Collaborative games, played across multiple co-located mobile devices are gaining popularity because of their location flexibility, low hardware requirements, players’ close proximity, and their promise of generating excitement and collaborative social experience. Even though the integration of spatial device rearrangement (i.e., physically picking up a device and positioning it in another location) in cross-device applications in other domains has demonstrated higher potential for collaboration, this form of interaction remains relatively unexplored in ad hoc cross-device gaming applications. That is because these interactions typically require additional hardware support, which can hinder the ad hoc nature of the cross-device social games. In this paper, we present the iterative user-centred design process of creating an ad hoc co-located cross-device maze exploration game named Snap-To-Eat that supports both on-screen cross-device interactions (e.g., moving elements across devices) and spatial device rearrangement interactions without requiring any additional hardware. We refined the game design by conducting two rounds of workshops, the first with a low-fidelity paper prototype and the second with a high-fidelity digital prototype, with 36 undergraduate and graduate students in total. Findings from both workshops demonstrated that integrating spatial device rearrangement interactions in an ad hoc co-located cross-device game created opportunities for collaboration and engagement among the players, which elevated their overall social experience. These findings also suggested new design opportunities and future research directions for ad hoc collocated cross-device games, e.g., introducing new interactions, as well as exploring the game mechanics in a 3D space to elevate the gaming experience.

Computer-aided simulation-based platforms have been shown to be effective tools for teaching STEM concepts. At the same time, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) platforms encourage different viewpoints and approaches from the learners which can enrich the learning experience in STEM classrooms. The deployment in recent years of networked personal devices such as Chromebooks in classrooms has motivated educators to design collaborative learning tools for these devices. However, prior work has shown that using one-on-one devices may discourage students from talking among each other, which hinders collaboration. To understand the affordances of personal devices for CSCL tools within Biology curricula, we designed a collaborative plant growth simulation application that provides mirrored plant growth simulation views for every group member to facilitate a common visualization. In this paper, we present our findings from an in-the-wild study that evaluated the affordance and usability of the plant growth simulation application and investigated the nature of collaboration and engagement aided through the simulation mirroring feature. Our study results showed that the plant simulation application had high usability and acceptance. Moreover, mirroring the plant growth simulation improved collaboration, generated excitement, and stimulated conversation. We also identified episodes where collaboration was hindered due to off-task activities, troubleshooting, group dynamics, and lack of understanding that led us to outline some potential guidelines to improve the collaborative learning experience for the students in Biology classroom.

Creating effective middle school STEM curricula requires a combination of individual and collaborative learning. Prior studies showed that finding a proper balance and providing uninterrupted knowledge transmission between different learning modes can be challenging in such mixed pedagogical approaches. In this paper, we present a multi-device interactive educational platform named SimSnap to teach biology curriculum to middle school children. SimSnap facilitates interactions among touchscreen Chromebooks to perform in-class individual and group activities. We present a usability analysis study with eight middle school children where they learn about the influence of temperature on tomato plant growth. Our study demonstrated that SimSnap facilitates group discussions to complete collaborative tasks. It also creates seamless knowledge propagation between prior to current tasks to learn about more complex concepts from previous simpler activities. Middle school children gave overall high usability ratings and positive feedback on SimSnap. This study also helped to outline some design recommendations for future improvements of SimSnap.

Providing embodied, interactive experiences for live audiences in traditional performance venues remains an ongoing challenge in the live entertainment industry. This paper presents a proof-of-concept performance piece which engages a seated audience in an embodied, interactive storytelling experience during a live circus show. We used a research-through-design methodology, with the goal of creating a piece in which the audience's actions and the way they collaborate determine the outcome of the performance. We describe our design process and informal evaluation of the piece. We conclude with considerations for designing embodied, interactive storytelling experiences for live audiences that provide a sense of agency and communion, as well as reflections on research through design for live performance.

We present two proof-of-concept narrative VR experiences with a focus on sound-based physical interactions. Responding to a call to expand upon current design conceptualizations, we draw on tangible sound-based design in order to develop considerations for the body and physical environments within VR narratives. We propose that a focus on the actions the player is asked to perform (e.g., touch, stand, kneel, grasp, walk, listen, reach, dance) can contribute to an understanding of VR as a sensory, embodied medium that offers ways to playfully engage with physical reality rather than simulate it entirely.

We present two proof of concept experiences for a virtual reality (VR) game that draws on several medium-specific qualities of mobile, location-based, and tangible storytelling. In contemporary smartphone-VR, experiences are limited by short playtimes, limited interactions, and limited movement within a physical space. To address these limitations, we suggest a reconceptualization of smartphone-VR. Rather than design that deems the smartphone the least capable VR platform, we propose design that adds VR to an already rich mobile storytelling platform. We argue that by drawing on otherwise separate storytelling media, designers can circumvent limitations related to smartphone-VR while also extending the range of smartphone-based storytelling. We conclude by reflecting on possible implications of this extended design space.

Urban planning, and campus planning in particular, can benefit greatly from technology that fosters and leverages collaborative, participatory planning which includes all affected stakeholders. Interactive surfaces such as tabletops and walls, and spaces such as 3D environments are examples of such technologies. Our research aims to explore and assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of such technologies in participatory campus planning. We present here a prototype system that combines the tangible and multitouch surfaces with a virtual world platform to provide a participatory planning approach for campus development projects.