Home // ACHI 2021, The Fourteenth International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions // View article

The COSMO@Home Application – Iterative Development and Implementation of the Learning Goals

Authors:
Marie Sjölinder
Olov Ståhl
Erik Einebrant
László Sall Vesselényi
Niels Stor Swinkels
Barbara Weyn
Marjolein Verly
Sam Geuens
Jessia Nijs
Marlies Treunen
Anas Abdelrazeq
Samira Khodaei Dolouei
Kathrin Hohlbaum
Sanne Nauts
Privender Saini
Ozgur Tasar
Annerieke Heuvelink

Keywords: design for children; educational software; gamification; game design

Abstract:
This work describes the design journey in the development of an edutainment application for children. The aim of the application was to prepare children for an MRI scan. The COSMO@Home mobile application is based on a number of learning goals that are conveyed by a set of mini-games aimed at teaching and preparing children for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning procedure. Each mini-game addresses one or more of the learning goals identified by the project as being important to prepare children for the procedure. The learning goals were: 1) Learn about the MRI procedure, 2) Familiarization with MRI sounds, 3) Familiarization with the size of the MRI scanner, 4) Practice the timings, 5) Practice lying still, 6) Learn about accessories such as earplugs and head coil, and 7) Understand that metal is not allowed in the MRI room. During the iterative development, initial tests to explore the general concept were conducted with children without a planned MRI scan and outside the hospital. In a second phase, more complete versions of the prototype were tested with children at the hospital. During the last phase, the application was tested in a real context with children in their homes. The main outcome of the iterative development and the testing was an application that, overall, seemed to convey the learning goals. However, the tests also revealed challenges in addressing the most important learning goal of lying still.

Pages: 22 to 29

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2021

Publication date: July 18, 2021

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4138

ISBN: 978-1-61208-870-9

Location: Nice, France

Dates: from July 18, 2021 to July 22, 2021