Reflection, Prototype, Plans

Reflection: Tony asked how geocaching reflected on my questions Wednesday. In part, it structured my thought on the subject. Below are those questions reworded along with answers:

How can we train through multi-caches? How can this training be validated?

• Pre-cache education
• Provide training material for viewing on a computer, using that to find the first location.
• Finding clues (training while finding cache):
• Direct geocacher to a location (or from the current cache location), from there give clue about where cache is (e.g. at this sort of tree, in sight).
• <names of things>
• On-cache activities (training after finding cache):
• Converting training questions answer into the next coordinate.
• Common multi-cache practice.
• Could be done with digital material or an on-cache activity.
• Numbers are plugged into a partial coordinate (51°0C.BAA)
• Pictures and words are often counted to plugged-in.
• Is there any reason to convert the answer into a direction (NSEW) instead?
• Using a mobile device to ask a question, giving the next clue/location if correct. 
• This eliminates needing to create a puzzle to plug answers into (e.g. count the letters in the name, that is this part of the gps coordinate).
• Very useful in that it doesn't punish those who get a question wrong.
• How important to the geocacher is doing a puzzle?
• Can this be done in an unobtrusive/interesting way?
• Post-cache?

How do the different multi-cache structures lend themselves to training.

• At the end of a training cache the last stage could be performing data collection at a random location.
• A multi-cache could guide a geocacher to a subset of the caches depending on training needs,  like a choose-your-own adventure.
• A non-linear multi-cache lends itself to non-linear education (identifying many types of trees).

I'm continuing to think other ways to answer these questions. One topic I want to focus on is if multi-caches (or just geocaches) can be used to teach different sampling methods (e.g. distance sampling).

Prototype: Saturday I went out and found a number of aspen poplar strands on campus, which I'll use for the prototype. They are the trees in my geocaching map here. I also took notes on what those locations could do for my prototype I discussed friday. Will add those notes to the map tomorrow. I decided that the prototype should use a mobile device in the easiest way possible. I'm thinking this will mean just placing the points in a google map to access from my phone.

Plans: In general, I'm doing the half-day thesis/half-day prototyping track.

• Tomorrow: 
• Thesis: encorporate Tony's comments (really should have done this sooner)
• Prototype: load my notes, choose my sites, create caches.
• This week:
• Thesis: Have at least through training done, incorporating all corrections. If time allows, start on the von Ahn section, and maybe flush out geocaching.
• Prototype: Have it done
• Other:
• Have coffee with Sally Wyatt
• Book things for CHI.
• Celebrate my birthday Wednesday!