CoDa: Collaborative data interpretation through an interactive tangible scatterplot

Abstract

Tangibles can model abstract structures. One educational subject where this can be utilized is instruction on data visualization interpretation. Data physicalizations, tangible representations of data, offer graspable handles for the users to manipulate data visualizations directly so that they can better understand what information they hold. However, investigations on the applicability of interactive data physicalizations in educational settings are still sparse. In this paper, we explore how students reason with an interactive tangible scatterplot through a collaborative data interpretation tool, CoDa. We report the design, development, and the user experiences in an exploratory study where 11 students, in groups of 2 to 4, completed a data analysis task with CoDa. The qualitative results show insights in the process of data interpretation, how interaction with the tangibles influenced these data interpretations, how the system aided collaboration and, overall user experience. We believe the results and implications offer a step towards nurturing future educational applications on interactive data physicalizations.