Designing  Learner  Interactions  For  Agent  Based  Computational  

Systems  

Pratim  Sengupta  Mind,  Matter  &  Media  Lab  

Vanderbilt  University  –  Peabody  College  

*  To  integrate  agent-­‐based  modeling  with  K12  science  education  *  Rather  than  teaching  separate  CS  courses,  we  propose  an  

integrated  approach  where  programming,  modeling  and  learning  science  co-­‐occur  

*  Focus  on  long-­‐term  development,  not  just  in-­‐the-­‐moment  learning  

 *  This  requires  rethinking  the  design  of  programming  languages    *  We  have  been  designing  VIMAP  to  address  these  issues  

For  a  detailed  discussion  see  Sengupta,  P.  et  al..  (2013  /  in  press)  [LINK];  Sengupta,  P.  et  al.,  (2012)  {LINK}    

Design  Goal  

*  Agent-­‐based  Computation  *  Phenomenological  Interfaces  *  Presence  &  Immersion  *  Narratives  *  Learning  vs.  Development  *  Learners’  Regimes  of  Competence  

UX  Themes  

*   Visual  Programming  and  modeling  *  Drag-­‐and-­‐drop  interface  for  algorithm  design  *  Dynamic  highlighting  to  support  algorithm  visualization  *  Multiple,   integrated   microworlds   to   support   design   of  

mathematical  measures  *  Image  computation  *  A  version  of  ViMAP  that  focuses  on  media  computation    *  ViMAP  –  Tangible  *  ViMAP  integrated  with  sensors  

Three  Primary  “Modes”  of  Interaction  with  ViMAP  

*  To  learn  more:  

*  Mind,  Matter  &  media  Lab          http://www.vanderbilt.edu/m3lab  *  ViMAP      http://www.visualprogramming.org    Research  reported  here  is  funded  by  NSF  Early  CAREER  Award  #  1150230  

Thank  YOU!