Describes an applied technique for using sketching to design Technology enhanced learning Systems. Presented at the Open University workshop on a MOOC for Learning Design.

1. Sketch-ins:
a TEL Design Technique
Brock Craft
London Knowledge Lab

2. For the MOOC
Useful as a method in the design toolkit
Draws upon best practices
Exposes MOOC learners to
Encourages collaborative, local activities
There are remote sketching tools too!
Today: try out a Sketch-in, consider this in
terms of the MOOC

3. Sketching as design thinking
● Used in many design based fields:
architecture, engineering, visual
communication, and part of the pedagogy
● encourages playing with ideas, and making
visible the invisible
● supports exploring half-baked ideas
● well accepted in HCI community

4. The research
● Externalisation (Fallman, 2003)
● Controlled experiments: Balasubramanian, Turoff, &
Ullman, (1998), van der Lugt (2002), and Heiser,
Tversky, & Silverman, (2004)
● Linking with creativity: Suwa & Tversky, (1997),
Goldschmidt, (1991)
● Cognitive supports: Boden (2004), Goel ( 1992),
Plimmer (2002), and Tversky et al., (2003)
● Buxton (2007), Laseau (2000), drawn from practitioner's
experiences

5. What it's good for
● Invite a wide range of design ideas
● Raise questions about the design
● Identify and explore design problems
● Elicit representations of/views on these
problems
● Spark creativity
● Suggest alternatives and solutions

6. Sketch-ins: principled sketching
1. Framing the area of enquiry for the Sketch-in
session(s)
2. Organising the session and selecting
participants
3. Running the session and collecting data
4. Reflecting upon the generated results
Tools: big paper, pens, pencils, setting, data
collection

7. Sketch-ins: session stages
1. Ramping up
2. Fluency/Flow
3. Regrouping (if needed)
4. Refinement
5. Denouement/Closure
Challenges: getting "stuck", dynamic displays