Introduction to Computers
A friendly and fun way to help students aged 3-5 master the complex motor skills required for Istation assessments.
Responsibilities
UX Research
UX Design
UI Development
Motion Design
Team
Maria Soler
Eduardo Salmeron
Victoria Malave
Andy Estrada
Haley Aycock
Erika Janet
Al Silva
I interviewed 5 teachers and led collaborative design sessions with the entire team. I also implmemented art assets to create 4 tutorial animations and developed interactive elements for 3 activities.
The Problem
How might we improve the accuracy of data gathered from our youngest students?
This project began as a response to conversations with PreK and Kindergarten teachers. We wanted to know more about their experience using Istation with such young students.
These teachers were frustrated. The thinking at Istation at the time was that students this age would already be wiz-kids with technology. While this notion proved true for some of these teachers' students, there was an alarming number of them who experience their first ever interaction with a computer when they take their first Istation assessment. The assessments assume that all students are capable of performing basic actions with a mouse, but using a mouse can be a challenging motor skill to learn for 4-6 year olds. During the assessment, the teachers were moving around the room constantly helping their students individually, and ultimately the data we were collecting from this age group was inacurrate.
So, we took a fresh look as a team at the assessments that our youngest students take. These assessments use several different methods and question types to get a clear understanding of the students' real capabilities. The most complex of these question types require the student to click and drag objects.
Clicking and dragging may seem like 2nd nature to any technologically literate adult. However, much like driving a car, this simple action is actually a combination of basic understanding and executing multiple motor skills at the same time. It requires an understanding of the mouse and how it interacts with the objects that appear on the monitor, and it requires enough mastery of the basic motor skills that they can be performed at the same time.
The Solution
Equip our youngest students with the basic motor skills and understanding required to accurately take their first Istation assessment.
The Introduction to Computers is tailor-made for Istation students. If the student is using a tablet, they get a special shortened experience that introduces the concept of tablets Then it shows the student how to tap, and then tap and drag items on the screen.
Features
Tutorial Animation
The experience begins with a friendly character who introduces himself, and with the help of moving illustrations, explains what a computer is and how the student can interact with objects on the screen by using the mouse.
Moving the Mouse
A hand and mouse demonstrate the movements required to move the cursor on the screen. Then the student practices the motor skill by moving the cursor through 16 circles. The circles' positions are modified in a way that makes them feel like the cursor is pushing through them like real physical objects. After the student has touched all the circles with the cursor, the circles collapse inwards, forming a square, which the character then uses as a hiding place. The character prompts the student to try to catch him with the cursor, and begins popping out of different sides of the square at random. When the cursor touches him, he hides again behind the square before popping out of another side. The student gets to play this mini-game for 60 seconds, before the experience moves on.
Clicking
Next, the hand and mouse demonstrate the actions necessary to click the mouse. The student is presented with a set of balloons that pop when clicked, and get to see how many balloons they can pop before the 60 second timer runs out.
Clicking & Dragging
Finally, the hand and mouse demonstrate how to click and drag items on the screen. Then the student is presented with an extremely simple 2 piece puzzle. When the student has successfully completed the puzzle, they are presented with a slightly harder 4 piece puzzle. After completing the second puzzle, the character reappears and congratulates them for learning how to use the computer. The student then proceeds to take their first Istation assessment equipped with their new knowledge.
