2017
Fan, Min, Antle, Alissa N., Hoskyn, Maureen, Neustaedter, Carman, Cramer, Emily S.
Why Tangibility Matters: A Design Case Study of At-Risk Children Learning to Read and Spell Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1805–1816, Association for Computing Machinery, Denver, Colorado, USA, 2017, ISBN: 9781450346559.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: children, Dyslexia, embedded interaction, mixed-methods., phonoblocks, Reading acquisition, Tangible User Interfaces
@inproceedings{10.1145/3025453.3026048,
title = {Why Tangibility Matters: A Design Case Study of At-Risk Children Learning to Read and Spell},
author = {Min Fan and Alissa N. Antle and Maureen Hoskyn and Carman Neustaedter and Emily S. Cramer},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/3025453.3026048},
doi = {10.1145/3025453.3026048},
isbn = {9781450346559},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
urldate = {2017-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
pages = {1805–1816},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Denver, Colorado, USA},
series = {CHI '17},
abstract = {Tangibles may be effective for reading applications. Letters can be represented as 3D physical objects. Words are spatially organized collections of letters. We explore how tangibility impacts reading and spelling acquisition for young Anglophone children who have dyslexia. We describe our theory-based design rationale and present a mixed-methods case study of eight children using our PhonoBlocks system. All children made significant gains in reading and spelling on trained and untrained (new) words, and could apply all spelling rules a month later. We discuss the design features of our system that contributed to effective learning processes, resulting in successful learning outcomes: dynamic colour cues embedded in 3D letters, which can draw attention to how letter(s) position changes their sounds; and the form of 3D tangible letters, which can enforce correct letter orientation and enable epistemic strategies in letter organization that simplify spelling tasks. We conclude with design guidelines for tangible reading systems.},
keywords = {children, Dyslexia, embedded interaction, mixed-methods., phonoblocks, Reading acquisition, Tangible User Interfaces},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Tangibles may be effective for reading applications. Letters can be represented as 3D physical objects. Words are spatially organized collections of letters. We explore how tangibility impacts reading and spelling acquisition for young Anglophone children who have dyslexia. We describe our theory-based design rationale and present a mixed-methods case study of eight children using our PhonoBlocks system. All children made significant gains in reading and spelling on trained and untrained (new) words, and could apply all spelling rules a month later. We discuss the design features of our system that contributed to effective learning processes, resulting in successful learning outcomes: dynamic colour cues embedded in 3D letters, which can draw attention to how letter(s) position changes their sounds; and the form of 3D tangible letters, which can enforce correct letter orientation and enable epistemic strategies in letter organization that simplify spelling tasks. We conclude with design guidelines for tangible reading systems.
2016
Cramer, Emily S., Antle, Alissa N., Fan, Min
The Code of Many Colours: Evaluating the Effects of a Dynamic Colour-Coding Scheme on Children's Spelling in a Tangible Software System Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 473–485, Association for Computing Machinery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2016, ISBN: 9781450343138.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: children, design, Dyslexia, evaluation, phonoblocks, spelling, tangibles
@inproceedings{10.1145/2930674.2930692,
title = {The Code of Many Colours: Evaluating the Effects of a Dynamic Colour-Coding Scheme on Children's Spelling in a Tangible Software System},
author = {Emily S. Cramer and Alissa N. Antle and Min Fan},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/2930674.2930692},
doi = {10.1145/2930674.2930692},
isbn = {9781450343138},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
urldate = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {473–485},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Manchester, United Kingdom},
series = {IDC '16},
abstract = {Dyslexia is a severe impairment in reading and spelling that affects 10% of children in English-speaking countries. One area of difficulty is learning spelling rules that require attention to other letters within a word (i.e., context): for example, why grapple requires two ps while staple requires one. Poor visual attention contributes to children's difficulties. Computer-based programs that use multisensory cues have helped children learn simple letter-sound relations, but not contextual spelling rules. In this paper we present three theoretically derived principles that can be used to design dynamic colour codes for a variety of contextual spelling rules in software systems. We discuss how we used our principles to design the colour scheme for a single contextual spelling rule in our tangible software system, called PhonoBlocks. We evaluate its effectiveness in a field study with nine dyslexic children. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that our approach to using dynamic colour may help children with dyslexia to learn contextual spelling rules, but that individual factors impact the colours' effectiveness. We conclude by suggesting ways our dynamic colour-coding principles can be implemented in other systems taking into consideration individual factors that also impact their effectiveness.},
keywords = {children, design, Dyslexia, evaluation, phonoblocks, spelling, tangibles},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Dyslexia is a severe impairment in reading and spelling that affects 10% of children in English-speaking countries. One area of difficulty is learning spelling rules that require attention to other letters within a word (i.e., context): for example, why grapple requires two ps while staple requires one. Poor visual attention contributes to children's difficulties. Computer-based programs that use multisensory cues have helped children learn simple letter-sound relations, but not contextual spelling rules. In this paper we present three theoretically derived principles that can be used to design dynamic colour codes for a variety of contextual spelling rules in software systems. We discuss how we used our principles to design the colour scheme for a single contextual spelling rule in our tangible software system, called PhonoBlocks. We evaluate its effectiveness in a field study with nine dyslexic children. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that our approach to using dynamic colour may help children with dyslexia to learn contextual spelling rules, but that individual factors impact the colours' effectiveness. We conclude by suggesting ways our dynamic colour-coding principles can be implemented in other systems taking into consideration individual factors that also impact their effectiveness.
Fan, Min, Antle, Alissa N., Cramer, Emily S.
Design Rationale: Opportunities and Recommendations for Tangible Reading Systems for Children Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 101–112, Association for Computing Machinery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2016, ISBN: 9781450343138.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: children, design rationale, Dyslexia, literacy, phonoblocks, reading, spelling, Tangible User Interfaces
@inproceedings{10.1145/2930674.2930690,
title = {Design Rationale: Opportunities and Recommendations for Tangible Reading Systems for Children},
author = {Min Fan and Alissa N. Antle and Emily S. Cramer},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/2930674.2930690},
doi = {10.1145/2930674.2930690},
isbn = {9781450343138},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
urldate = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {101–112},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Manchester, United Kingdom},
series = {IDC '16},
abstract = {Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have been suggested to have the potential to support learning for children. Despite the increasing number of TUI reading systems there are few design guidelines for children, especially for those with dyslexia (a specific difficulty in language acquisition skills). In this paper we discuss four design opportunities and five design recommendations for designing tangible reading systems for children, particularly those with dyslexia. We ground our analysis using theories of the causes and interventions for dyslexia, best multisensory training practices and existing research on TUIs that support learning to read for children. We describe our tangible reading system, called PhonoBlocks, focusing on two core design features which take advantage of these opportunities. We also describe how we iteratively fine-tuned the details of our design based on our recommendations, an expert review and feedback from tutors who work with children with dyslexia every day. We include a discussion of design trade-offs in our process. This design rationale paper contributes to the growing research on designing tangible spelling and reading systems for children.},
keywords = {children, design rationale, Dyslexia, literacy, phonoblocks, reading, spelling, Tangible User Interfaces},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have been suggested to have the potential to support learning for children. Despite the increasing number of TUI reading systems there are few design guidelines for children, especially for those with dyslexia (a specific difficulty in language acquisition skills). In this paper we discuss four design opportunities and five design recommendations for designing tangible reading systems for children, particularly those with dyslexia. We ground our analysis using theories of the causes and interventions for dyslexia, best multisensory training practices and existing research on TUIs that support learning to read for children. We describe our tangible reading system, called PhonoBlocks, focusing on two core design features which take advantage of these opportunities. We also describe how we iteratively fine-tuned the details of our design based on our recommendations, an expert review and feedback from tutors who work with children with dyslexia every day. We include a discussion of design trade-offs in our process. This design rationale paper contributes to the growing research on designing tangible spelling and reading systems for children.