Final Report Gina Gross | HCDE 313 ______________________________________________________________________ Goal and Context Distraction while studying and other issues with focus is a burden which all students face. As a student with ADHD and other mental health issues which often affect my schoolwork, it is an issue I am acutely familiar with. A friend of mine who also has ADHD, Mark Ayers, and I were pondering how we could create a tool that could effectively intervene and truly create a positive impact for students who face these issues, and so I decided to use this course as a chance to investigate these issues and conduct some preliminary research. I drew upon some background research as I planned further research of my own. A study by Claire Advokat, et al. found that “good study habits alone, even without stimulants, could overcome the achievement disparity of ADHD students”1, and this intrigued me; if this was found effective for the students who perhaps have the hardest time studying, how could it be extended to all students? I also drew upon research by Annie Beth Fox, et al. and Charles Calderwood, et al. who investigated the effects of technological distractions/instant messaging and multitasking, respectively.2,3 While conducting my research, I focused on undergraduate students at the University of Washington and looked at library study spaces specifically. My key design question began as “how can we help students avoid getting distracted while studying in the library?”, and later was refined to “how can we help students to become and remain immersed in their work while they study in the library?” I will use my preliminary research from this course to inform my own work with Ayers on creating an intervention tool for students. As a student who struggles with focusing and staying focused myself, I have already begun to apply things I have learned from this research into my own life and study routines to improve my own focus and productivity. Method My research consisted of three parts: a field observation, individual interviews, and a survey. For all three studies, my participants were students at the University of Washington, mainly undergraduate students. My field observation followed the structured observation methodology. I stationed myself within three different observation points at Odegaard Undergraduate Library, each with a different environment: The first floor, which has an open-floor plan and a high level of noise and action; the second floor media area, which has students stationed at individual computers with large monitors and a medium level of action; and the third floor, which is a quiet study area and has extremely little noise and action. For each station I sat for 30 minutes, using predetermined areas of focus to guide my observations. I recorded data through photographs, 30 second audio recordings (to compare noise levels), and handwritten note-taking. I later analyzed my data using affinity analysis. For my individual interviews, I interviewed three UW undergraduate students who stated they had recently used the library to study (within the past week), and that they regularly do so. The overall logic of my interview questions was to inquire about students’ own habits, behaviors, desires, and attitudes toward studying. I took audio recordings of each interview as well as taking notes during them, and later had the interviews transcribed for better analysis. I followed the content analysis coding methodology when analyzing these data. Lastly, for my survey I used Google Forms to build the survey itself. My participants were again UW students, but I extended my scope to all UW students (including graduate students). I recruited participants by leveraging my own network of students on Facebook. My questions largely followed the logic of confirming my previous results, extending them to a larger audience, and seeing if my recommendations from previous studies were viable. I mainly wanted to use the larger platform to explore many different students’ attitudes and behaviors. I analyzed my survey results using charts and graphs, and comparing data points against each other. Key Findings and Recommendations Framework of Analysis Research Findings Recommendations Method Field • Self-Distractions were Always • A Gentle Reminder Observation Present • More Flexible Space • Physical Proximity to Work • Separated Solo and Group Work Areas • Environment Affected Distraction Individual • If You’re Not in the Right State of • Attend to psychological needs like adequate Interviews Mind, You’ll Waste Your Time sleep and dieting, and also brief exercise, • Starting is the Hardest Part meditation • Technology is a Blessing and a • Starting Small Curse • Gentle Reminders Surveys • Distraction Types: Mental State is • Students should seek to minimize mental Biggest Factor, followed by self-distractions by limiting access to Technology Use, and Physiological non-essential technology Preparedness. • Meditation before studying may help clear mind • Study Preparation Activities: to make room for less interrupted study sessions. Students Plan and Eat before • While active studying did not show less Starting resistance to distractions, it is still more effective • Passive vs. Active Studying are in comprehension, recollection, engagement with Both Prone to Distractions material, and being a more successful student. Key Finding #1 - Mental Roadblocks were the Greatest Issue In my field observation, I had found that self-distracting behaviors were the one thing that was present regardless of environment. Because of this, and because this behavior is hard to quantify and may be subjective from person to person, I used my interviews primarily as a way to explore this topic. My interviews are where I found the most significant data regarding this topic; all three interviewees stressed that their mental environment, their own self, was the one thing that would truly make or break their study session. They also stated that getting started was the hardest part of a study session for them, and this tied into their own willpower/motivation. “Sometimes I think it’s really to my willpower, how much determination I have beforehand. If I’m not that determined to write up this there’s a higher tendency for me to be distracted.” - JG “I think that is probably how it is for most people who are distracted when they work; their struggle is their own self.” - JG “It’s mostly an internal struggle. (...) Nothing distracts me unless I’m already in a distracted state.” - DM “I think the really important thing is treating your head space like its own environment.” - EK “A lot of the time, what’s really hard is, getting going and producing something.” - EK “Getting started is normally the most difficult thing. Once I kick myself to actually do something it normally goes okay.” - DM “Usually getting started, I would say is the most difficult part. Sometimes I’m a bit of a perfectionist.” - JG “Accomplishing smaller things, like grading for my job or sending emails to my professors or something, will usually help me get in a groove. (...) It’s much easier to say ‘Here are the immediate steps I need to take if I’m going to get anything done on this today’.” - EK This was my most crucial finding, and where the answer to my design question lies within. I used my survey to confirm the assumption that mental environment is the key factor for my audience, and my survey results showed that the assumption was correct and did in fact extend from my three interviewees to a larger audience. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, respondents were asked to rank four different distraction types from 1 (least distracting) to 4 (most distracting). Figure 1 shows the total number of rankings for each distraction type, and Figure 2 shows the average rank per distraction type. Fig. 1: Total rankings per distraction type. Mental distractions received the highest volume of 4s, indicating that a majority of respondents found it the most impactful distraction type. Fig. 2: Average ranking per distraction type. Mental distractions were still the highest ranked overall. Key Finding #2 - Pre-Study Prep was Important This finding arose when I went deeper into mental environment and self-distracting behaviors in my interviews. I found it a recurring theme that my interviewees would mention that overall, when they had physiologically prepared themselves before a study session (e.g., having enough sleep, having enough to eat, physical exercise, etc.) it significantly improved their ability to foster a productive mental environment and stay focused. Similarly, my interviewees had mentioned that getting started with studying was the hardest part, and starting out with a study plan or laying out concrete tasks for themselves to do at the start of a study session improved their ability to start working and get “on a roll”, or more immersed in their work. “If I exercise that day or if I’ve done yoga or if I’ve gone on a bike ride, that totally helps. That totally makes you way more productive throughout the day and less stressed.” - EK “I just do something relaxing [to start off with]. Normally, eat, and then, if my strategy is effective, I’ll get to work after that, and if it’s not, I’ll do more relaxing things.” - DM “[If I’m not focused] I’ll try to clear my mind then somehow by, I don’t know, just sit down and relax and take a few deep breaths.” - JG “If I really can’t focus, maybe I’ll go outside and sometimes like running or doing any exercise can help me. Just relax more.’ - JG “ I start with a very definite achievable task on the list, like ‘I’m going to read all of this’ and then normally that helps me get on the roll.” - DM “Usually before I go I have some plan about what I want to do so I don’t think about it too much. (...) I’m not prepared then I’ll just look at my planner or something. (...) Usually, if I have a plan like on what I wanna work on beforehand then my mind is focused.” - JG My initial recommendations during my interview report largely revolved around these study preparation activities, because through direct statements from my interviewees, they seemed to be some of the most impactful methods to control their number one issue, which was their state of mind. I doubled down on this in my survey study, directly asking my participants which (if any) preparation methods they execute before a study session. A key limitation to consider with this question, as I mentioned in my survey report, was that self reports of no preparation may have been stifled by how the question was built. It was a checklist question, so instead of providing a “None” option, I figured respondents could leave the question blank. However, the question was required so this wasn’t allowed. Some respondents indicated no preparation in the “Other” category; however, I suspect that this self-reporting ended up much lower than was accurate. That being said, I triangulated the results of preparation activities with the frequency of distraction experienced by respondents, as can be seen below in Figure 3. Initially, I thought most students would not have engaged in preparation activities and that those who did would experience less distraction, but that was not the case. Planning and being well-fed before a study session seemed the most common activities, and they were clearly not sufficient in lessening distractions alone. Fig. 3: Study preparation activities vs. the frequency of distraction experienced. As can be seen, certain study prep activities still showed a high correlation to frequent distraction, and very little occurrences of no preparation were reported. However, physiological grounding activities such as meditation and exercise were the least common practices among respondents. When considered alongside my first key finding, where Figures 1 and 2 indicate that internal physiological distractions were still significant for many respondents, it seems that lack of physiological prep can be detrimental, but adequacy does not solve the distraction problem. It seemed that overall, more passive preparation that already fits into one’s routine (e.g., eat, sleep, and planning) were least helpful while deliberate, active preparations such as exercise and meditation had more potential to positively impact. Key Finding #3 - Location, Location, Location A theme throughout all three of my studies was that study environment did impact distraction and ability to focus, though it was not the primary factor. I found in my field observation that location greatly affected the types of external distractions present, and that group study areas were one of the most distracting external factors for solo studiers trying to focus. This was echoed in my interviews, where participants stated a preference for working alone, and working in areas specifically dedicated to studying -- hence their preference of libraries over other study areas such as cafes or their homes. “One of the things that I found is that I have a much harder time concentrating at a cafe, because I am interested in other people and I want to know what the experiences are that other people are having around me right now.” - EK “At home it’s more difficult and there’s more distractions because there’s people around me, so I might just, you know, just forget this work and do something more fun, because it’s like so accessible.” - JG “[I choose Allen] because it’s a very quiet library, and I usually go to the 2nd or 3rd floor where it’s just very quiet and there’s tables, so I can concentrate easily.” - JG “I usually choose Allen because it usually has empty seats in it, and the seats I go to are usually the ones that are just empty cause, I don’t know, it feels awkward to just sit next to someone.” - JG “I prioritize having my own table normally. [...] S omewhere where I can make it quiet if needed be.” - DM While environment was not the focus of my survey, I still made sure to touch on it. I asked students where they most frequently study, and surprisingly (or not), studying at home was the most common by far. While participants did indicate that environmental distractions were the least distracting compared to others, comparing study environment with frequency of distraction did show a strikingly high correlation between studying at home and being distracted (as seen in Figure 4). Fig. 4: Choice of environment vs. frequency of distraction. Studying at home correlated the most with frequent distractions. I also allowed participants to provide additional comments at the end of my survey. Interestingly enough, most of these answers related to how choosing an environment conducive to productivity was important to them. “Many spots in the libraries are too noisy, I have to seek designated silent areas to be most productive.” “I really prefer studying at libraries or in the research commons because it feels like there is a motivating attitude but fewer distractions than home, even with all the people (I guess, fewer things that entice me). Usually, once I get started and into "flow" I can study really well, but I didn't used to be able to do that. Starting and getting past the first distractions is the hardest part, though.” Recommendation #1 - Active Preparation Going out of one’s way to prepare before a study session was less common than passively preparing through activities that already fit into one’s routine. Drawing from my interview and survey results, it seems that taking initiative to engage in grounding activities before studying could be one’s best bet in trying to facilitate a productive mental environment. This recommendation may be a no-brainer but clearly many students do not apply it in their routines. Therefore, implementing these tasks as required (just as required as the work itself) in a study tool may be helpful. I do not know how to truly enforce these activities however. Recommendation #2 - Start Small Again, the idea that getting started was the hardest part was recurrent throughout my interviews and survey responses. Students did indicate that they often planned before studying, but this does not necessarily mean that they always craft themselves a list of small concrete tasks to achieve at the beginning of their study session. I think that perhaps a tool that walks users through their study session by asking them to lay out all that actually needs to be accomplished (so they enter knowing what they need to be working on), and then finding where to actually start and creating a checklist of tasks could be helpful. Recommendation #3 - Choose the Right Environment (Don’t Study at Home) I learned through my survey that while students did often use the library, studying at home was by far the most common practice. While this is tempting because of the convenience, my interviews (as well as some survey responses) showed that this choice was typically more detrimental than helpful. Students, again, should take active, not passive preparatory measures before studying and this includes leaving their house and going to a designated work space. Differentiating where they rest and where they work could potentially lessen distractions. Discussion With these results, it is important to consider that my sample size was small. UW has over 20,000 students and I only interviewed three and surveyed 20. Additionally, as I only looked at UW students these results may not apply to other demographics of students. In regards to my survey results it is important to note that correlation does not equal causation, and so my correlatory results cannot be considered definitive. Additionally as mentioned before, one of my key questions had an error in its construction which may have affected the reporting; as well, self-reporting bias may be present in the survey results, where students may have indicated more productive habits than was accurate. Next Steps As mentioned previously, this research ties into a larger project/question that my friend and I have. We will likely replicate this research in several different environments, and possibly conduct additional research to fill in any gaps. My research was limited largely on a basis of time; conducting three studies over less than ten weeks created an extremely abridged research process, with a small scope by necessity; in the future I would spend more time and be more thoughtful during the process, and widen the scope to at least include non-UW students. Reflection The most important things I drew from this course was the tools it gave me, in the research and analysis methods. As this was my first time doing research and using these methods, there was an aspect of trial-and-error to consider and I likely did not execute all methods as effectively as possible. The time constraint of conducting and analyzing three studies over less than ten weeks also abridged the entire process significantly, and led to the analysis being more rushed than it otherwise could have been. Overall, this is only the first step for me. I will likely replicate this research and use these methods again, now having some practice and familiarity with them. It is much harder and less straightforward than it looks, but I absolutely feel more prepared to conduct future research more effectively. References 1. Advokat, Claire, et al. “College Students With and Without ADHD.” Journal of Attention Disorders, vol. 15, no. 8, 2010, pp. 656–666. 2. Fox, Annie Beth, et al. “Distractions, Distractions: Does Instant Messaging Affect College Students’ Performance on a Concurrent Reading Comprehension Task?” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 12, no. 1, 2009, pp. 51-53 3. Calderwood, Charles, et al. “What Else Do College Students Do While Studying? An Investigation of Multitasking.” Computers & Education, vol. 75, 2014, pp. 19-29. APPENDIX 1: Planning Materials 1.1 Field Research Plan Goal and Context Design Question: How can we help students from getting distracted while studying in the library? I am motivated to conduct this research as lack of focus is a common issue among all college students, including myself. As a student with ADHD, sometimes even when I try to eliminate all distractions (like for example, going to the quiet area of a library), I still find ways to distract myself. So, I was curious to step outside myself and observe how distractions can manifest and affect students overall. Current articles exist which examine the relationship between our technology use and our ability to focus; some which attribute social media and instant messaging to a lower attention span (and thus, greater distractibility) [1,2], and others which look at our use of technology while studying (i.e. multitasking) [3]. These were interesting statements to consider but I wanted to take a holistic look at students in a common study environment (the library) and see what different things come together to create a distraction. More than anything, I just wanted to see what distraction looks like and what, if anything, can be done about it. Every student has difficulty focusing at times, and I think it is valuable to examine what triggers and/or contributes to this behavior. My research questions: - What are the different distractions for students as they try to study? - What do study patterns look like? What core tasks does this consist of? - Are there different kinds of distraction? Are they more habit- or environment-related? - How do people study? (Computer, pen and paper, book?) - Do distractions differ when solo vs. in a group? - How does the built environment affect study behavior? - What triggers a student switching over to another task/getting distracted? - What happens when a student gets distracted? What does that look like? Method The approach I took to conduct this research was structured observation. I visited three different areas of the Odegaard Undergraduate Library and sat and observed for 30 minutes, using predetermined areas of focus to guide my observations. I chose this method of observation because I wanted to observe study behaviors “in the wild”. I will conduct interviews at a later date, but self-reported behavior differs from actual behavior, so I first wanted to just sit and observe. My participants were students at the University of Washington. I visited the library during student-only hours to enforce this criterion. “Student” is a broad category, but all students of the University were considered ideal participants for my study, as my design question reflects “students” as a whole. During my three site visits, I went to three different areas of Odegaard during students-only hours. I went to the open study area on the first floor, the quiet study area on the third floor, and the media center on the second floor. See Appendix 2 for cleaned up field notes and images of my observation areas. I choose these three different areas of the same location because they each present a different study environment. The first floor has an open-floor setup and is a louder, busier, and more casual study environment. The third floor is a designated quiet study area with a different built environment (the student is surrounded by stacks of books, and exam-style desks which separate them from those around them). And lastly, the second floor is a designated media area with a different built environment, filled with rows of computers and in between two flights of stairs. Each site presents a different study environment, and different challenges. These were the areas of focus which guided my structured observation: - Food and Drinks: What do people eat and drink as they study? How does it affect behavior? - Built Environment: What does the space look like? What are students surrounded by as they study? Does the space facilitate separation or are students seated densely? How close is the study environment to an external non-study environment (outside, stairwell, etc.)? What parts of the space are they utilizing? - Possessions: What do people use to study? What do they have with them as they study? Do students bring distracting activities with them? What do they put on the table with them? - Media Consumption: What medium do they use to study? Are they using technology for study or for leisure? What is the on-task to off-task ratio for their tech use, if it can be determined? What kinds of media do they consume as they study (e.g., are they listening to music)? - Tools and Technology: What types of technology is in the space? How does it work? Are the students using it? - Demographics: Who is using the study space? Are they solo or in groups? How many people in the space are studying? How many have come here to study vs. to hang out? - Traffic: How much traffic is in the area? How does traffic affect behavior? - Overall Experience: What is the experience like? What is the noise level? I recorded data through photographs, 30 second audio recordings (to compare noise levels), and handwritten note-taking. Handwritten notes were my primary method of data recording, not only because it is how I personally prefer to take notes, but also because it helped me blend into the study environment. I took photographs and audio recordings as well to capture what my own observations would not (depictions of the visual space, and other things that I may have missed). I analyzed my data through affinity analysis. What this means is I collected factoids from all three observations, laid them all out, and then began to group together ones that were similar or related. I did this to see what patterns would emerge from my three observations. See Appendix 3 for images of my affinity analysis. Results I prioritized my findings primarily based on prevalence. My first finding was something that contributed to distraction in all three observations, something that was present regardless of environment. Therefore, I think acting upon this finding will lead to wider-reaching results, which will pervade and be influential regardless of environment. My second finding was a recurring key component in focused study behavior. I prioritized it in this way because this study behavior appeared to facilitate a “flow” state successfully enough that these students were able to remain focused even in a distracting study environment. My third finding was put last because it confirmed something I already knew: that study environment affects the amount of distractions present. It is still a key part of distractions, but it differs from space to space. Finding 1: Self-Distractions were Always Present While the external distractions varied between the spaces, the students’ ability to distract themselves with their own materials was always present. In all three observations, students had personal technology with them (either phone or laptop) and students would often split their focus between work and leisure, going back and forth between the two. “[A girl] took off her jacket and sat down holding a coffee and her phone. She sat down, looked around at us and played on her phone for a few minutes. After a while she took out her laptop and notebook, and then went back to her phone. She was not typing or writing. Several minutes later, she was still going between her phone (smiling and laughing) and computer.” “A male student had work on the left screen on the computer, and Spotify and Facebook messenger on the right screen. He would periodically go between reading and going on Facebook.” Finding 2: Physical Proximity to Work Through my observations I found that body language and the physical proximity to one’s work had a recurrent correlation to how focused a student appeared. When students were busy and engaged in their work, they were more likely to be in a slouched or otherwise contorted seating position, with their face closer to their work. Students who were not focused more commonly leaned back (away from their computer) with their feet up on the table, or otherwise allowed enough space between them and their work that their phone could come between the two. “One girl sitting near me was looking at her computer and writing in her notebook. … Her phone is not in hand but face down or off on the table. … When she appears focused, she goes between looking at her screen and writing. She is slouched close to her notebook – more focused on her writing than browsing her computer. … [She] has her shoes off and is sitting curled up in her chair.” “[A] group of three at the end of the table […] were talking, sometimes giggling, but seemed focused: They are hunched around the computer, talking and pointing at things on the screen.” Finding 3: Environment Affected Distraction While distractions were present in all three spaces, the kinds of distractions varied greatly and affected the behaviors of students in the environment. The primary external factors that contributed to distraction was noise level/talking and traffic. The first floor was the loudest and busiest environment, and it also had students who were not there to study (just sitting and talking with no study materials) and students commonly engaged each other in non-study related conversation. In contrast, the third floor was completely quiet, and most students were engaged in work. Distracted students were still quiet, and only engaged in self-distraction. The louder and busier the environment, the more students looked away from their work and at their surroundings. “After a while, a boy came and sat next to [a girl who was studying alone]. They appear to be friends. She began talking, and she appeared to be explaining what she was working on … A little while later I saw they were still talking. By now they were completely off task. She was talking about sex and dating, and then about gymnastics and athletics.” “There are two girls sitting on a table (first floor group area) behind me. One girl has her computer out. They have a coffee and a tea. They seem to be off-task. They are talking very loudly about their social life and laughing, despite other students and groups studying around them. They do not have any notebooks out.” Recommendations Recommendation 1: A Gentle Reminder Based on my findings, environment and personal habits both contribute largely to distraction, but personal habit is the one distraction that students can’t just “get away from” by changing location. By having their phone or social media in reach or in view, students are much more likely to go off task, especially if they get pinged. I saw many students on their phone while also working on their computer, or constantly switching back and forth. It is easy for a student to get carried away and spend quite a long time on a secondary task. Because of this, my first recommendation is a software tool that after a few minutes of using a phone or social media, would nudge the student back on task with a reminder notification. This way, the student would not go down a rabbit hole and waste time. The student could indicate when they are supposed to be studying and/or what websites and programs to look out for, and when the software notices prolonged use, it would say something like “It looks like you are getting off task. Try putting your phone away from reach so you can better immerse yourself with your work.” I suggest this instead of a straight blocking program because that would not actually stop the distraction behavior; I know in my experience if I want to take a break and use Facebook I just override the program and it is useless. A tool like this that gives the student some space, but will also nudge the student back towards their use, seems like it would be more effective due to my observations. Recommendation 2: More Flexible Space According to my second key finding, body language and physical proximity to one’s work was an important factor in focused study behavior. When students were able to get comfortable (in addition to blocking out environmental distractions, if necessary), they were much better able to become immersed in their work. Based on this finding my second recommendation is to fit libraries with softer and more flexible furniture. I saw students curled up in chairs, and slumped toward their work; postures which often hurt or feel uncomfortable with hard chairs and tables like most of Odegaard has. If the library had softer furniture that could be manipulated to accommodate different sitting positions more easily, students could more comfortably and more reliably be physically close to their work, and this could potentially help students get situated and immersed in their work. Recommendation 3: Separated Solo and Group Work Areas A recurring issue I saw in the non-quiet study spaces was that groups were much more likely to be loud than solo students. Groups when on-task were not loud and disruptive, but they easily and quickly became disruptive as soon as their discussions went off-topic. Groups would talk and laugh loudly, both when sitting in the space and when moving through the space. Designating group work spaces from solo work spaces could greatly help solo students stay on task by eliminating some of the primary environmental distractions. Groups may just study in a different way than one does when solo, and one group talking may not disrupt another group talking, but it does cause disruption for solo students in the shared space. Designating study areas in this way would allow groups to continue working how they like, while allowing solo studiers to not have distractions that are out of their control. Discussion and Reflection In doing my observations, I gained insight on the different kinds of distractions that students encounter. The one thing I learned that is important for understanding my results is the role environment plays in distractions: I learned that in no way is it the only hurdle that students face, but it sets the scene for all other hurdles and it plays a large role in making the overall experience more easy or difficult. Distractions can and will still arise regardless of the environment but being in an environment that constantly makes students look up from their work does appear to cause direct detriment to focus. The environment is the first thing that will affect the student’s experience. So, that being said, understanding the differences between the spaces I observed is incredibly important for understanding the different contexts and constraints behind students’ behavior, and this is the case for any observations of study spaces that one might make. The same students with the same core habits will still have different study experiences depending on their environment. I think some of the limitations of my results is that it only looks at one specific library which has its own specific environment; while it does have many different study environments within it, Odegaard is still one of the busiest libraries, with many people who come just to hang out and not to study. Suzallo library, for example, has a much different atmosphere and provides more of an individualized environment. While it was out of the scope of this study, I feel that to truly get an accurate picture of study behaviors and where distractions occur, different environments would need to be surveyed. However, the scope of this particular study was specifically libraries. I think that Odegaard having different study spaces was a strength in this study. It allowed me to explore several different perspectives and experiences within the same location. “Studying in the library” can mean many different things depending on where you choose to study, and so being able to explore different settings within the same location helped make this study more realistic to the actual study experience, and more applicable to “libraries” as a whole (instead of just one type of library environment). In my next research study, I would choose different times of day to conduct my study. I chose to do mine during students-only hours so I could specify my participants, but I realize that the evening is not necessarily when most students may choose to study. In the future I would observe in the morning, afternoon and evening. However, choosing an analogous time frame allowed me to explore different parts of the library; if I chose three different time frames, I would stay in the same environment and observe how the times of day create different experiences rather than the different study spaces. I found my research fun because the topic is something that applies to me as well as all students, and so by observing I actually learned things that I will apply to my study habits in the future. For example, I won’t even keep my phone in view when I study because I now see how we get distracted by it without even thinking. I will also choose my environments more carefully; before I would typically go to wherever was convenient, but this study made me realize just how much more disruptive a busy environment is from a quiet one. Loudness I can deal with by using headphones, but sporadic loud noises and constant movement will make me look away from my work and disrupt my immersion. Next Steps Based on my results and recommendations, I really want to explore individual habits in my upcoming interviews. As I mentioned, external environment was one important contributor to distraction, but regardless of environment students were still able to distract themselves. Only by exploring this will we be able to get to the core of why we get distracted. I want to ask about what triggers the switching of tasks, and what makes a flow state start and end for a student. References 1. Fox, Annie Beth, et al. “Distractions, Distractions: Does Instant Messaging Affect College Students’ Performance on a Concurrent Reading Comprehension Task?” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 12, no. 1, 2009, pp. 51-53 2. Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, vol. 107, no. 2, 2008, pp. 89–94. 3. Calderwood, Charles, et al. “What Else Do College Students Do While Studying? An Investigation of Multitasking.” Computers & Education, vol. 75, 2014, pp. 19-29. 1.2 Interview Plan Goal One of the biggest takeaways of my field research was that self-distracting habits were the single distraction pattern that remained consistent across different study environments. While the environment itself did have a large effect on focus through external distractions, I observed that students would still distract themselves regardless of where they were, usually through the use of their own personal technology. In all three environments I observed, whose noise and traffic level varied from high, medium, to low, this same distraction was present. It appeared as though regardless of the study environment, it ultimately didn’t matter where a student was if they were still going to distract themselves. So, while this factor of self-distraction is not the only one that should be looked at, it is the core one that will remain present no matter what other distractions are stripped away. Because of this, I want to use these interviews to investigate the personal habits of students as they study, what their journey looks like, where they face snags and why they turn to another task. I am also curious whether these switches are fully conscious or not. Refined Design Question: How can we reduce self-distractions for students studying in the library?? Research Questions - Why does a student become distracted? What triggers the switch to off-task behavior when studying? - When/where do students face difficulties in their study sessions? - How do students’ belongings impact their study experience? - What are students’ current study experience? What is working? What isn’t working? - What does a student consider their ideal study session / What does a student consider a successful study session? - What do students’ self-distracted behaviors look like? What actions does this consist of? - How do students’ study tools impact their study experience? Participants My ideal participants are students at the University of Washington who use the libraries as their study spaces. This is, of course, because my design question targets users who are students and who use school libraries to study. My two exclusion criteria will be that the participants must be students, and they must be in the library to study. Many students go to libraries to eat, watch TV, play video games, socialize, or rest and if this was the student’s goal for coming to the library I will not include them. Many non-students such as faculty or non-University affiliated adults use the libraries as well to do their own work; these participants will not be included either. I will find my participants by going into the study space (Odegaard Library). The one difficulty here is that I need students who use the space to study, but I do not want to intervene on their actual studying. I think I will either approach potential participants who have packed up and are leaving the library, or students with their materials out who are off-task (if they are taking a break to eat or watch a TV episode, for example). Any recommendations for how I should approach finding participants is appreciated. Method Overall Approach I will try to learn more about my design space by asking students which study environments they choose, which they prefer (if their preferences differ based on their study objectives) and which parts of the space they utilize. (Note: I am not sure if I am interpreting “design space” correctly here.) The overall logic of my interview questions will be to inquire about students’ own habits, behaviors, desires, and attitudes toward studying. I would like to know students’ objectives as they study, and what contributes to their choice of study space. I also will ask students what tools they use to study and the reasoning behind their choices. The largest thing I will need to consider as I conduct my interviews is that self-reported behaviors, desires and motivations differ greatly from actual behaviors, desires, and motivations. Particularly as my topic focuses on distraction, it is likely that many of my key behaviors here might not be reported accurately by the student because they don’t realize when they become off-task. By nature of distraction or non-focus, students likely aren’t paying close attention to their behaviors, so asking what actions their study and distraction behaviors consist of might not lead to the most accurate answers. Most of all, the key behavior I’m curious about is the trigger moment where a student goes from on- to off-task, and I don’t know how accurately students will be able to determine this as the switch is likely unconscious. Questions - What libraries do you go to to study? o Why do you go to these libraries? - How do you choose where to study? - Can you walk me through your last studying experience? o What types of activities do you do? Do you read, do you write? o Is this a typical experience? o Does this relate to how you choose your study spaces? - What tools do you use to study? (Analog vs. digital) o Why do you use these tools? o What are your favorite tools to use? o What tools do you feel help you the most to study? o What tools do you dislike using? o Are there any tools that you feel make work harder for you? o Why? - How do you get started with your studying? o Can you tell me how you start to focus on your work? o What helps you get immersed in your work? o What does it feel like when you get immersed or “in the zone”? o How easy is it for you to get fully immersed in your work? - Walk me through a typical study session. What does it look like? o Where do you come across difficulty? o What are your objectives as you study? - What items do you keep with you as you study? o How often do you reach for these items? o How do these items affect your study experience? - Do you ever experience distractions when you study? o What distracts you? o What does this look like? o How do you get distracted? o How does the technology you use affect your distraction? - What is the hardest or most frustrating thing you encounter when you study? o What makes you want to switch tasks? o How often do you come across difficulties as you study? (These are just preliminary questions. There are more things I would also like to ask about but this depends on the time allowed for interviews. I will send any additional questions to my TA.) Data Collection I plan to take hand-written notes as well as audio record my interviews. I personally prefer to take handwritten notes because it helps me remember things better, and it also allows me to highlight and take note of the most important and interesting points in real time. I will audio record as well because handwriting will not capture everything and relying only on my own notes will bias the data I am drawing upon. Audio recording will allow me to go back to any part of the interview I found interesting or confusing. Work Back Schedule Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat/su n April 23 24 25 26 27 28,29 Interview Plan Conduct interviews, clean Due up notes, analyze data May 30 1 2 3 4 5,6 Write Report 7 8 9 Interview Top Line Report Due References 1. Advokat, Claire, et al. “College Students With and Without ADHD.” Journal of Attention Disorders, vol. 15, no. 8, 2010, pp. 656–666. 2. Fox, Annie Beth, et al. “Distractions, Distractions: Does Instant Messaging Affect College Students' Performance on a Concurrent Reading Comprehension Task?” CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 12, no. 1, 2009, pp. 51–53. 3. Calderwood, Charles, et al. “What Else Do College Students âDoâ While Studying? An Investigation of Multitasking.” Computers & Education, vol. 75, 2014, pp. 19–29. 1.3 Survey Plan Survey Plan Gina Gross | HCDE 313 ______________________________________________________________________ Goal Refined Design Question: How can we help students to become and remain immersed in their work while they study in the library? In my field research, I discovered that while the environment and external distractions played a role in whether a student would get distracted or not while studying in the library, the one behavior that was the most prevalent and universal was self-distraction. In my interviews, I got to ask students about their experiences myself, and I found that once again self-distraction was the issue they had the most trouble with. I also got a deeper perspective on the students’ experiences and learned that their mindset/headspace/’mental environment’ was what would make or break them, that they had the most difficulty getting started, and that having to use technology for their homework commonly created issues for them. In my surveys, I want to extend these findings to a larger audience. I want to confirm my core finding that self-distracting behavior is the biggest issue for students, and see if the experiences of my interview participants are common. More than anything, I want to take a survey to see what students are currently doing to combat self-distraction. In my interview report, I made recommendations of behaviors/preparation rituals that students could execute in order to best ensure a successful study session, and these were directly based on the issues and experiences that my participants brought up. If I were to carry my user research into the design phase, I would need to make sure that I correctly identify and address the core problems -- that is to say, if the same students who experience distraction are already executing the rituals I recommended, that clearly doesn’t solve the problem and I need to focus somewhere else. Research Questions Confirm: What are the biggest obstacles for students when trying to study, and how does self-distraction rank among these obstacles? Extend: How far can I extrapolate my findings from UW undergraduate students? Do UW students commonly feel this way? Can my findings apply to students from other schools, or when studying in an environment other than a library? Elaborate: Are there key points or experiences which my research has not touched on thus far? What do students’ current behaviors look like? What approaches do students take to reduce distraction? How often do students become distracted? When in the process does this occur? How long do distractions last? Participants My ideal participant would be a UW undergraduate student who regularly or has recently visited a library space to study within the quarter. I want to expand my research to encompass as many students as I can, and so I will not exclude students from other schools or places, but I will focus primarily on UW students. My inclusion criteria will be that participants must be a current University student, they must experience difficulty focusing when studying, and they must have recently used a library space to study in the last 10 days. My exclusion criteria will be if someone is not a student, does not have difficulty focusing when studying, or if they do not use library spaces to study. Method I am planning on using Google FormsWebQ to conduct my survey because it has the most functionality. I am just not sure if creating a WebQ survey will mean only UW students can access it; if this is the case, I may narrow my participant scope to only UW students or switch to Google Forms. Questions 1. Which of the following best describes you? (choose one) a. High school student b. University undergraduate student c. University graduate student d. Other (Please specify) Rationale: I want to immediately sort and only prioritize University students’ results and filter out all but university students. Multiple Choice 2. How frequently do you visit the library to study in an average month? Select one. a. 0-1 times per month b. 2-3 times per month c. 4-5 times per month d. More than five times in a month Rationale: This is a screener and I will sort out those who have not used a library space to study within the past month. Analysis: Table with average rating, median, range, etc. Likert Scale 3. Which type of study spaces do you utilize the most? a. Library b. Home or Dormitory c. Cafe d. Outside e. Other (please specify) Rationale: This question will help see where students do most of the studying. Analysis: Pie chart. 4. How often do you experience a distraction while studying? a. 1 - Never b. 2 - Rarely c. 3 - Sometimes d. 4 - Often e. 5 - Always Rationale: I want to survey people who do find it hard to focus when they study. No one will answer ‘Never’ but they would be a candidate for being filtered if they did. Analysis: Table with average rating, median, range, etc. I will compare this question to see if certain activities help to lower distractions or if certain types from question 6 affect frequency of distraction. Likert Scale 5. What distractions do you experience when studying? Rank from least (1) to most (4) distracting. a. External distractions such as noise or action b. Internal mental distractions such as wandering thoughts or inattention c. Internal physical distractions such as hunger, thirst, or level of energy/sleep d. Technological distractions such as notifications Rationale: I want to confirm my previous findings of what distracts participants as well as be able to prioritize and confirm or find what distracts participants the most. Analysis: Most common top response, average rank for each response. Ranking 6. What do you normally do in preparation for a study session? Choose all that apply. a. I make sure I’m well fed before I go to study. b. I make sure I have exercised before I study. c. I make sure I get enough sleep before I study. d. I plan out or organize the tasks I need to accomplish before I study. e. I meditate or do another activity to clear my mind before I study. f. Other (please specify) Rationale: These are all suggestions from my previous report to counteract what my participants had cited as issues while studying. I want to see how these activities are correlated to focus, and if they appear effective or not. Analysis: Bar chart or graph 7. How helpful do you consider these preparation activities to your ability to focus while studying? a. Very helpful b. Somewhat helpful c. Neutral d. Not very helpful e. Not at all helpful Rationale: I want to see self-reported success rates with these suggested behaviors. Analysis: Table with average rating, median, etc. I will compare average helpfulness with the preparation techniques. 8. Which of the following best describes how noise affects your study experience? Select one. a. I prefer a quiet place to study. b. I usually listen to music while studying. c. I prefer a low level of background noise while studying. d. I don’t mind any level of noise. Rationale: I know from my previous studies that environment does have an effect on focus, and my interview participants each seemed to have a different relationship with/requirement of noise while they study. This is a demographic question, and I want to learn about the participants’ habits. Analysis: Bar chart or graph. I will compare this with how often they get distracted or types of distractions they experience. 8. How do you prefer to take notes? Check the option that applies the most. a. Pen/pencil and paper b. Tablet or handheld devices c. I don’t take notes. d. Other (please specify) Rationale: This question will let me see which students take notes and see how that correlates with study patterns. Analysis: I will see if there is a trend for study habits for those that use analog versus digital tools when preparing for course work. 9. Do you find studying with another person helpful? Check the one that applies the most. a. Yes, I study with a tutor. b. Yes, I study with a study group. c. Yes, I study with a friend taking the same class. d. Yes, I study near a friend who may be working on different course work than mine for motivation. e. No, studying with a friend is distracting to me. f. No, I prefer to study alone. Rationale: This question will help me see if students prefer to study socially. Analysis: Bar graphs of yes versus no. 10. Which best describes the approach you take most often while studying? a. More passive studying (reading textbook, reviewing class notes, doing problems in your head without writing them down) b. More active studying (doing problems, quizzing yourself, writing out answers) c. Even split of both types of studying d. Neither Rationale: This question will be good to see how students study. Analysis: Bar graph or pie chart. Work Back Schedule Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat/Sun May 14 15 16 17 18 19,20 Survey Plan Due Conduct Surveys, organize results, analyze data 21 22 23 24 25 26,27 Work on Presentation 28 29 30 Survey Presentation Structured observation 1 Tuesday, April 17, 2018 7:10 PM HCDE 313 Page 1 HCDE 313 Page 2 Tuesday, April 17, 2018 9:49 PM HCDE 313 Page 1 Tuesday, April 17, 2018 8:31 PM HCDE 313 Page 1 HCDE 313 Page 2 Gina Gross Appendix 2: Field Observations Session 1 Date: 4/10/18 Time: 7:10 ~ 7:40 PM Setting: Odegaard first floor middle study area. Participants: Students (observations take place during Students-only hours) Observations Key Takeaways: Distraction looked like: - Talking loudly. - Looking up/away from task. - Body language: Not close to their work. Restlessness (looking around, repeatedly changing position/moving around, picking up and putting down phone). - Having phone visible or in reach made students much more likely to be distracted. Focused looked like: - Writing or typing, especially without stopping. - Looking at notebook or computer. - Body language: slouched; physically close to what they are working on. Not pausing to look around or move around. In-between: - Looking at screen, typing, or scrolling. Hard to tell if they are reading/working, or just chatting/surfing the web. Overall Experience: - Crowded, lots of people. Busy. - Moderate to high noise level (can be covered with headphones). Demographics: - The chair area (where I am) contains the most solo studiers. - The two table areas on the left- and rightmost sides of the first floor contain the most groups. - However, the chair area has one or two groups and the table area has a few solo studiers. - The table area allows larger groups than the chair area. - Solo studiers are quiet. Groups talk more. Groups are not loud when they are on task, but can get quite loud when off-task (talking and laughing loudly). Food/Drink: - Water bottles are the most common. - Second most common is coffee and/or tea. - Groups are more likely to have food and drinks on their table (e.g. water bottles, snacks) than solo studiers. Solo studiers did still occasionally have their drink on the table. - Hardly anyone had food/snacks. Tools: - Almost every single student is using a laptop. - Some students have both their laptop and a notebook out; they are looking at their laptop and writing in their notebook. - Many students have headphones. - Some have phones out/in reach. Others do not. When phone is out, they use it more. - Common: Laptop is open, but they are on their phone. - Typical setup: Laptop plugged in, headphones in, with a beverage. Built Environment: - Open-floor space with individual chairs on long tables. - Tables have outlets and cushions. - Students commonly lean back in chair, resting their feet on the cushion. - There is a large staircase forward and to the left of where I am sitting (near the entrance of Odegaard). There is more seating underneath the stairs. - There are some displays with featured books. Other than this, the majority of books are on a different floor. - On the left- and rightmost sides of the space (if you are facing like you just entered Odegaard) have tables and whiteboards. This area lends itself more to groups. Traffic: - Moderate to high. General hours (not just for students) does have more traffic. (Note: I know this because I was in Odegaard before the student hours began, but I was not yet observing.) - Most traffic is on stairs and around door, and right in the middle of the open-floor area (where I am). - When more than one person is walking together, they often talk and sometimes distract those around them. Possessions: - All students have backpacks with them. - Many students have their computer and/or phone chargers plugged in. - Many students have their phones out, and it can be assumed every student at least has their phone with them. - A good amount of students have water bottles with them, whether they are attached to their backpack or actually out. - Almost all students have a jacket or coat, that they remove once they sit down. - Most students have study materials out on the table with them (notebooks, papers, folders, writing utensils, calculators). Media Consumption: - Most students are on their laptops. - Many students have on headphones: Either listening to music while they study, or for watching video. - Many students are on their phones. This seems distinct from the work they are doing on the computer. Likely to be more social media than work-related. - Some students are reading, either on the computer or on a worksheet. I do not see anyone reading a book. General Observations: - Where I am sitting there are three girls studying solo, and one group of three (two boys and a girl) working at the end of the table. The solo students are quiet, and the group is talking and laughing. - We are all sitting spread out with several chairs between us. - One girl got up and left and a new girl sat where she was. She took off her jacket and sat down holding a coffee and her phone. She sat down, looked around at us and played on her phone for a few minutes. After a while she took out her laptop and notebook, and then went back to her phone. She was not typing or writing. Several minutes later, she was still going between her phone (smiling and laughing) and computer. - One girl sitting near me was looking at her computer and writing in her notebook. She has earbuds in, connected to her phone. Her phone is not in hand but face down or off on the table. Overall, she seems focused. o Detail: When she gets distracted, she looks up from her work and off into the distance (thinking?). She chews fingers and plays with her face or headphones. She then changed how she sat and went to type on her computer. o When she appears focused, she goes between looking at her screen and writing. She is slouched close to her notebook – more focused on her writing than browsing her computer. - This same girl has her shoes off and is sitting curled up in her chair. Her belongings are spread out on the table: several notebooks, papers, pencils, pencil case, phone on table, computer plugged in, calculator on table. She is not looking at her phone. - Another girl came and sat down in our area after a different girl left. She sat down, put her coat and backpack on the table. She took out her computer and plugged it in, but then got on her phone. After a little while, she put it away and typed on her computer, then she took her phone out again. Then she put it down and started typing again. - After a while, a boy came and sat next to this girl. They appear to be friends. She began talking, and she appeared to be explaining what she was working on or has to do, possibly with some frustration (body language: rubbed her face/eyes, face in hands, sounds exasperated.) - A little while later I saw they were still talking. By now they were off task. She was talking about sex and dating, and then about gymnastics and athletics. - The group of three at the end of the table also had their belongings spread out. They had two laptops out, two water bottles and an empty snack wrapper. They were talking, sometimes giggling, but seemed focused: They are hunched around the computer, talking and pointing at things on the screen. - There are two girls sitting on a table (group area) behind me. One girl has her computer out. They have a coffee and a tea. They seem to be off-task. They are talking very loudly about their social life and laughing. They do not have any notebooks out. Appendix 2: Field Observations Session 2 Date: 4/10/18 Time: 8:30 ~ 9:00 PM Setting: Odegaard third floor quiet study area. Participants: Students (observations take place during Students-only hours) Observations Key Takeaways: As this was the quiet area, distinguishing between focused and non-focused tasks was a little more difficult. Distraction: - There were much fewer distractions in the external environment (namely noise and talking). - As a result, most distractions were self-distractions – switching tasks, going on the phone, surfing the web. - Because of the quiet and individualized environment, it was harder to detect who was focused and who was not. - Only a few people were “obviously” distracted – i.e., on their phone with nothing else in front of them or ignoring papers in front of them. - Distractions actually made students quieter than while working. Focused looked like: - Writing or typing, especially without stopping. - Looking at notebook or computer. - Work is laid out in front of them and they are reading or writing. - Louder than distracted behavior – Lots of writing and typing. In-between: - Unique to this environment, both distracted and focused behavior were quiet. Distractions manifested differently here. - Both focused and distracted students slouched – In this environment, phones were the primary distracting agent. So focused students slouched towards their desk to work, but non-focused students were also slouched looking at their phone. Overall Experience: - Quiet as a mouse. No talking, only whispers. - The only noises I hear are coughing, and the sound of the hand dryer from the women’s restroom. Demographics: - There are more individuals here and less groups. - Groups either work silently together, or whisper. - Groups look different than in last observation: One table of people quietly working next to each other instead of talking and working together. - Determining a group vs. several individuals at the same table requires observation of body language cues. - A table of individuals has people sitting farther away to each other, smaller/more contained body language, less belongings on the table, and headphones in. - Groups have no headphones. All belongings are more spread out and may overlap each other. They work closer together; their body language is more spread out and closer together. They look at each other and might whisper or tap each other. Food/Drink: - Some people are eating full meals/takeout. One girl has chopsticks. People appear to be stationed for more of a long haul than the previous observation (first floor). - Water bottles for individuals is more common than on first floor. - Food is more common than first floor, but still not very common. - Coffee and tea are still common. Tools: - Laptops are still the most common. - Students still have their phones out. - Combination of laptop and study materials (papers, notebooks) is more common than on first floor, where many students were only using their laptop. - Some are studying with analog materials, e.g. textbooks. - There are still some students with just their phone out (no laptop or books). - Many people have headphones, and there seems to be more covered-ear headphones than on the first floor. (Probably just a coincidence.) Built Environment: - There are many stacks of books. Studying here, you will be surrounded by silence and books. - There is some open (singular) seating, but more tables. - There are these unique desks that look like the kind one would take an exam in. They are double-sided, so one person sitting on each side, but the two people are wholly separated. The person seated is contained with blinder-like walls; they are separate from their surroundings. The environment facilitates separation. - Walls line the study area by the windows. There are outlets here and some areas have computers. - There are private study rooms available, - There are white boards and computers available for use. Traffic: - Low. There are still people walking but much less than on the first floor. - People are mostly stationary here and move around less. Possessions: - All students have backpacks with them. - Many students have their computer and/or phone chargers plugged in. - Many students have their phones out, and it can be assumed every student at least has their phone with them. - Many students have a beverage with them and some have food. - Almost all students have a jacket or coat, that they remove once they sit down. - Almost every student has study materials out on the table with them (notebooks, papers, folders, writing utensils, calculators). Media Consumption: - Most students are on their laptops. - Many students have on headphones: Either listening to music while they study, or for watching video. - Several students are on their phones. This seems distinct from the work they are doing on the computer. Likely to be more social media than work-related. - Some students are reading, either on the computer, worksheet, or book. General Observations: - A phone alarm went off. A few people looked up. One guy smiled and shook his head at the presumed alarm-owner, as if to say “Tsk, tsk.” - People spread out their belongings more than on the first floor. It seems they are here for the long haul. - Next to me is a table of three girls, seeming to be working together (two are eating Chinese food and they all have no headphones). Two girls are on the computer and one is writing and reading a textbook. - A group of three boys is studying near me. They are clearly studying together as their belongings are all spread out over the table and not separated by person. All three have their laptops out, and one boy is on his phone. They do not have headphones on. They whisper and occasionally laugh. - I went over to the desk area and sat next to a male student. He moved his notebooks closer to him – I would have had plenty of room anyway. This possibly reflects how individuals study together; they separate themselves and make a clearer indication of their personal space. - His notebooks are out but he has no writing utensils, and his notebooks are closed. He is just using his computer. - Everyone has their backpacks off and either on the floor or on the table next to them. - I only see two people using only their phones. Everyone else has study materials in front of them. - Some people have their hoods on as they slouch over their work. - People are, as a whole, seated much more individually – even if they are physically close. They are not interacting with their surroundings. - As a whole, students appear to be more focused than on the first floor. It is a completely quiet space where everyone keeps to themselves, so there are not distractions in the external environment to interact with. - Students still self-distract, though, by going on their phone or browsing the web. Appendix 2: Field Observations Session 3 Date: 4/10/18 Time: 9:15 ~ 9:45 PM Setting: Odegaard second floor, media area. Participants: Students (observations take place during Students-only hours) Observations Key Takeaways: Distraction: - There were two types of “distraction”: A split focus, where students had work on one screen and leisure on the other, and full “distraction”, where students weren’t doing homework at all but were instead playing video games. - Split focus or brief distraction were more common than the full distraction. - “Full distraction” is different from normal distraction, as the student does not appear to be actually working on anything. So, relative to their goal, they are likely NOT distracted. - Similar to how just having the phone out made students more likely to get distracted on the first floor, here having leisure on one screen made students much more likely to go off-task. Focused looked like: - Writing or typing, especially without stopping. - Both screens have work on them (or one has work and the other is blank). - Work is laid out in front of them and they are reading or writing. - Students were quiet, not talking to their peers if they were in groups. Overall Experience: - There is noise, occasionally loud, but the talking is less pervasive than the first floor. - It is kind of like the middle ground, literally, between the environments of the first and third floors. Demographics: - People are working more as individuals but there are a few duos, and two groups of three or more. - Solo studiers are not talking. Groups are talking and can get quite loud, distracting those around them. - Duos talk but remain mostly quiet. - A lot of duos are set up so that one person has the large computer screens, and the other is either on a laptop or working from a notebook. Food/Drink: - Like the third floor, some students have actual food (like takeout or meals). - Coffee, tea, and water are common. Tools: - Everyone is using a computer. - Many have study materials laid out in front of them, but several are only using the computer. - Somewhat common: Students use one screen for work, and the other for leisure (music, chat, Facebook, etc.) - Some students have the computers on but are also using their laptops. - One student is sitting at the computer, but the computer is off and she is just using her laptop. - There are students both with and without headphones. Built Environment: - It is a media center. There are five rows of tables with computers, and each seat has two large screens. - Three rows have iMacs, and the last two rows have PCs. - Screens are very large, so others can easily see what is on them. - Groups have to move chairs over from other locations in order to sit together. - The seats put people in close physical proximity, but most are not interacting with each other. - The physical space is more limiting to groups. Traffic: - High. The space is right in between two sets of stairs. - More groups are walking – searching for a study space? - Groups walking are much louder. They talk and laugh loudly. Possessions: - All students have backpacks with them. - Some students have laptops with them. - Many students have their phones out, and it can be assumed every student at least has their phone with them. - Many students have a beverage with them and some have food. - Almost all students have a jacket or coat, that they remove once they sit down. - Many students have study materials out on the table with them (notebooks, papers, folders, writing utensils, calculators). Media Consumption: - Every student is on a computer. - Many students have on headphones: Either listening to music while they study, or for watching video. - Several students are on their phones. This seems distinct from the work they are doing on the computer. Likely to be more social media than work-related. - Some students go between their work and Facebook or Messenger. - Some students are watching lectures and reviewing slides. - Several students are doing digital media work: video, photo, or music editing. - At least three students are playing video games (League of Legends and Fortnite). They are all on PCs. General Observations: - By nature of the environment, the kind of work students are doing is different. - There is a lot of the same typical study behavior, e.g. writing, reading, and typing, but there is also digital photo, video, and music editing that can only occur here (not all campus computers have the software). - It is much easier to see what students are actually doing on the computers because of the screens. - Most students have work on their screens. - One girl has work on one screen, and Facebook on the other. - A male student had work on the left screen on the computer, and Spotify and Facebook messenger on the right screen. He would periodically go between reading and going on Facebook. - Three students are playing video games. Two appear to be playing League of Legends and one is playing Fortnite. - I saw four students using the computers for digital editing. - Students often used dual-screen to divide their work, such as having a lecture on one screen and slides on the other screen. Another common combination was a reading on one screen, and then the assignment/a Word document on the other. - Some students are only using one screen and leave the other on the empty desktop. - Groups have food with them, solos do not (or just have snacks). - Groups don’t talk consistently; they have moments of loudness and then go back to their work. Interview 1 Thursday, May 3, 2018 3:31 PM Allen south Really quiet, 2nd or third floor Usually has space Laptop Look and see what work Take out supplies Comuter Both analog and digital Read on computer and type on com[uter Analog is usually sketching or taking hand notes Type of work determines tools Simple pencil Pencils, pens, notebooks, laptop (toshiba) Dislike: idk Hard: notetaking on laptops Usually plan before you start Looks at planner Quiet helps or if his mind is focused Planning helps with being focused Clear mind, relax and breathe Not thinkin gabout anything, just doing It just happens Not too difficult Gettimg started is the hardest part Perfectionist Objectives: do best I can, finish it Items: everything Backpack Depends on the work youre doing Sometimes taking notes will distract Phone -- usually put it away Social media distracts the most Soccer game Looking at art online Environment - its harder to study at home Technology: computer is hard Related to willpower Exercise helps, or switching tasks Hardest thing: myself If im not determined HCDE 313 Page 1 If im not determined Early morning, force myself to work HCDE 313 Page 2
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