Interactive visualisation for low literacy users

Sixteen percent (5.2 million) of the UK population possess low levels of literacy. The Government and other non-profit organisations, due to funding reforms, are forced to reduce the provision of face-to-face advice, and therefore, are pushing advice services via telephone or internet. As a consequence, low literacy users are experiencing difficulties finding the information they need to solve their day to day problems online. This thesis evaluates how walk in clients of a local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) who come to get social service information, obtain information online using the Adviceguide website. The thesis presents two challenges: (i) knowing the users in a way that can help consider design solutions that are probably not in a typical designer’s standard repertoire of design patterns, and (ii) knowing what is the problem that needs to be addressed. It is not simply an issue of usability or the need for simpler language, but understanding that these low literacy users are very different from the high literacy users. These low literacy users need this information to solve their day-to-day problems and are likely to be less successful in doing so. By providing an information architecture that permits them of a reasoning space and context, while supporting less abstract skills by visualized information in an unconventional way. The above challenges leave us with these research questions to address: what is the basis of such a design, how can these designs be incorporated into existing non-traditional interface proof of concept and finally how can these designs be evaluated

Typography Design’s New Trajectory Towards Visual Literacy for Digital Mediums

Typographic elements have a huge impact on how designed mediums affect visual literacy. This paper reviews the principles, perspectives and approaches in the production and function of typographic design visual media (print and digital), with the aim to understand the relationship between typographic design on digital mediums, with the aim of examining its influence on people’s ability to communicate ideas, meaning and messages effectively, while reflecting on its commercial implications for brands and marketers. Research via survey and a focus group implied there is a positive association between literacy and the application of graphic design and typography on digital communication mediums. Findings revealed that type design complements textual word elements to enhance cognition and understanding of messages. The integration of visual and texts facilitates reading, and for digital mediums, both legible layout and engaging typefaces are equally crucial. Graphic typeface for digital media, from smartphones to e-texts for learning, should apply visual hierarchy arrangement to achieve these objectives. Findings show typographic design is an essential aspect of social communication today, and digital designers play a fundamental role to enable audiences to improve their economic and social participation and gain its full advantages

HCI factors affecting the mobile internet uptake in Jordan

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The aim of this research is to highlight the factors and barriers that render mobile phone users averse to using their mobile handsets as an internet platform in Jordan. Three studies were conducted to achieve the aim of the conducted research of this PhD thesis. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in all studies. Data was collected from the participants using questionnaires, open-ended questions and sketching techniques. Firstly, mobile internet usage in Jordan was explored in its wider sense. On the basis of these results, the second study compared PC and mobile internet use. This comparison resulted in the preference of PC internet rather than mobile internet. The study covered many aspects such as usability, familiarity, achievement and satisfaction in dealing with both mobile and stationary tools internet. The third study was divided into two sections. The first part required participants to design (using a sketching technique) a mobile application with regard to handling a critical issue (car violations), to establish the possibility for internet users in Jordan to perform tasks on a mobile platform that they currently perform on stationary internet tools. The second part of the study was an evaluation of this prototype application. The results revealed that the application was found to be very easy and useful by the participants of the study. They added that they would benefit from using such applications in their lives. There was an observed issue of security and trust related to the payment option provided as an option in the application. Participants were cautious and declined to use any ―untrusted‖ method of payment. In addition to lacking trust in e-commerce, participants lack trust and confidence in online payment methods, and stated that they would not recommend the payment option to anyone. Finally, the outcome of the study showed that the application is a novel idea in Jordan, and it is very easy to handle and use. Participants commented that it was easy to interact with the mobile application in order to complete different tasks. The key benefit of the application for participants lies in saving time, by avoiding long queues at the Traffic Department

0008/2011 - Referencial Teórico sobre Analfabetismo Funcional

Este artigo apresenta um referencial teórico contendo um histórico sobre o analfabetismo funcional e suas principais características. São apresentadas estatísticas da evolução do analfabetismo funcional no Brasil. Ao longo do trabalho são descritas e exemplificadas algumas técnicas e tecnologias assistivas que permitem tornar o conteúdo da web mais acessível para este público, visando aumentar a sua participação e aprendizado na web. Entre as principais técnicas aplicadas, o uso de texto simplificado, imagens e áudio vêm sendo amplamente utilizados, para disponibilizar uma alternativa para o conteúdo textual não inteligível

Information Outlook, November/December 2012

Volume 16, Issue 6https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2012/1005/thumbnail.jp

Implementing Web 2.0 in secondary schools: impacts, barriers and issues

One of the reports from the Web 2.0 technologies for learning at KS3 and KS4 project. This report explored Impact of Web 2.0 technologies on learning and teaching and drew upon evidence from multiple sources: field studies of 27 schools across the country; guided surveys of 2,600 school students; 100 interviews and 206 online surveys conducted with managers, teachers and technical staff in these schools; online surveys of the views of 96 parents; interviews held with 18 individual innovators in the field of Web 2.0 in education; and interviews with nine regional managers responsible for implementation of ICT at national level

The development of a computer science curriculum for the higher technical and vocational institutions in Libya

Philosophiae Doctor - PhDThe aim of the study was to develop a framework to align the Computer Science curricula of higher technical and vocational institutions in Libya with the curriculum as proposed by the Association for Computing Machinery, but in keeping with the realities of Africa. The graduate attributes, as suggested by the Association for Computing Machinery, were also considered and compared to the work experience of graduates of higher technical and vocational institutions in Libya. Design Science Research was used as the research methodology and both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with graduates from Libyan institutions and questionnaires were administered to employees from different companies and industries in Libya. The results of the investigation were used in the design of the artefact. The study found that in many cases graduates felt that they were not sufficiently prepared for the workplace as they did not possess the necessary graduate attributes. Skills such as abstract reasoning, team work and communication skills seemed to have been overlooked in the Computer Science curricula at tertiary institutions in Libya. It was also observed that the theoretical aspect of Computer Science was emphasised at the institutions and the acquisition of practical skills was neglected. A framework was developed to assist Computer Science educators to track their compliance to the 2013 curriculum of the Association for Computing Machinery in terms of the acquisition of technical skills as well as the development of the necessary graduate attributes. The framework is an important contribution to the development of an internationally competitive Computer Science curriculum for Libya. It will allow Libyan institutions to focus on preparing students for a rapidly changing world

Practical, appropriate, empirically-validated guidelines for designing educational games

There has recently been a great deal of interest in the potential of computer games to function as innovative educational tools. However, there is very little evidence of games fulfilling that potential. Indeed, the process of merging the disparate goals of education and games design appears problematic, and there are currently no practical guidelines for how to do so in a coherent manner. In this paper, we describe the successful, empirically validated teaching methods developed by behavioural psychologists and point out how they are uniquely suited to take advantage of the benefits that games offer to education. We conclude by proposing some practical steps for designing educational games, based on the techniques of Applied Behaviour Analysis. It is intended that this paper can both focus educational games designers on the features of games that are genuinely useful for education, and also introduce a successful form of teaching that this audience may not yet be familiar with