1. Master’s Project Review
Produced by:
Tacy Trowbridge
Reviewed by:
Josie Chou
Nancy Daniels
Nicole Reynolds
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

2. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Summary of project
Digital Voices is a web based program designed to help chronically ill children and their siblings express themselves in multiple art forms while developing communication and technology skills
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

3. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Learning problem
Identification of learning problem
Children have an immediate need to communicate about complex and difficult issues.
Issues
Children need to advocate for themselves and ask questions about their medical care
Children may feel isolation while in the hospital or home-bound with chronic illness
Troubles establishing social connections
Difficulties for school staff/hospital staff and adults/parents to anticipate needs.
Goals
Primary: develop better self-expression and communication skills
Secondary: build technology skills and knowledge
Develop artistic expression and enhance creativity
Normalized childhood experiences
Opportunity to develop social skills
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

4. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
User description
Middle school children ages years
Children with chronic or long term illnesses
Most of these children are house-bound or in long-term hospital stays
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

5. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Scenario of use
Amy’s story
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

6. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Conceptual framework
Multimedia utilized as an effective tool for creative expression and communication
Community based environment (situative) for learning about technology and providing new methods of communication
Dewey’s philosophy of child centered learning: learning is active and dynamic rather than passive or static
Duckworth’s idea of placing children in an environment where they develop understanding also informs the central objectives of the curriculum
Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences informs the ideology of the curriculum (mediums for self-expression are intentionally varied to acknowledge different abilities).
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

7. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Design process
Four factors informed the design
Need to promote children’s self-expresion and assertiveness
Need to support children transitioning to regular school environment
Constraints of hospital programming
Results of STARBRIGHT research
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

8. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Design Process
Defining and researching the learning problem
Design rationale
Initial design
Iterative designing
Final prototype
Assessment
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

9. Evolution : what changed?
From:
To:
Format:
Online zine with an editor
Collection of connected web galleries
Audience:
Children in hospitals
Children with chronic illnesses
Direction:
Hospital facilitator
Largely self-directed and motivated with opportunities for direction by a faciliator 
Technology:
Technology-rich hospital setting
Range of possibilities starting with a computer with Internet access
Location/Access:
Hospital, through facilitator
Flexible, anytime  
Workspace:
Hospital server or computer
Web notebook 
Management:
Hospital site
Digital Voices  
Interaction:
Guestbook
Individual responses
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

10. Evolution: what remained?
Goal: Enhance self-expression and communication through technology
Audience: Children needing health care
Form of expression:  Multimedia: written word, voices, art, music, movies
Focus:  Child-centered
Learning style:  Exploration and discovery
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

11. Features and functionality
Centralized community for children
Teaching of new technology through modeling between students (artwork/music/poetry/video)
Provides gallery space and forum for children to display and teach about their creations
Socialization environment for children who are alone
Building connections between home and other community groups (children’s groups
Influence transition between being ill and at home and then having to go back out into the social environment
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

12. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Design studies
Digital Voices carries out a number of design studies to prepare for the prototype.
Interviews with doctors, a Child Life specialist, teachers, volunteers and children
Observations at a local children's hospital
Literature reviews on mental problems that the chronically ill children face and application of art therapy, and play therapy
Researches on the existing programs like STARBRIGHT and other web sources
Study the technology effects from social proof, intrinsic motivation, and reciprocation perspectives
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

13. Strengths of the design
Safe and accepting environment for children
Tailored to situation and environment that fit the user profile but was accommodating and flexible
Innovative, thoughtful and well researched and planned
Involves important members of the child’s community (parents, siblings, doctors, teachers, etc)
Creative, respectful and sensitive
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

14. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Weaknesses of design
Somewhat isolating – community aspects need improvement through more interactive means.
Are we able to test whether or not the experiences of these children are ‘normalized’ – children may try to avoid social settings where they still feel ‘different’ – may have trouble separating from this environment into external environments.
Children with illnesses restricted to resources (expensive medical treatments, etc, which prevent them from allocating money to computer systems, etc
Graphics don’t really reflect sensitivity and thoughtfulness – they are harsh and rather unfriendly colors.
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds

15. Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds
Next Steps
Improve community aspects by engaging children through more interactive means (video conferencing between patients) or bringing children in the hospitals to engage together.
Study results of children who have gone back out into normal society and report on their social experiences. Determine if this project is actually ‘normalizing’ for the children.
Determine how many children have access to these resources – those who don’t should have networks within the hospitals.
Redefine the site design to make for a child-friendly environment.
Stanford University
Education Department
LDT Program Ed 229a
Josie Chou, Nancy Daniels, Nicole Reynolds