SIGGRAPH as Textbook:
Learning Skills for Undergraduates
24 July 2002
Is it possible for undergraduate graphics students to in essence
"learn backwards?" Can they pick up a SIGGRAPH paper and "learn"
to understand it without having the appropriate background knowledge?
The University of Aukland's Kevin L. Novins believes the answers
are yes. Novins has been teaching for years, following a traditional
"bottom-up" approach, in which a student's base (bottom) is learning
fundamentals and the top (up) is conducting and understanding research.
For example, most students are given base courses in fundamentals.
They are then asked to use their base knowledge in a more hands-on
atmosphere, be it research, papers or projects.
This past year, Novins realized that this method is not the one
that he himself utilizes. He explained that he often reads a paper
after attending SIGGRAPH and realizes that there are "holes" in
his base knowledge. Holes that he fills by going back and adding
onto his "base" through research - more of a top-down research driven
Novins felt that his undergraduates may have more holes to fill
in their background knowledge than he, but they probably all share
the same or similar gaps. He reasoned that if they worked in small
groups, the holes could be collectively filled, as if each student
has a shovel and they are all working together to fill their base
knowledge. It would take one person days to fill such a big hole,
but it would take one fifth of the time/effort if five persons were
filling the same knowledge gap.
Novins decided to implement a new plan.
His class of 20 students democratically chose four papers from
last year's SIGGRAPH conference proceedings that they would be tested
on after four weeks. After reading the papers, each student drafted
a written tutorial aimed at filling one of the specific gaps. These
"gaps" were identified and "filled" through individual meetings
with Novins. After drafting the tutorials, the students conducted
peer reviews to iron out any problems and to identify any communication
issues. The class then reworked and finalized their tutorials and
submitted them to Novins.
The final exam was a 40-minute, single essay format form a choice
of three questions. Students were on their own to answer the essay
but were able to use all 20 tutorials which Novins had posted online.
In essence, the tutorials were each student's "filler" in the overall
hole of their base knowledge. Having access to all 20 tutorials
served to completely cork the holes in their base knowledge.
Novins discovered that this method expanded his students' confidence
and also reinforced learning by teaching. Because it was catered
to each individual student, the class was active and interested
throughout the project.
Novin's paper, "SIGGRAPH as Textbook: Learning Skills for Undergraduates,"
was featured as a part of the SIGGRAPH 2002 Educators Program. The
program exists to share "the processes, techniques and technologies
that are critical for educating future pioneers, practitioners,
and visionaries in computer graphics and interactive techniques."
The contributors in the Educators Program span a diverse field of
teaching professionals, from K-12 to post-secondary institutions,
and throughout the week, they collaborate on forums, traditional
workshops, papers and panels.