Class Improvement Using Directional Microphones
Selected Company: Hylable Inc.
Project Summary
The team will conduct a PoC to automatically visualize the discussions that take place in classes using directional microphones. By feeding back the visualized data to teachers and students, the project aims to promote learner-centered classes and improve their qualities for students who will become elementary school teachers in the future.
Challenges In improving classes, it is essential to objectively understand the speech of teachers and students, recognize the problems, and make improvements. A solution that can visualize and analyze the behavior and speech of teachers and students as well as provide feedbacks would enable them to effectively learn techniques for improving classes.
Solution The team will provide “Hylable Discussion” - an egg-shaped microphone to visualize face-to-face discussions - to an elementary teacher training school and conduct a PoC to automatically visualize discussions held in classes. The device can analyze discussions automatically even in high noise environments with stable performance and give feedback based on the obtained data to teachers and students.
Challenges In improving classes, it is essential to objectively understand the speech of teachers and students, recognize the problems, and make improvements. A solution that can visualize and analyze the behavior and speech of teachers and students as well as provide feedbacks would enable them to effectively learn techniques for improving classes.
Solution The team will provide “Hylable Discussion” - an egg-shaped microphone to visualize face-to-face discussions - to an elementary teacher training school and conduct a PoC to automatically visualize discussions held in classes. The device can analyze discussions automatically even in high noise environments with stable performance and give feedback based on the obtained data to teachers and students.
The Status of PoC
Initial Phase
In May 2021, the device for Hylable Discussion, a service for visualizing face-to-face discussions, arrived in Mozambique, and various setups including training for a local assistant who will be going to the actual classes were carried out.The main function of the egg-type recorder is visualization of individual discussion and accumulated data of groups and individuals. As for individual discussions, it can analyze temporal changes in the amount of speech, turn taking, and individual behavioral analysis (amount of speech, overlap, and liveliness). As for group and individual accumulation, it can analyze changes in the entire group, distribution of each student's behavior, and individual behavioral changes.
The service requires Wi-Fi connection, but even without it, recording can be done with the physical button on the microphone and uploading and analysis can be done automatically by connecting to the network afterwards.
With the cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Human Development of Mozambique and the Institute for Teacher Training (IFP), the first PoC was held in July in a math class at the IFP. The PoC was a huge success, with the active cooperation of the teachers and 15 students. The second and third PoCs will be conducted in the same class and will analyze the changes in the classes and discussions using “Hylable Discussion”.
The first PoC at the IFP
The second and third PoCs will be conducted in the same class and will analyze the changes in the classes and discussions using “Hylable Discussion”.
Implementation Result
At the Institute for Teacher Training, we demonstrated the Hylable Discussion to a total of 74 students in three classes. Overall, the questionnaires and data confirmed that the use of Hylable Discussion positively changed the behavior and awareness of both teachers and students.
Results of Qualitative Analysis (Questionnaires and Interviews)
On the teacher's side, a motivation for "learner-centered teaching" to increase the amount of student speech was observed. On the student's side, there was a change in awareness and behavior after reflecting on the results of the analysis, and it was confirmed that the amount of speech increased, especially for students who had not spoken much before the analysis.
Result of Behavioral Change of a Student
Result of Quantitative Analysis
The introduction of Hylable Discussion, a discussion visualization service, has led to more equal participation and activation of students in classes and discussions, which can be expected to improve the quality of classes and enhance students' learning abilities. Through this PoC, we were able to confirm the change in consciousness of teachers and students even with a small number of recordings. However, we can expect to see more obvious behavioral changes with longer and continuous use. In the future, Hylable Inc. aims to introduce the system to educational institutions in developing countries, and to use it in educational projects conducted by aid organizations, as a behavioral measurement tool for quantitative evaluation of projects and improvement of educational effectiveness in combination with educational contents.
See announcement of PoC selection for Mozambique