everything was clear today
• No.
• Yes, as discussed in class as well, metaphors and mental models are really important topics even for the final exam and will be helpful for the further courses.
• I want to know more about research credit
• More about the grouping feature on UR Courses
• How to come up with metaphors to use for explaining design processes
• I would like to know more about the project since it was quite unclear at the end of today's lecture.
• no
• no
• yes would explore more about groups on ur courses
• Metaphors when dealing with design and how to establish better ones everyone can understand.