Explorable explanation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:41, 21 June 2019

Revision as of 15:21, 22 August 2019

Line 5:

== Definition ==

The term "explorable explanation" was first used in passing by [[Peter Brusilovsky]] in a 1994 paper,<ref>{{Citation|last=Brusilovsky|first=Peter|titlechapter=Explanatory visualization in an educational programming environment: Connecting examples with general knowledge |date=1994 |urlpages=http://dx.202–212 |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |isbn=9783540586487 |doi.org/=10.1007/3-540-58648-2_38|title=Human-Computer Interaction|workvolume=876|series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |pages=202–212 |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |isbn=9783540586487 |access-date=2019-03-25}}</ref> but did not enter into common use until 2011, when [[Bret Victor]] published an eponymous essay<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://worrydream.com/ExplorableExplanations/|title=Explorable Explanations|website=worrydream.com|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref> (the essay included an explorable explanation of a [[digital filter]]). Victor distinguishes explorable explanations from isolated interactive widgets and visualizations by the fact that they deliberately guide the attention of their audience towards particular phenomena within the simulation. In characterizing the concept, Victor explains:<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>Explorable Explanations is my umbrella project for ideas that ''enable and encourage truly active reading''. The goal is to change people's relationship with text. People currently think of text as ''information to be consumed''. I want text to be used as an ''environment to think in''.</blockquote>

Some of the ideas Victor espoused in the essay occurred to him while during work with [[Al Gore]] on the app version of the 2009 book [[Our Choice]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1665397/after-trying-to-kill-math-an-ex-apple-designer-aims-to-kill-reading |title=After Trying To "Kill Math," An Ex-Apple Designer Aims To Kill Reading |last=Pavlus |first=John |date=2011-11-09 |website=Fast Company |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref> He had proposed that the app should contain interactive models, but this idea was rejected on the basis that all numerical values proposed regarding climate change needed to have a citation, and the interactive models would generate un-cited numbers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worrydream.com/ClimateChange/#media-writing |title=What can a technologist do about climate change? A personal view.|website=worrydream.com|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>

Line 22:

[[File:PLATO chem exp.jpg|thumb|The PLATO computer system, which predates the [[Personal computer|personal computing]], was the first platform for what would now be called explorable explanations]]

Many explorable explanations predate the popular use of the phrase.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Singley|first=Mark K.|date=1991|title=MOLEHILL: An Instructional System for Smalltalk Programming |url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/108844.108992 |journal=Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems|series=CHI '91 |___location=New York, NY |publisher=ACM |pages=439–440 |doi=10.1145/108844.108992 |isbn=9780897913836}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Redmiles|first=David F.|date=1993|title=Reducing the Variability of Programmers' Performance Through Explained Examples |url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/169059.169082|journal=Proceedings of the INTERACT '93 and CHI '93 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems|series=CHI '93 |___location=New York, NY |publisher=ACM |pages=67–73|doi=10.1145/169059.169082|isbn=9780897915755}}</ref> For example, the [[PLATO (computer system)|Plato system]], a computer-assisted instructional system created in 1960 depicted to the right, used interactive examples to teach concepts to students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hackeducation.com/2018/01/25/plato|title=PLATO and the History of Education Technology (That Wasn't)|date=2018-01-25|website=Hack Education|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-27}}</ref> In 1996, [[Mitchel Resnick]] created an explorable explanation of [[emergence]] using [[Conway's Game of Life]] as an example.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playfulinvention.com/emergence/|title=Exploring Emergence |website=www.playfulinvention.com |access-date=2019-03-03}}</ref>

The target audience for explorable explanations has historically been limited by available [[Software Platform|software distribution platforms]] (although some have been made for specific museums, without any intention of wider distribution, including some created by [[Karl Sims]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karlsims.com/rd-exhibit.html|title=Reaction-Diffusion Media Wall |website=www.karlsims.com |access-date=2019-03-03}}</ref>). Due to the fact that explorable explanations have not previously been successfully [[Monetization|monetized]], physical media such as [[CD-ROM]]s could not be considered. Since the 2000s, explorable explanations have become more common, because of widespread [[internet]] access and increased [[computer graphics]] possibilities within [[web browser]]s, for example via [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], [[WebGL]], and [[Canvas element|HTML5 canvas]] [[API]]. This allows complex simulations to be accessed instantly and shared on [[social media]].