The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology... more The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology in the design of that technology. Thi* paper presents a case study of the participatory design of educational software and discusses guidelines derived from federally-funded formal research on participatory design projects. The case study involved the introduction of new computer technology (a newspaper editorial system) into the curriculum of a Boston public high school English department, which previously had no computer technology available in the classroom. In order to adapt the editor-writer model for the classroom, the editorial system needed to be customized. Customizations fell into three categories: information flow, security, and usability. While the design team included both teachers and engineers, the design effort was lead by a former English teacher turned computer scientist. This "translator" enabled the teachers to participate in the customization process by mediating between their language and workplace conventions and those of the software engineers. The formal retrospective study examined this project as well as another project that involved introducing new technology into the classroom. Guidelines for future participatory design projects were derived from interviews of the project participants, which included teachers, administrators, university researchers, and corporations. (Contains 15 references.) (AEF)
This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-bas... more This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-based learning to benefit the students, faculty and the local community. This research uses an integrated project-based learning approach to engage students and prepare them for success. This interdisciplinary project has been externally funded and uses a cohort of students and faculty from the Computer Science and the Biology departments to solve a problem pertinent to the local community. It is a work in progress and we present some interesting results from the data collected so far. The project has yielded good results and has changed students' perception of science in that they now better understand its interdisciplinary nature. All the students involved in this project now appreciate the cross disciplinary nature of scientific research. Computer science students understand that what they have learnt in their major can be used in other areas beside pure computer science. Students from other majors see the power of computing and have a better appreciation of computer science. This research project also involves one of the ABET goals to prepare students to address current and future environmental and societal challenges.
Many software applications, especially ones that arise out of technical domains, are difficult fo... more Many software applications, especially ones that arise out of technical domains, are difficult for non-technical end users to comprehend and use. Such users are often dependent on experts who serve as intermediaries between them and the software. Geographical information systems (GIS), for example, frequently require such intermediaries. This project involves the design and evaluation of a new end-user programming environment, with an application to GISs. The project adopts a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach, in which the software builds a program representation based on the user's interaction with an application's user interface. The research plan includes evaluation of a prototype of the PBD environment, implementation of the environment, and evaluation of the PBD approach via empirical studies.
This paper presents au empirical study of a programming by demonstration language for a geographi... more This paper presents au empirical study of a programming by demonstration language for a geographic information system (GIS). The long-term goal of the project is to enable non-technical end users to exercise the capabilities of a GIS without having to learn the technical concepts that are embedded in most traditional GIS interfaces (Traynor & Williams, 1995). The programming by demonstration language is an extension of the Pursuit language introduced by Modugno for file management in the Macintosh Finder (Modugno, Corbett & Myers, 1996). The extensions permit the display of textual information in tables and of cartographic information on a map. The purpose of the preliminary study reported here was to determine whether programmers could read, edit, and create programs in the programming by demonstration language. Subjects' performance on the program comprehension tasks and the editing of simple programs was error free. Errors in the editing of more complex programs and in the program creation tasks indicate that some of the language constructs may need to be redesigned. Subjects' opinions of the programming by demonstration language were generally positive, as indicated by post-test questionnaires. We conclude that programming by demonstration is a promising approach for a GIS interface.
Geographic Information System (GIS) software evolved out of the fields of geography, cartography,... more Geographic Information System (GIS) software evolved out of the fields of geography, cartography, and database management. As a result, off-the-shelf GIS software requires the user to have or to acquire considerable knowledge of these fields. Navigation through the interfaces of most off-the-shelf GIS software is difficult because they support a system architecture view, rather than a view of the user's work. These problems are compounded for users with little computing experience. In many workplaces, a single technical user becomes the local GIS expert, and acts as a surrogate for other users who have neither the expertise to use the software nor the resources to acquire that expertise. In this paper, we summarize our analysis of what makes GIS so hard to use, and describe our research directions toward designing effective GIS software for non-specialist users.
This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to Geographical Information S... more This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The aim of our approach is to enable non-specialist users to avail themselves of the software without having to resort to the help of expert users. We begin with a story of one group of non-specialist users who encountered difficulty with GIS software. Next we summarize findings of a study of why GIS software is hard for non-specialist users to use. Then we describe in detail the PBD approach for GIS and explain how this component may be integrated into a GIS. Your Wish is My Command
Aim: Long-term survival of renal allografts has improved over the last 20 years. However, less is... more Aim: Long-term survival of renal allografts has improved over the last 20 years. However, less is known about current expectations for long-term allograft function as determined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The aim of this study was to investigate factors which affect graft function at 5 years' post-renal transplantation. The statistically significant factors were then used to construct a predictive model for expected eGFR at five years' post-transplant. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients who received a renal transplant in the Republic of Ireland between 1990 and 2004. Data collected included era of transplantation (1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004), donor and recipient age and gender, number of human leucocyte antigen mismatches, cold ischemia time (CIT), number of prior renal transplants, immunosuppressive regimen used and acute rejection episodes. Estimated GFR was calculated at 5 years after transplantation from patient data using t...
Every year, more historians and scholars in related humanities disciplines are using Geographical... more Every year, more historians and scholars in related humanities disciplines are using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and mapping technology in their research. The field of spatial history/spatial humanities is growing. Yet, many scholars are still unaware of the potential of using mapping technology to interpret the past and further their academic research. Mapping helps us to see the movement of people and ideas over time and thereby raises new research questions. This article seeks to introduce readers to the field of spatial history and to illustrate the potential of GIS by examining the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. In particular, the article uses spatial analysis to add further evidence that Aimeric Picaud, the author of the twelfth-century Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago de Compostela, likely did not make the trip as described in his text.
Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference on Information Technology Education
Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT) education needs to find new ways to boost s... more Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT) education needs to find new ways to boost students' interest in selecting and completing undergraduate degrees in these disciplines. In addition to retaining them in the major, we need to equip them with the right skills and knowledge so they are workforce ready when they graduate. In this paper, the authors present a novel learning model in IT, The IT Experience Course. Through a unique partnership with the IT department, the course leverages both traditional classroom teaching methodology and internships to form a new style of engaged learning. Engaged learning allows students to participate in real-life activities through collaboration, exploration, and discovery with peers. The course has three components, learning, shadowing/training, and a real world IT experiential project. The three components give the students a better understanding of the diversity of the field of IT, an insight into different career paths, and the confidence to see themselves working in the field through mentorship. The IT Experience Course, can be replicated at institutions across the country since most institutes of higher learning have an IT department, potentially increasing the future IT-capable workforce.
This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-bas... more This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-based learning to benefit the students, faculty and the local community. This research uses an integrated project-based learning approach to engage students and prepare them for success. This interdisciplinary project has been externally funded and uses a cohort of students and faculty from the Computer Science and the Biology departments to solve a problem pertinent to the local community. It is a work in progress and we present some interesting results from the data collected so far. The project has yielded good results and has changed students' perception of science in that they now better understand its interdisciplinary nature. All the students involved in this project now appreciate the cross disciplinary nature of scientific research. Computer science students understand that what they have learnt in their major can be used in other areas beside pure computer science. Students from other majors see the power of computing and have a better appreciation of computer science. This research project also involves one of the ABET goals to prepare students to address current and future environmental and societal challenges.
The phenomenon we call "programming" is not limited to regular professional programmers... more The phenomenon we call "programming" is not limited to regular professional programmers. Farthest away are end user programmers, who program just as a means to an end in their own professions. In between are people with very diverse backgrounds, general education, and programming knowledge. Like professional programmers, they write programs for others as their major job activity. Yet they also share characteristics of end user programmers, such as a strong specialization in one application area. All these "informal programmers" need more study and support to help them maximize their contributions.
This tutorial will introduce participants to the field of GPS/GIS using Google Earth and will pro... more This tutorial will introduce participants to the field of GPS/GIS using Google Earth and will provide guidance to develop a module in Computer Science courses for both majors and non-majors. It will also show how the interdisciplinary nature of these technologies can be used to attract non-majors to Computer Science courses. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with the technology and to create a short lesson plan.
This paper reports on an empirical study of the relative usability of textual and visualquery rep... more This paper reports on an empirical study of the relative usability of textual and visualquery representations for geographical information systems (GISs). Non-specialist usersof a GIS typically create information visualizations by trial-and-error. Mass-market GISstypically have either no record of how a display was created, or else a record in an SQLlikelanguage [6]. We have been working for some time on an
CHI '99 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems - CHI '99, 1999
Probabilistic programming aims to help users make decisions under uncertainty. The user writes co... more Probabilistic programming aims to help users make decisions under uncertainty. The user writes code representing a probabilistic model, and receives outcomes as distributions or summary statistics. We consider probabilistic programming for end-users, in particular spreadsheet users, estimated to number in tens to hundreds of millions. We examine the sources of uncertainty actually encountered by spreadsheet users, and their coping mechanisms, via an interview study. We examine spreadsheet-based interfaces and technology to help reason under uncertainty, via probabilistic and other means. We show how uncertain values can propagate uncertainty through spreadsheets, and how sheet-defined functions can be applied to handle uncertainty. Hence, we draw conclusions about the promise and limitations of probabilistic programming for end-users.
The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology... more The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology in the design of that technology. Thi* paper presents a case study of the participatory design of educational software and discusses guidelines derived from federally-funded formal research on participatory design projects. The case study involved the introduction of new computer technology (a newspaper editorial system) into the curriculum of a Boston public high school English department, which previously had no computer technology available in the classroom. In order to adapt the editor-writer model for the classroom, the editorial system needed to be customized. Customizations fell into three categories: information flow, security, and usability. While the design team included both teachers and engineers, the design effort was lead by a former English teacher turned computer scientist. This "translator" enabled the teachers to participate in the customization process by me...
The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology... more The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology in the design of that technology. Thi* paper presents a case study of the participatory design of educational software and discusses guidelines derived from federally-funded formal research on participatory design projects. The case study involved the introduction of new computer technology (a newspaper editorial system) into the curriculum of a Boston public high school English department, which previously had no computer technology available in the classroom. In order to adapt the editor-writer model for the classroom, the editorial system needed to be customized. Customizations fell into three categories: information flow, security, and usability. While the design team included both teachers and engineers, the design effort was lead by a former English teacher turned computer scientist. This "translator" enabled the teachers to participate in the customization process by mediating between their language and workplace conventions and those of the software engineers. The formal retrospective study examined this project as well as another project that involved introducing new technology into the classroom. Guidelines for future participatory design projects were derived from interviews of the project participants, which included teachers, administrators, university researchers, and corporations. (Contains 15 references.) (AEF)
This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-bas... more This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-based learning to benefit the students, faculty and the local community. This research uses an integrated project-based learning approach to engage students and prepare them for success. This interdisciplinary project has been externally funded and uses a cohort of students and faculty from the Computer Science and the Biology departments to solve a problem pertinent to the local community. It is a work in progress and we present some interesting results from the data collected so far. The project has yielded good results and has changed students' perception of science in that they now better understand its interdisciplinary nature. All the students involved in this project now appreciate the cross disciplinary nature of scientific research. Computer science students understand that what they have learnt in their major can be used in other areas beside pure computer science. Students from other majors see the power of computing and have a better appreciation of computer science. This research project also involves one of the ABET goals to prepare students to address current and future environmental and societal challenges.
Many software applications, especially ones that arise out of technical domains, are difficult fo... more Many software applications, especially ones that arise out of technical domains, are difficult for non-technical end users to comprehend and use. Such users are often dependent on experts who serve as intermediaries between them and the software. Geographical information systems (GIS), for example, frequently require such intermediaries. This project involves the design and evaluation of a new end-user programming environment, with an application to GISs. The project adopts a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach, in which the software builds a program representation based on the user's interaction with an application's user interface. The research plan includes evaluation of a prototype of the PBD environment, implementation of the environment, and evaluation of the PBD approach via empirical studies.
This paper presents au empirical study of a programming by demonstration language for a geographi... more This paper presents au empirical study of a programming by demonstration language for a geographic information system (GIS). The long-term goal of the project is to enable non-technical end users to exercise the capabilities of a GIS without having to learn the technical concepts that are embedded in most traditional GIS interfaces (Traynor & Williams, 1995). The programming by demonstration language is an extension of the Pursuit language introduced by Modugno for file management in the Macintosh Finder (Modugno, Corbett & Myers, 1996). The extensions permit the display of textual information in tables and of cartographic information on a map. The purpose of the preliminary study reported here was to determine whether programmers could read, edit, and create programs in the programming by demonstration language. Subjects' performance on the program comprehension tasks and the editing of simple programs was error free. Errors in the editing of more complex programs and in the program creation tasks indicate that some of the language constructs may need to be redesigned. Subjects' opinions of the programming by demonstration language were generally positive, as indicated by post-test questionnaires. We conclude that programming by demonstration is a promising approach for a GIS interface.
Geographic Information System (GIS) software evolved out of the fields of geography, cartography,... more Geographic Information System (GIS) software evolved out of the fields of geography, cartography, and database management. As a result, off-the-shelf GIS software requires the user to have or to acquire considerable knowledge of these fields. Navigation through the interfaces of most off-the-shelf GIS software is difficult because they support a system architecture view, rather than a view of the user's work. These problems are compounded for users with little computing experience. In many workplaces, a single technical user becomes the local GIS expert, and acts as a surrogate for other users who have neither the expertise to use the software nor the resources to acquire that expertise. In this paper, we summarize our analysis of what makes GIS so hard to use, and describe our research directions toward designing effective GIS software for non-specialist users.
This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to Geographical Information S... more This chapter presents a programming-by-demonstration (PBD) approach to Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The aim of our approach is to enable non-specialist users to avail themselves of the software without having to resort to the help of expert users. We begin with a story of one group of non-specialist users who encountered difficulty with GIS software. Next we summarize findings of a study of why GIS software is hard for non-specialist users to use. Then we describe in detail the PBD approach for GIS and explain how this component may be integrated into a GIS. Your Wish is My Command
Aim: Long-term survival of renal allografts has improved over the last 20 years. However, less is... more Aim: Long-term survival of renal allografts has improved over the last 20 years. However, less is known about current expectations for long-term allograft function as determined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The aim of this study was to investigate factors which affect graft function at 5 years' post-renal transplantation. The statistically significant factors were then used to construct a predictive model for expected eGFR at five years' post-transplant. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients who received a renal transplant in the Republic of Ireland between 1990 and 2004. Data collected included era of transplantation (1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004), donor and recipient age and gender, number of human leucocyte antigen mismatches, cold ischemia time (CIT), number of prior renal transplants, immunosuppressive regimen used and acute rejection episodes. Estimated GFR was calculated at 5 years after transplantation from patient data using t...
Every year, more historians and scholars in related humanities disciplines are using Geographical... more Every year, more historians and scholars in related humanities disciplines are using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and mapping technology in their research. The field of spatial history/spatial humanities is growing. Yet, many scholars are still unaware of the potential of using mapping technology to interpret the past and further their academic research. Mapping helps us to see the movement of people and ideas over time and thereby raises new research questions. This article seeks to introduce readers to the field of spatial history and to illustrate the potential of GIS by examining the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. In particular, the article uses spatial analysis to add further evidence that Aimeric Picaud, the author of the twelfth-century Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago de Compostela, likely did not make the trip as described in his text.
Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference on Information Technology Education
Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT) education needs to find new ways to boost s... more Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT) education needs to find new ways to boost students' interest in selecting and completing undergraduate degrees in these disciplines. In addition to retaining them in the major, we need to equip them with the right skills and knowledge so they are workforce ready when they graduate. In this paper, the authors present a novel learning model in IT, The IT Experience Course. Through a unique partnership with the IT department, the course leverages both traditional classroom teaching methodology and internships to form a new style of engaged learning. Engaged learning allows students to participate in real-life activities through collaboration, exploration, and discovery with peers. The course has three components, learning, shadowing/training, and a real world IT experiential project. The three components give the students a better understanding of the diversity of the field of IT, an insight into different career paths, and the confidence to see themselves working in the field through mentorship. The IT Experience Course, can be replicated at institutions across the country since most institutes of higher learning have an IT department, potentially increasing the future IT-capable workforce.
This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-bas... more This paper describes our experiences using an interdisciplinary approach in practical problem-based learning to benefit the students, faculty and the local community. This research uses an integrated project-based learning approach to engage students and prepare them for success. This interdisciplinary project has been externally funded and uses a cohort of students and faculty from the Computer Science and the Biology departments to solve a problem pertinent to the local community. It is a work in progress and we present some interesting results from the data collected so far. The project has yielded good results and has changed students' perception of science in that they now better understand its interdisciplinary nature. All the students involved in this project now appreciate the cross disciplinary nature of scientific research. Computer science students understand that what they have learnt in their major can be used in other areas beside pure computer science. Students from other majors see the power of computing and have a better appreciation of computer science. This research project also involves one of the ABET goals to prepare students to address current and future environmental and societal challenges.
The phenomenon we call "programming" is not limited to regular professional programmers... more The phenomenon we call "programming" is not limited to regular professional programmers. Farthest away are end user programmers, who program just as a means to an end in their own professions. In between are people with very diverse backgrounds, general education, and programming knowledge. Like professional programmers, they write programs for others as their major job activity. Yet they also share characteristics of end user programmers, such as a strong specialization in one application area. All these "informal programmers" need more study and support to help them maximize their contributions.
This tutorial will introduce participants to the field of GPS/GIS using Google Earth and will pro... more This tutorial will introduce participants to the field of GPS/GIS using Google Earth and will provide guidance to develop a module in Computer Science courses for both majors and non-majors. It will also show how the interdisciplinary nature of these technologies can be used to attract non-majors to Computer Science courses. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with the technology and to create a short lesson plan.
This paper reports on an empirical study of the relative usability of textual and visualquery rep... more This paper reports on an empirical study of the relative usability of textual and visualquery representations for geographical information systems (GISs). Non-specialist usersof a GIS typically create information visualizations by trial-and-error. Mass-market GISstypically have either no record of how a display was created, or else a record in an SQLlikelanguage [6]. We have been working for some time on an
CHI '99 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems - CHI '99, 1999
Probabilistic programming aims to help users make decisions under uncertainty. The user writes co... more Probabilistic programming aims to help users make decisions under uncertainty. The user writes code representing a probabilistic model, and receives outcomes as distributions or summary statistics. We consider probabilistic programming for end-users, in particular spreadsheet users, estimated to number in tens to hundreds of millions. We examine the sources of uncertainty actually encountered by spreadsheet users, and their coping mechanisms, via an interview study. We examine spreadsheet-based interfaces and technology to help reason under uncertainty, via probabilistic and other means. We show how uncertain values can propagate uncertainty through spreadsheets, and how sheet-defined functions can be applied to handle uncertainty. Hence, we draw conclusions about the promise and limitations of probabilistic programming for end-users.
The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology... more The emerging field of participatory design is devoted to involving end usr,rs of a new technology in the design of that technology. Thi* paper presents a case study of the participatory design of educational software and discusses guidelines derived from federally-funded formal research on participatory design projects. The case study involved the introduction of new computer technology (a newspaper editorial system) into the curriculum of a Boston public high school English department, which previously had no computer technology available in the classroom. In order to adapt the editor-writer model for the classroom, the editorial system needed to be customized. Customizations fell into three categories: information flow, security, and usability. While the design team included both teachers and engineers, the design effort was lead by a former English teacher turned computer scientist. This "translator" enabled the teachers to participate in the customization process by me...
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Papers by Carol Traynor