Syllabus

Course Description

DM-GY 9103 C / EDCT-GE 2184

Tangible Electronics for Teaching and Learning is a cross-listed course between NYU Steinhardt’s Educational Communication and Technology (ECT) program and NYU Tandon’s Integrated Design & Media program (IDM), combining theory and practice for researching, designing, and prototyping tangible educational technology. Students will gain an understanding of theoretical frameworks and best practices for undertaking a practice-based research project in educational technology. 

Learners will analyze a learning context, identify learning objectives, conduct primary research, and work collaboratively with a “client” in the field to develop and iterate on prototypes of tangible and interactive designs for learning. Students will learn techniques for rapid prototyping, including techniques for brainstorming, mocking up ideas with low-fi materials, and will gain an introduction to the Tandon MakerSpace and IDM & ECT Design spaces. Students will also gain an overview of physical computing, including how to use microcontrollers to interface with our surroundings through sensors and actuators, in order to implement their designs and gain educators’ and learners’ feedback.   

Objectives 

At the end of this journey students will be able to: 

  • Describe & Compare various types of tangible devices for learning and their affordances
  • Choose & Implement user research methods to understand a learning context 
  • Identify factors that influence the learner experience 
  • Design & Prototype tangible technologies using the physical computing tools (e.g. Arduino)
  • Design, Conduct & Synthesize user research studies 
  • Identify & Connect relevant learning theories with various types of tangible electronics and their learning context 

Instructors

Instructor Office Office Hours
Kayla DesPortes [ECT] 370 Jay – 5th Floor – rm #529 By Appt 
Benedetta Piantella [IDM] 370 Jay – 3rd Floor – rm #357 By Appt through G Cal

Class Meetings 

TIME: Mondays 2:00 PM – 4:50 PM [2hrs 50min] 
DATE: September 9th – December 9th 
LOCATION: Brooklyn Campus 370 Jay Street, 5th floor, room #540
WEBSITE: https://wp.nyu.edu/tangiblesforlearning/
SLACK: https://tangibles-nyu.slack.com (invite link here) 

Learners will meet once a week throughout the semester for 2hrs 50min. Generally, the first half of the class will be organized around a discussion and activity session and the second half of the class will be organized around a design/construction lab session that will focus on hands-on design research and prototyping. 

Topics & Discussions

Learners will engage with engineering, design, and learning sciences concepts and theories throughout the semester. Students are expected to complete them ahead of class meetings so that we can engage more deeply with the concepts during the class activities. These discussions and activities will be interactive and require learners to draw on what they took from the readings. Students will work through activities collaboratively to solidify and build on their understanding. 

Design & Construction Lab

Learners will also be working on designing, prototyping, and building educational technologies throughout the semester. The course is designed around physical prototyping and computing platforms like the Arduino ecosystem & community. Learners will learn the basics of programming by engaging with various electronics components alongside knowledge and skills around prototyping tools, techniques and materials. 

Supplies

Provided Supplies

  • Arduino boards & other microcontrollers will be available for in-class use 
  • An array of digital & analog inputs and outputs will also be available for in-class expertimentation
  • Additional kits which can be borrowed from the IDM Design Lab & Equipment Room:
    • Arduino Uno kits
    • Arduino Nano kits
    • Wearables kit with Circuit Playground
    • IoT kits with Particle Photon and Feather board
    • Jetson Development kit
    • Metro kit 

Suggested  Supplies

Grading 

Evaluation & Grading Policies

All work assigned is to be completed and delivered at the beginning of class on the date listed on the website. If your project or assignment is late, you will automatically lose 50% of the possible points on the first day, and 100% after 24 hours. This applies to all of the projects and assignments in the class. Makeup assignments are only available when discussed with and approved by the instructors in advance of the due date.

Class assignments and students’ work will be judged based on the following criteria:

  • Effort, experimentation and level of completeness
  • Primary and Secondary research thoroughness, quality and rigor
  • Strength and communication of original concepts and ideas
  • Meaningful incorporation of research and feedback findings into project iterations 
  • Overall execution, technical and aesthetic quality of prototypes
  • Quality of presentations and of documentation materials, as well as clarity of communication and writing
Grading Breakdown 
Participation  5%
Reading & Discussion 10%
Assignments 25%
Group Design 60%

Grading Scale

A (95-100) Excellent work that meets or exceeds expectations
A- (90-94) Very good work that meets most expectations
B+ (87-89) Good work that meets most expectations
B (83-86) Satisfactory work that meets most expectations
B- (80-82) Average work that meets some expectations
C (77-79) Work is below standard expectations

Participation 

  • Actively participating in class time labs and discussion
  • Contributing asynchronously by commenting and providing feedback on other people’s work (e.g. via Slack)
  • No more than one unexcused absence, as per the attendance policy below 

Assignments 

  • MakerSpace Training – 5% (due Sept 23)
  • Analog Manipulatives – 6% (due Sept 30)
  • Interactive Electronics: Inputs & Outputs – 6% (due Oct 15)
  • Interactive Electronics: Learning Game – 8% (due Oct 28)

Attendance

You cannot participate or contribute if you are absent from class. Each student is allowed one unexcused absence. Each unexcused absence afterward will result in a letter grade reduction (e.g., B –> B–). If you need to miss class because of illness or other emergencies, please let us know and it will not count towards your absences. The pandemic has taught us how important it is to be flexible and take care of oneself and others by staying home if when feeling unwell. If you are sick, but don’t want to miss class please reach out to us and whenever possible we will make arrangements such as Zoom* (when possible). 

If you are experiencing any other situation that merits an exception to the attendance policy, please contact one of your instructors by email so they can point you to the right resources. If you are experiencing a situation that might affect your academic performance (including excused absences, religious accommodation, medical leaves, academic misconduct, and general health and wellness), please contact eng.studentadvocate@nyu.edu (for Tandon students) or ALT Student Services altstudentservices@nyu.edu (for Steinhardt students). A coordinator will reach out to your instructors and advocate on your behalf. 

Zoom Attendance* 

For students in extenuating circumstances (i.e. cannot return to NY due to travel restrictions, have been instructed to quarantine due to COVID exposure) Zoom attendance can be an option. As per NYU policy, Zoom attendance should not be used as an alternative to in-person attendance, for example, if you oversleep. If you are not sure which circumstances apply to you, please reach out to us directly. If you are attending via Zoom, please utilize the microphone, Zoom chat and/or Slack to maintain an active presence and fulfill your participation requirement.

Technology Use

Laptop computers and other mobile devices are invaluable tools for students when used responsibly. However, this technology can also be incredibly distracting in the classroom. When in class, you may use your laptops and other devices for any activities pertaining to the course: taking notes, researching material, discussions, making class presentations, etc. However, the following uses are unacceptable: checking email, instant messaging, texting, using social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. When your classmates are presenting, please close your laptops and put away your cell phones. Do not take or post images of classmates’ work or of community partners under any circumstances, unless you have their express permission. 

Generative AI Use

Caution on AI Usage: While AI tools offer powerful capabilities, it is crucial to be aware of their limitations and implications. These tools can exhibit biases, produce inconsistent responses, and raise concerns regarding intellectual property and copyright infringement. Furthermore, the environmental impact of AI, due to the substantial energy required for training and maintaining these models, cannot be overlooked. These factors collectively highlight the importance of using AI responsibly and critically, ensuring that reliance on these tools does not compromise the integrity of your work or contribute to broader ethical and environmental issues.

In the context of this course the following guidelines should be used when considering generative AI tools use:

  1. Original Content: You may not use AI tools to generate content for creative as well as written response assignments, except for occasional assistance with language translation. Presenting AI-generated content as your own without disclosure will be considered a violation of New York University’s academic integrity policies and will result in a failing grade for the assignment without the possibility of appeal.
  2. Acceptable Uses: AI tools may be sparingly used in the initial stages of research, idea generation, drafting, and language translation. However, you may not rely on AI output for significant portions of your assignments unless it is a necessary component of your project concept. If you use AI at any stage (including initial stages, drafting, language translation, or final form), you must properly cite and disclose this use. Include details on the specific tool and version used, as well as the nature of your usage (e.g., programming code, image generation, text/writing). Citation should reference both the platform and any creator names or references.
  3. Learning and Development: While AI could aid in various stages of your project, your primary focus should be on developing original designs, critical thought, and learn to articulate your own visions and perspectives. Relying too heavily on AI tools will absolutely hinder your growth in these essential skills and your overall educational experience. The aim of this course is to foster practice, confidence and deeper expertise in engaging in real world learning contexts with real people and therefore learn far beyond what AI can provide.

Academic Honesty

Please review NYU’s School of Engineering’s academic dishonesty policy in its entirety. All work for this class must be your own and specific to this semester. Any work recycled from other classes or from another, non-original source will be rejected with serious implications for the student. Plagiarism, knowingly representing the words, media, or ideas of another as one’s own work in any academic exercise, is absolutely unacceptable. Any student who commits plagiarism must re-do the project for a grade no higher than a D. In fact, a D is the highest possible course grade for any student who commits plagiarism. Please use the MLA or Chicago Manual of Style for citing and documenting source material.

Academic Accommodations

If you are a student with a disability who is requesting accommodations, please contact New York University’s Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212-998-4980 or mosescsd@nyu.edu. You must be registered with CSD to receive accommodations. Information about the Moses Center can be found at www.nyu.edu/csd. The Moses Center is located at 726 Broadway on the 2nd floor. 

Inclusion Statement

NYU values an inclusive and equitable environment for all our students. We hope to foster a sense of community in this class and consider it a place where individuals of all backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, religious and political affiliations, and abilities will be treated with respect. It is our intent that all students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. If this standard is not being upheld, please feel free to speak with one of the instructors, we value your input.