Mobile learning applications for the elderly: eliciting requirements based on pedagogical and accessibility guidelines

摘要

In this research full paper we present a set of requirements for an m-learning application for the elderly. Currently, the elderly population has been growing considerably. This fact leads to the country and society adapt and create new opportunities for this audience, since they can present changes and challenges of aging. One of this challenges involves the educational area. Education can take place formally or informally, with face-to-face or distance classes and, in this context, emerges the concept of mobile learning (or m-learning). This modality of learning has generated great expectations for educators and learners, since it has benefits related to the flexibility of learning, especially regarding the adaptation with respect to space and time of use. Based on this potential for flexibility and adaptation, one of the main goals of m-learning is to democratize access to education. Thus, m-learning applications must be adequate and structured to serve the general population, including the elderly. Considering this audience, it is necessary to develop accessible and pedagogically appropriate m-learning applications, since these users may have different skills in comparison with younger students. Elderly people may have their physical, sensory, perception and cognitive abilities compromised due to the aging process and, therefore, m-learning applications must be developed based on these needs. In this paper we present the requirements elicitation process for a m-learning app, focused on elderly users. The requirements were created based on works that involve eliciting requirements for m-learning in general, pedagogical pattern language for this type of domain and pedagogical and accessibility guidelines for m-learning app focused on the elderly. At the very end, such requirements will support the development of a crossword mobile application to the elderly, which should contribute to the learning process of such audience.