The course project for Beyond Bits & Atoms is a working prototype of an educational technology, accompanied by a paper suitable for submission to the Interaction Design and Children conference. In prior years, course projects have gone on to become academic research projects and commercial products.

On Thursday, March 1, from 6-8pm, students will present initial prototypes to panels of outside educators, academics, designers, technologists, and businesspeople for feedback, critique, and discussion.

Agenda

• 6:00-6:15 Welcome and assignment briefing
• 6:15-6:45 Crit 1
• 6:45-7:15 Crit 2
• 715:7:45 Crit 3
• 7:45-8 Wine and cheese

Critique

• 5 minutes: Students present prototypes and ask for specific feedback
• 25 minutes: Panel discussion

The primary purpose of the critiques is to help groups advance their projects in the two weeks between critiques and the final expo. We encourage critics to strike a balance between engaging with the project being presented and connecting it to broader issues in their fields of expertise. It is particularly valuable to stoke discussion between critics coming from different fields. After presenting their prototypes, we encourage students to take a listening stance, providing clarifying information as appropriate, but not necessarily defending their work against criticism.