keyword: global health, data presentation, interface
check this outit's not exactly the most directly related thing to mobile technology, but i think it's quite refreshing way to look at data... and plus it's about global health, it's inspirational in that sense too. (jaspal, u'll probably have a hard time looking at it sinc eit's so long, but it's like looking at heat transfer information! there're so many axes!)
it would be fun if kids can play with data like this, but i wonder how much processing power it would take... i shall look into the tool he's developing.
grace
Mobile Learning
In the world of portable gaming it seems gender makes a difference. Endstead (2005) concluded from his research study of children between the ages 7-12 in Norway, that boys prefer sport and action games while girls prefer puzzles and spatial relation game. Interestingly enough, Enstead's study also concluded that girls prefer educational games. In looking at computer usage versus gaming usage, Enstead (2005) found that while boys tend to use computers for gaming purposes, girls tend to use it more for utility purposes. It is therefore essential to understand that males and females ages 7-12 benefit differently from gaming because of their differing areas of focus.
Further, Endstead (2005) concludes in his study that there is a huge difference in the amount of time girls and boys spend on gaming. According to Enstead (2005) there is a huge difference in gaming usage between boys and girls which severely widens around the seventh grade. Kambouri (2003) found that educational game designers turn to the commercial industry for guidance and Kambouri (2003) goes on to say that the industry doesn't cater to the learning process in all senses. Kamouri also concluded that user satisfaction doesn't add up to a good mobile learning game.
According to Kambouri (2003), "portable learning experiences offer up advantages in price and accessibility...." However, these factors completely ignore mobile learning benefit. Therefore, mobile learning benefits have no impact on pricing and accessibility factors. The gaming companies don't make full use of what mobile devices can offer. They also say "there has been little progress made toward the realization of the digital game learning potential,' which ultimately result in games neither instructing nor engaging the learner.
According to Endstead (2005) although violent games have been said fit the description of "contemporary child and adolescent culture.' there results indicate that this has more to do with competitiveness.” The more violent types of content, such as war-games, hitting opponents or killing, are found well down the list of preferences" It goes on the that children who aren't as competitive do not find these type game as fascinating as those that are.
This brings to the idea that in order to appeal to the consumer rather than go with what’s commercial, why don’t we use what intrigues gamers “competition”. Mixing competition and gaming if something I haven’t found from previous research. Mixing these to ideas is essential to staying with mobile learning and appealing to the consumer.
Citations
Thomas,S., Schott, G. and Kambouri, M.(2003). Designing for Learning or Designing for fun? Setting Usablitity Guidelines for Mobile Educational Games. Proceedings of MLEARN 2003: Learning with Mobile devices, London
http://www.ioe.ac.uk/hgm/research/SkillsforLife/MobileLearningPrinciples.pdf
Brandzaeg,P.B,, SINTEF ICT, Endstead, T., University of OSLO, Heim, J., SINTEF ICT, Kaare,B.H, University of Oslo, Torgersen L., NOVA Media technology and different patterns of use among children between 7 to 12 years in Norway.
http://www.sintef.no/digitalbarndom/Brandtz%C3%A6g_pattern%20of%20use%20in%20Norway.pdf
Mobile Learning
Designing for learning or designing for fun? Setting usability guidelines for mobile educational games
This article says a key problem in the development of educational games is balancing how much of the game is a game and how much of the game is learning
Does brainage count as a neat example of mobile learning? Have Nintendo beaten everyone to it?
Apparently it's taken Japan by storm.
Here's a readable brainage minireview.
If only it fitted with the California educational standards...
PDA Participatory Simluations at MIT has a number of simluation games designed to illustrate concepts using PDAs in (I think not 'out of') the classroom. For example Educause explains:
In Live Long and Prosper, participants explore genetics concepts. Students start off with a set of genes which they must alter by wandering the room and finding people to mix genes with. 'Mating' is accomplished through the sharing of data over the InfraRed port and results in a brand new set of genes. Individuals with the best gene combinations live the longest.
At the moment, as far as I can see, not yet for kids.
More blogs in the classroom at 7th grade science.
and I found the link to a host of blogging and education pages at this blog weblogg-ed. It's all about "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" - now, I know we are more interested in outside the classroom but hey, it's a start.
Apparently there'll soon be a central meta-blog that discusses all about blogs for learning.
find it here
