How to democratize Internet of Things devices. A participatory design research

The global introduction of affordable Internet of Things (IoT) devices offers an opportunity to empower a large variety of users with different needs. However, many off-the-shelf digital products are still not widely adopted by people who are hesitant technology users or by older adults, notwithstanding that the design and user-interaction of these devices is recognized to be user-friendly. In view of the potential of IoT-based devices, how can we reduce the obstacles of a cohort with low digital literacy and technology anxiety and enable them to be equal participants in the digitalized world? This article shows the method and results achieved in a community-stakeholder workshop, developed through the participatory design methodology, aiming at brainstorming problems and scenarios through a focus group and a structured survey. The research activity focused on understanding factors to increase the usability of off-the-shelf IoT devices for hesitant users and identify strategies for improving digital literacy and reducing technology anxiety. A notable result was a series of feedback items pointing to the importance of creating learning resources to support individuals with different abilities, age, gender expression, to better adopt off-the-shelf IoT-based solutions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Sugar Ka Saathi – A Case Study Designing Digital Self-management Tools for People Living with Diabetes in Pakistan

This paper presents the results of an iterative participatory process to design a smart self-management tool for less-literate people living with diabetes in Pakistan. Initially, interviews and focus groups with sixty-nine people living with diabetes identified issues that they face when self-managing including un-controllable factors, lack of diabetes awareness, low-tech mobile phones, and poor internet availability. We developed personas grounded in the scoping results and adjusted our PD approach to focus on more tangible design artefacts before running narrative scoping PD sessions. Working from older, illiterate persona, we designed a phone-line delivered Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. We developed a functional IVR Prototype “Sugar ka Saathi” (Diabetes Companion) with input from a group of 4 Pakistan-based healthcare professionals, to act as a design probe in the PD process. We tested the IVR probe with fifty-seven of the original scoping participants which validated the knowledge transferred by the IVR and its acceptability. Invisible design videos were shown to elaborate the IVR and community concept to thirteen participants through two filmed videos using our existing persona characters from the scoping studies, these videos helped to engage older people with diabetes in PD sessions

Pitching non-English language research: a dual-language application of the Pitching Research Framework

YesThe global language of scholarly research is English and so the obstacle of getting noticed is montainous when the article is not written in the English language. Indeed, despite rapid advances in technology, the “tyranny of language” creates a segmentation inhibiting scholarly research and innovation generally. Mass translation of non-English language articles is neither feasible nor desirable. Our paper proposes a strategy for remedying this segmentation – such that, the work of non-English language scholars become more discoverable. The core piece of this strategy is a “reverse-engineering” [RE] application of Faff’s (2015, 2017a) “pitching research” template. More specifically, we provide access to translated versions of the “cued” template across thirty-three different languages, and most notably for this journal, including the Romanian and French languages. Further, we showcase an illustrative dual language French-English example

Age and task difficulty differences in dual tasking using circle tracing and serial subtraction tasks

YesThe aim of this study was to investigate age-related differences in dual task performance by using an upper limb proprioceptive task. Twenty-eight younger (18–30 years) and 28 older (>60 years) healthy adults performed circle tracing and serial subtraction tasks separately and concurrently. The tasks had two levels of difficulty: easy and hard. The circle tracing task included direct (easy) and indirect (hard) visual feedback conditions, and it was paired with serial subtraction by twos (easy) or threes (hard). We found that older adults were significantly slower than younger adults across all conditions and had significantly greater dual task costs when they performed circle tracing with easy serial subtraction. Higher levels of task difficulty were associated with slower speed in both groups. We found no age differences in accuracy. Participants either traded speed for accuracy or accuracy for speed regardless of age group. Overall, the findings suggest that speed and accuracy may be affected differently during dual tasking. In addition, older adults may rely more extensively on proprioceptive feedback to guide upper limb movement compared with younger adults.Financial support for this study was obtained from the School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University

Online Team-based Learning in Psychology Students, 2020-2021

Background: Team-based learning (TBL) is an interactive teaching method that has been implemented in person and online. Past research has evaluated in person TBL; however, little is known about online TBL. Aims: This study evaluated the effectiveness of online TBL in psychology students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their satisfaction with their course. Sample and method. Thirty-six first and second year psychology students who participated in TBL courses between September-January 2020-21 completed an online survey. Participants completed a TBL questionnaire assessing their attitudes with TBL experience, rated their overall satisfaction with their team, and online delivery of their course, and self-reported their grades. They also listed the one aspect they liked the most about the TBL sessions, and suggested one way to improve them. Results and conclusions: Our results suggested that peer evaluation motivated second-year students to work harder and more collaboratively compared to first-year students. Second-year students also reported that teams make good decisions and working with a team helped them develop team-working skills compared with first-year students. Students with previous TBL experience reported that being part of a team discussion improved their ability to think through problems compared to students with no previous TBL experience. Forty percent of the participants enjoyed their online TBL course suggesting it is a viable teaching method in psychology and may be preferred over traditional lecture-style or in person courses.The purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of team-based learning for psychology students and their satisfaction with their course. Data was collected from students who were enrolled in psychology courses at the University of Bradford and completed team-based learning (TBL) modules during academic year 2020/21.</p

Back Onside Qualitative Data, 2021

Back Onside is a HEIF-funded feasibility study that aims to build resilience and confidence in vulnerable people in Bradford through physical activity. The project runs in partnership between the Bradford Bulls Foundation and colleagues in Psychology and Physiotherapy at the University of Bradford. 100 men and 60 women between 35-64 years old are anticipated to participate once a week for 10 weeks in a physical activity intervention delivered by the Bradford Bulls Foundation. All individuals are offered the opportunity to complete pre- and post-intervention assessment at the University. The assessment includes a brief survey comprising questionnaires of physical activity, wellbeing, self-efficacy, resilience and diet, and physical assessment (e.g., heigh, body fat, blood pressure). The research team at Bradford has developed the study protocol and has conducted interviews with participants to understand how the intervention could be improved. Interviews were also conducted with stakeholders. 1. Participant interviews. The target population was participants on the Bradford Bulls Foundation Back Onside Health and Wellbeing Programme. Bradford Bulls sent out invitations to all their Cohort 1 participants (about 30 men and women who are unemployed or at-risk of unemployment and reside in Bradford). Five participants agreed to participate in online interviews in return of a gift voucher. 2. Stakeholder interviews. The target population was people with expertise in physical activity or community interventions or mental and physical health. The research team recruited these experts through our personal contacts or word-of-mouth (i.e., some of the interviews suggested other experts). Six stakeholders agreed to participate. They received no monetary incentive

Storytelling: A Medium for Co-design of Health and Well-Being Services for Seniors

Part 6: WorkshopsInternational audienceMuch of the current research on ageing-related technologies, tools, and services has focused on issues related to supporting mainly the physical health and well-being of seniors. There is, however, a growing need for better support for other needs of ageing populations, including their entertainment, recreation and social connectedness. The success of future solutions for these needs requires active participation of senior users in their co-design. In this paper, we investigate the potential of storytelling as a practical medium for supporting this co-design process

Increasing the discoverability on non-English language research papers: a reverse-engineering application of the pitching research template

NoDiscoverability or visibility is a challenge that faces all researchers worldwide – with an ever increasing supply of good research entering the scholarly marketplace; this challenge is only becoming intensified as time passes. The global language of scholarly research is English and so the obstacle of getting noticed is magnified manyfold when the article is not written in the English language. Indeed, despite rapid advances in technology, the “tyranny of language” creates a segmentation inhibiting scholarly research and innovation generally. Mass translation of non-English language articles is neither feasible nor desirable. Our paper proposes a strategy for remedying this segmentation – such that, the work of non-English language scholars become more discoverable. The core piece of this strategy is a “reverse-engineering” [RE] application of Faff’s (2015, 2017) “pitching research” template. More specifically, we provide translated versions of the “cued” template across THIRTY THREE different languages: (1) Arabic; (2) Chinese; (3) Dutch; (4) French; (5) Greek; (6) Hindi; (7) Indonesian; (8) Japanese; (9) Korean; (10) Lao; (11) Norwegian; (12) Polish; (13) Portuguese; (14) Romanian; (15) Russian; (16) Sinhalese; (17) Spanish; (18) Tamil; (19) Thai; (20) Urdu; (21) Vietnamese; (22) Myanmar; (23) German; (24) Persian; (25) Bengali; (26) Filipino; (27) Italian; (28) Afrikaans; (29) Khmer (Cambodia); (30) Danish; (31) Finnish; (32) Hebrew; (33) Turkish. Further, we showcase illustrative dual language examples of the RE strategy for the Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and French cases