Bridging the Gulfs: Modifying an Educational Augmented Reality App to Account for Target Users' Age Differences

摘要

This case study describes our process of modifying an augmented reality (AR) application called Spartan SR for spatial reasoning training for a different, younger user group. Originally designed for undergraduate college students, the application was modified for use by middle school students. Our modifications were designed to bridge certain gulfs of execution and evaluation in interactions with the application in ways that accounted for differences between college and middle-school students. Differences in age groups included reduced relevant prior knowledge and developmental differences in concrete versus abstract reasoning and problem solving as well as self-regulation and motivation. Using direct observation and focus group interviews, we identified modifications that seemed effective and others that needed additional refinement. Learned lessons include the need to redesign interface elements to help students navigate the Spartan SR environment; the value of introducing "real world" objects to scaffold the transition to more abstract shapes; the power of introducing elements of gamification; and the effects of various difficulty levels. These lessons led to iterative redesigns that have promise for improved user experiences at various age and learner levels.