Fifi: Designing Educational Experiences using Ubiquitous and Pervasive technology Jessica Nethercott, Richard Joiner, Jo Reid, & Richard Hull

CALRG Introduction Technologies underlying ubiquitous computing are beginning to move from research laboratories to the real world. Ubiquitous computing will be able to deliver situated digital experiences

CALRG Introduction Situated digital experiences are –Context sensitive, particularly with respect to location –Digitally mediated –Compelling to users The question is whether they can be developed to deliver compelling educational experiences

CALRG Introduction There are a number of theories that could be used to inform design of compelling educational experiences. Hull, Kidds & Reids theory of compelling experience Lepper & Malones theory of intrinsic motivation

CALRG Introduction Many similarities exist between the two models. Both models cover the following aspects: challenge, fantasy, sensory curiosity, co-operation and competition. However, there is one big difference the importance of a goal.

CALRG Introduction Therefore the aim of this study was to explore the use of theories of intrinsic motivation in the design of situated digital educational experiences Two experiences were designed using SoundScape technology. One had a goal and one did not.

CALRG Technology The technology used in this study was SoundScapes. A SoundScape is a physical environment that is overlaid with digital auras. An aura or nimbus is defined by several properties

CALRG Technology The default behaviour of the aura is to act as a switch When a user enters an aura, their client device immediately fetches and plays an audio track. It does this via the b wireless network installed in the HP laboratories

CALRG Study The children (n = 26) were aged between 11 –12 years old from a secondary school in Bath. The study employed a within participants design The were two tasks were designed –Goal and Non Goal Task

CALRG Goal task The goal was to get three keys from an island to give to a magic transistor radio in order to save Fifi fairy from imprisonment. The children are told to pick up some magic dust from Fifi fairy The dust helps them find invisible stepping stones.

CALRG Goal task If they successfully reached the island they were told that they have a key and to return to the transistor. When they returned the audio map changed and they had to find the second key. The path got more difficult with each level, the third level was the hardest.

CALRG Goal task The physical element of the SoundScape consisted of –yellow material to mark the beach, –an inflatable alien dressed as a fairy –a transistor radio on a table –a compass marked on the sea area –green material and a plant to represent the island

CALRG Non-Goal Task The Non-goal task contained all the elements of the goal version apart from the goal. Thus, it was exactly the same physically as the goal version. Auras were dotted around the SoundScape, these contained animal sounds.

CALRG Procedure The children were split into groups of 5 Each participant was given 10 minutes on their first SoundScape and 10 minutes to fill in the relevant questionnaire. Then they were then given 10 minutes on their second SoundScape followed by the relevant questionnaires.

CALRG Findings

CALRG Findings The children found that the SoundScape with a goal was more interesting were more likely to want to have another go than the non-goal version Non goal condition was more sociable than the goal condition

CALRG Findings They made more positive comments concerning the goal version. They presence of a goal was important reason why they liked the game. They made more negative comments concerning the non-goal version and mentioned a lack of a goal as negative aspect of the non-goal version.

CALRG Findings They mentioned that one improvement for the non-goal version was to add a goal and to include more sensory stimulation. They preferred the goal version The most popular reason for preferring the goals version was the presence of a goal.

CALRG Discussion The findings provided support for the importance of a goal in design of educational digital educational experiences. They also raise a number of questions concerning how they could be designed to support learning