Adapting Educational Technologies across Learner Populations: A Usability Study with Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum
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| Title: | Adapting Educational Technologies across Learner Populations: A Usability Study with Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Zi, Xiaoman, Li, Shiyao, Rashedi, Roxanne, Rushdy, Marian, Lane, Ben, Mishra, Shitanshu, Biswas, Gautam, Swanson, Amy, Kinsman, Amy, Bardett, Nicole, Juarez, Pablo, Kunda, Maithilee |
| Source: | Grantee Submission. 2020Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (42nd, 2020). |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 7 |
| Publication Date: | 2020 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R324A180171 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Speeches/Meeting Papers |
| Education Level: | Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Autism Spectrum Disorders, Students with Disabilities, Educational Technology, Middle School Students, Adolescents, Science Activities, Student Needs, Usability, Science Education, Learner Engagement |
| Abstract: | This paper reports initial results from a usability study conducted in the formative and user-centered design phase of a larger project to translate an existing, science-focused educational technology for neurotypical middle school students into a new, social-reasoning-focused educational technology for students on the autism spectrum. Participants in our study included both adolescents on the autism spectrum and typically developing adolescents, who were asked to complete the Betty's Brain educational-technology-based science activity as well as a social-reasoning movie question-answering activity. Results include qualitative observations of general student engagement and challenges as well as quantitative measures of performance and eye gaze, including key differences observed across our two sample groups, with the goal of informing the design and adaptation of future technology-based interventions. Our findings suggest specific considerations for designing educational technologies for adolescents on the autism spectrum, including: (1) finding ways to help students follow instructional/tutorial portions of new technologies, especially when lengthy instructions and/or complex interfaces are involved; (2) proactively anticipating and finding ways to mitigate potential student episodes of frustration / dysregulation while using the technology; and (3) capitalizing on features of the technology found to be engaging/motivating for students. [This paper was published in: "Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society," Cognitive Science Society, 2020, pp. 1922-1928.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2022 |
| Accession Number: | ED622726 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This paper reports initial results from a usability study conducted in the formative and user-centered design phase of a larger project to translate an existing, science-focused educational technology for neurotypical middle school students into a new, social-reasoning-focused educational technology for students on the autism spectrum. Participants in our study included both adolescents on the autism spectrum and typically developing adolescents, who were asked to complete the Betty's Brain educational-technology-based science activity as well as a social-reasoning movie question-answering activity. Results include qualitative observations of general student engagement and challenges as well as quantitative measures of performance and eye gaze, including key differences observed across our two sample groups, with the goal of informing the design and adaptation of future technology-based interventions. Our findings suggest specific considerations for designing educational technologies for adolescents on the autism spectrum, including: (1) finding ways to help students follow instructional/tutorial portions of new technologies, especially when lengthy instructions and/or complex interfaces are involved; (2) proactively anticipating and finding ways to mitigate potential student episodes of frustration / dysregulation while using the technology; and (3) capitalizing on features of the technology found to be engaging/motivating for students. [This paper was published in: "Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society," Cognitive Science Society, 2020, pp. 1922-1928.] |
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