My research interests cover a broad range of areas in educational and creative technology. Through my experience with software design, and particularly since discovering Max, I have created a number of interfaces for the generation, compilation, manipulation, and storage of digital media of all kinds: text, graphics, sound and audio, musical note information, animation, video, 3D design, and hybrids of these media. My goal is to explore the numerous educational and creative possibilities of implementing such interfaces with a variety of audiences. However, with so many possible research angles, I am searching for one that covers a substantial range of concepts without becoming overwhelming. Some possible research questions I have considered include:

-- How does the use of interactivity change the learning experience of users?

-- What kinds of interactivity produce the most meaningful results (educationally, artistically, and regarding enjoyment)?

-- What issues arise in interface design (regarding usability, functionality, and aesthetics)? How can participants provide effective input into the design choices through their own experimentation with the software?

-- How can these interfaces effectively address questions in various disciplines, particularly art, music, film, mathematics, and digital media in general? At present, these are the areas most directly addressed by my particular interfaces, though I plan to incorporate others, including "new literacies" created through text interactivity.

-- What kinds of curriculum integration are possible through such interfaces? Connections between music and arithmetic, for example, are quite strong in my designs, as are those between geometry and visual / spatial art. How can these connections bring new understandings, as well as new enjoyment, to these generally-separated disciplines?

-- How can these modules inform users of the possibilities of custom interface design---that is, how might they provide an effective and engaging introduction to the underlying software design process itself? How does understanding this design change one's understanding of the digital media or disciplines addressed within the interfaces themselves?

Currently I plan to focus upon college-level participants; however, the interfaces are readily adaptable to virtually any age or skill level, so any population may be included in the research. I envision a series of "beta-test" groups for the various interfaces, whereby participants would experiment with the modules (after a demonstration and with accompanying tutorials and other materials); the group would meet again to discuss the various perceived positives and negatives of the interfaces (through anonymous surveys as well as group discussion); adjustments would be made to the interfaces; a second round of testing would occur; another group meeting to discuss the improvements; and so on as appropriate. There are also many possibilities for experimental or quasi-experimental designs: any interface which addresses a particular area (such as multiplication, geometric shapes, rhythmic structures, or color theory, to name a few) could be used within a pre-test / post-test comparison design. The flexible nature of the modules would allow them to adapt to particular curriculum units, including those found in education standards.

Here are some examples of the interfaces / modules I have created or am in the process of developing. All interfaces are interactive and customizable regarding appearance, functionality, presets, automations, recording, etc. This list is by no means exhaustive:

-- Multiplication tables (10 x 10, 8 x 8, 12 x 12, etc.) which allow visual representation of the concepts of row-by-column multiplication, products, subdivisions, etc. These can also be used for addition, subtraction, and division.

-- 2D and 3D geometric shape creators, with areas / volumes, angle measurements, scaling, etc.

-- Sound generation from basic waveforms through additive synthesis, with explanations of the underlying processes; correlations between frequencies, amplitudes, and human hearing; descriptions of periodicity in waveforms; etc.

-- Sound generation through the playback of recorded audio files, in multiple channels, through effects processors, with explanations of how such effects work (these are similar to those found in many commercial audio applications).

-- Graphics and video creation / manipulation through prerecorded media, live capture, or via generation. These may also be subjected to various effects processing.

-- A graphing module which gives precise control over variables in equations, graph resolution and range, etc. Roots of equations and areas under graphs may also be possible.

-- New Literacy through hypertext: an exploration of the creation of new meanings through the deconstruction, reconstruction, collage, and "mashing" of text, in linear and non-linear configurations.

-- Adaptable interfaces which respond to user ratings over time, thus "honing" their generative output towards more "effective" or "enjoyable" results (as perceived by individual or collectives of users). How does the power to affect the interface change the interactive experience?

 

This is only a sampling of my current interests. There are, obviously, a number of possible projects one could pursue using these as a starting point.