Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning

Siying Hu; Jian Ma; Xiangzhe Yuan; Jiajun Wang; Zhenhao Zhang; Emma Jiren Wang

doi:10.1145/3772363.3798442

Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning

Siying Hu
, Jian Ma
, Xiangzhe Yuan
, Jiajun Wang
, Zhenhao Zhang
, Emma Jiren Wang

Department of Computer Science

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

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Abstract

During past decades, digital literacy tools have been consistently used to facilitate vocabulary acquisition. Recently, with the rise of gamified learning, existing systems often rely on binary correct-or-incorrect feedback mechanisms. However, there were rarely any work that harnessed the ambiguity of learner errors as a resource for discovery rather than failure. To that end we designed Vocabuild, a projection-augmented tangible interface that supports non-punitive feedback. We evaluated the system through a qualitative study with novice learners. Preliminary results showed that the tangible manipulation reframed error-making as an embodied exploratory process, enabling users to engage in active hypothesis testing and meaning negotiation. © 2026 held by the owner/author(s).

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Editors	Nuria Oliver, David A. Shamma, Heloisa Candello, Pablo Cesar, Pedro Lopes, Valentino Artizzu, Fiona Draxler, Gustavo López, Anke V. Reinschluessel, Xin Tong, Phoebe O. Toups Dugas
Place of Publication	New York, NY
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	9798400722813
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3798442
Publication status	Published - Apr 2026
Event	2026 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026): Creating Tomorrow Together - Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Duration: 13 Apr 2026 → 17 Apr 2026 https://chi2026.acm.org/

Publication series

Name	Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference	2026 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026)
Abbreviated title	CHI'26
Place	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	13/04/26 → 17/04/26
Internet address	https://chi2026.acm.org/

Research Keywords

Accessibility
Ambiguity
Child-Computer Interaction
Constructive Error
Embodied Cognition
Inclusive Design
Language Learning
Meaning Construction
Playful Learning
Tangible User Interface

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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10.1145/3772363.3798442

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Hu, S., Ma, J., Yuan, X., Wang, J., Zhang, Z., & Wang, E. J. (2026). Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning. In N. Oliver, D. A. Shamma, H. Candello, P. Cesar, P. Lopes, V. Artizzu, F. Draxler, G. López, A. V. Reinschluessel, X. Tong, & P. O. Toups Dugas (Eds.), CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Article 557 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3798442

Hu, Siying ; Ma, Jian ; Yuan, Xiangzhe et al. / Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery : Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning. CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. editor / Nuria Oliver ; David A. Shamma ; Heloisa Candello ; Pablo Cesar ; Pedro Lopes ; Valentino Artizzu ; Fiona Draxler ; Gustavo López ; Anke V. Reinschluessel ; Xin Tong ; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. New York, NY : Association for Computing Machinery, 2026. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings).

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title = "Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning",

abstract = "During past decades, digital literacy tools have been consistently used to facilitate vocabulary acquisition. Recently, with the rise of gamified learning, existing systems often rely on binary correct-or-incorrect feedback mechanisms. However, there were rarely any work that harnessed the ambiguity of learner errors as a resource for discovery rather than failure. To that end we designed Vocabuild, a projection-augmented tangible interface that supports non-punitive feedback. We evaluated the system through a qualitative study with novice learners. Preliminary results showed that the tangible manipulation reframed error-making as an embodied exploratory process, enabling users to engage in active hypothesis testing and meaning negotiation. {\textcopyright} 2026 held by the owner/author(s).",

keywords = "Accessibility, Ambiguity, Child-Computer Interaction, Constructive Error, Embodied Cognition, Inclusive Design, Language Learning, Meaning Construction, Playful Learning, Tangible User Interface",

author = "Siying Hu and Jian Ma and Xiangzhe Yuan and Jiajun Wang and Zhenhao Zhang and Wang, \{Emma Jiren\}",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1145/3772363.3798442",

language = "English",

isbn = "9798400722813",

series = "Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",

editor = "Nuria Oliver and Shamma, \{David A.\} and Heloisa Candello and Pablo Cesar and Pedro Lopes and Valentino Artizzu and Fiona Draxler and Gustavo L{\'o}pez and Reinschluessel, \{Anke V.\} and Xin Tong and \{Toups Dugas\}, \{Phoebe O.\}",

booktitle = "CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems",

address = "United States",

note = "2026 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026) : Creating Tomorrow Together, CHI'26 ; Conference date: 13-04-2026 Through 17-04-2026",

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Hu, S, Ma, J, Yuan, X, Wang, J, Zhang, Z & Wang, EJ 2026, Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning. in N Oliver, DA Shamma, H Candello, P Cesar, P Lopes, V Artizzu, F Draxler, G López, AV Reinschluessel, X Tong & PO Toups Dugas (eds), CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 557, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, 2026 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026), Barcelona, Spain, 13/04/26. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3798442

Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning. / Hu, Siying; Ma, Jian; Yuan, Xiangzhe et al.
CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ed. / Nuria Oliver; David A. Shamma; Heloisa Candello; Pablo Cesar; Pedro Lopes; Valentino Artizzu; Fiona Draxler; Gustavo López; Anke V. Reinschluessel; Xin Tong; Phoebe O. Toups Dugas. New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery, 2026. 557 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

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T1 - Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery

T2 - 2026 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026)

AU - Hu, Siying

AU - Ma, Jian

AU - Yuan, Xiangzhe

AU - Wang, Jiajun

AU - Zhang, Zhenhao

AU - Wang, Emma Jiren

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N2 - During past decades, digital literacy tools have been consistently used to facilitate vocabulary acquisition. Recently, with the rise of gamified learning, existing systems often rely on binary correct-or-incorrect feedback mechanisms. However, there were rarely any work that harnessed the ambiguity of learner errors as a resource for discovery rather than failure. To that end we designed Vocabuild, a projection-augmented tangible interface that supports non-punitive feedback. We evaluated the system through a qualitative study with novice learners. Preliminary results showed that the tangible manipulation reframed error-making as an embodied exploratory process, enabling users to engage in active hypothesis testing and meaning negotiation. © 2026 held by the owner/author(s).

AB - During past decades, digital literacy tools have been consistently used to facilitate vocabulary acquisition. Recently, with the rise of gamified learning, existing systems often rely on binary correct-or-incorrect feedback mechanisms. However, there were rarely any work that harnessed the ambiguity of learner errors as a resource for discovery rather than failure. To that end we designed Vocabuild, a projection-augmented tangible interface that supports non-punitive feedback. We evaluated the system through a qualitative study with novice learners. Preliminary results showed that the tangible manipulation reframed error-making as an embodied exploratory process, enabling users to engage in active hypothesis testing and meaning negotiation. © 2026 held by the owner/author(s).

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KW - Embodied Cognition

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KW - Language Learning

KW - Meaning Construction

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DO - 10.1145/3772363.3798442

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

SN - 9798400722813

T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

BT - CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

A2 - Oliver, Nuria

A2 - Shamma, David A.

A2 - Candello, Heloisa

A2 - Cesar, Pablo

A2 - Lopes, Pedro

A2 - Artizzu, Valentino

A2 - Draxler, Fiona

A2 - López, Gustavo

A2 - Reinschluessel, Anke V.

A2 - Tong, Xin

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PB - Association for Computing Machinery

CY - New York, NY

Y2 - 13 April 2026 through 17 April 2026

ER -

Hu S, Ma J, Yuan X, Wang J, Zhang Z, Wang EJ. Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning. In Oliver N, Shamma DA, Candello H, Cesar P, Lopes P, Artizzu V, Draxler F, López G, Reinschluessel AV, Tong X, Toups Dugas PO, editors, CHI'26 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery. 2026. 557. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings). Epub 2026 Apr 13. doi: 10.1145/3772363.3798442

Reframing Ambiguity as Discovery: Non-Punitive Feedback in Tangible Vocabulary Learning

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

Access Output

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