Title:	DESIGN ACTIVITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE CREATION OF IDEAS FOR EDUCATIONAL MOBILE APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
Author(s):	Tuula Nousiainen, Marja Kankaanranta, Pekka Neittaanmäki
ISBN:	978-972-8939-66-3
Editors:	Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2012
Edition:	Single
Keywords:	Mobile learning, user involvement, idea creation, design activities
Type:	Full Paper
First Page:	91
Last Page:	98
Language:	English
Cover:
Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	This paper examines the involvement of users in the development of educational mobile applications intended for school-aged children and young people. We present the user workshops carried out in two different projects: 1) a game-like mobile tool to support children’s zoo visits and 2) a self-monitoring tool to support students’ management of their everyday life routines. We examine these workshops and their outcomes based on a framework for design activities with children: we evaluate the types of design contributions of the workshops (context/content) and examine the issues related to their organization (management/engagement). The approach allowed the participants to choose their preferred form of expression when producing their design ideas, which yielded a versatile selection of different types of outcomes. On the dimension of design contributions, the outcomes produced a fairly balanced set of context- and content-related ideas. In terms of design activities, the importance of meaningful preliminary activities to set the context and give adequate starting points was highlighted; however, they could have emphasized aspects of mobility even more.
	Go Back