Test with Learners

Within the workshops, IMLIS was tested with the learners for system evaluations. The presentation of the idea behind the system development was purposely omitted for the learners. Usually a teacher presented how the system as well as mobile client worked.

Both before and afterwards, users engaged in talks about their experiences with the de-vice and learning materials. The practical use of the system was designed according a real use cases that were selected for a certain context and for certain participants.

Figure 49: The IMLIS testing workshop in Rabinsbalje School - Bremen, 2010.

The evaluations gave useful information for the design of the concept, the implementa-tion phase, and the didactical usability in real contexts. From these activities, the needs of the target group and their real learning behavior could be precisely specified.

In a workshop, teacher demonstrate to the students (in borderline level) how they go through the learning process with IMLIS client application. The students were very en-gaged and motivated. In few seconds they learned how to use the device, to teach each other how to use it and enjoyed using it. For them it was easy to understand the lessons.

They liked the idea to use the system even in classrooms for learning and games. The exercises from what they did on paper simply transfer to a mobile device.

Figure 50: IMLIS testing workshop in School an der Julius-Brecht-Allee - Bremen, 2010.

In another workshop, two students from a group of 9 mentally disabled joined tests on IMLIS. The two students were twelve year old boys in the borderline level. Klaus was a small restless boy who uses a computer at home for games and is also interested in mo-bile devices. The second boy, Murat was quieter, from a migrant background and physi-cally much bigger than his classmates.

The two boys were asked to sit in a separate room next to the classroom and to fulfill three tasks. First, they were asked to start the system and log into their profile prede-fined by the teacher. Next they were to try out a lesson. In the beginning they had to decide on a topic. According to the topic, they had the choice of two to three lessons. In the lesson they had to connect a name of an object to a graphical representation. The relation of signs to pictures was put in several playful tasks. Both started and managed to login and decide on a lesson. Murat mentioned that this was very easy for him, as he had often seen how his brother logged in to a computer game.

After a while, it became obvious that he occasionally needed a person to remind him to stay focused. Nevertheless, he accomplished the lesson in 15 minutes, which was faster than expected by the teacher. He reported that he liked the mobile technology so much and he did not experience any difficulty.

Klaus hesitated in the beginning but then he quickly started his chosen lesson. He very precisely checked what should be done. The whole time he stayed quiet and focused. It seems that he worked slowly and patiently though out the exercise observing and fol-lowing what the system asked him to do. Step by step he solved the task but it took him a little bit longer than Murat. He stated that he liked this game, even more than com-puter games that he knows.

The second task was a lesson prepared by their teacher, which they did in class a week before. Both boys hadn’t studied enough the week before. This time we wanted to know if they recognized the lesson and if they would learn more now. They should see the pictures of a clock and then they should find the right sentences. For Klaus it appeared as an enjoyable task that he liked a lot and successfully solved in ten minutes. Then he repeated this exact lesson again and enjoyed that he could manage to complete the les-son. For Murat it was much harder. He couldn’t easily find the appropriate sentences, and only with help it was possible to motivate him to keep trying. At least he managed the task and seemed to be satisfied but also a little bit tired.

The third task was to use the mobile device with the software in any context in their leisure time. In order to simulate this Klaus and Murat were allowed to play on a self-defined task in the school yard. Klaus walked with the mobile device around in the yard while he played his favorite lessons on clocks, which he had already solved before. Mu-rat decided on another lesson on weather that works with a lot of pictures. As MuMu-rat has problems with language, the system adapted to his language abilities and did not offer him full words but syllabus that he should arrange in the right order. He worked on his task while he played on the swing. Both boys appeared quite satisfied after their mobile learning experiences and claimed this time spent was leisure time it was not exhausting for them.

Generally, the system and its functionalities were easily understood and they managed to cope with the lesson and understand the related tasks. For Murat the system could adapt to his problems. Above all, he could succeed at the assigned tasks.