points to make

Christopher G. Atkeson (cga@cc.gatech.edu)
Fri, 5 Apr 1996 08:07:21 -0500 (EST)

Here are some things that have become clear in doing Classroom 2000
Gregory, you might want to start making a list of these things for
the papers.

1) There is already lots of related material out on the web.
1A) even at Georgia Tech we have prerequisite courses and earlier versions
of the same course on the web (with notes).
See Lecture 3 of 3361 for examples:
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs3361_96_spring/lecture-3.html
1B) plus there is a great deal of related stuff on the web, including
similar courses doing the same material at the same time (almost identical
assignments the week before).
See lecture 2 of 3361
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs3361_96_spring/lecture-2.html
where I found many solutions to my assignment 2 on the net, including a
course in Hawaii that did the same assignment the month before.
http://spectra.eng.hawaii.edu/~alex/Courses/EE604/Spring96/pa2.html

2) Audio/video recording can augment the notes with recording of impromptu
stuff and deviations from the prepared material.
especially handling interruptions, questions, answers, bugs, demos, etc.
See lecture 3 of 3361 for an unplanned discussion of sex.
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs3361_96_spring/lecture-3.html

3) The prepared material for presentation should not be the same as the
material used for review, either in form or in content.
The material for presentation has to be readable when projected and fairly
terse, as reading lots of text off a wall display is not effective.
The material for review needs to be more like a textbook (readable from
a personal display, have much more explanations, etc).
Maybe we need to develop dual browsers that synchronize review of slides
and "review notes".

4) Good controls for the presenter are important.
4a) Mouse needs to be easy to find.
4b) Presenter needs full time full screen personal display if group display
is used for other purposes or not full screen.
4c) controls need to be able to work with someone with the coordination
and attention level of a legally intoxicated driver. Clicking on small targets
or finding small sliders is a loss.
4d) for slide presentations, page flipping browsers (Ghostview, Classpad) are
okay, but for presentation of notes scribbled on toilet paper (my style)
a scrolling browser (Netscape) is very helpful.

5) Audio alone is often unclear, so video does add value.
I use pronouns and point to the class a lot, saying "you" do this and
"they" do that, ...
This makes no sense if you can't see my gestures.
Also, it is much easier to figure out that I have just been interrupted or
that I am responding to some (inaudible) audience question.

Food for thought,
Chris