Stephen James DidcoteWii Learning

Affiliations

University of Wales, Newport.BA (hon) Interactive MediaCurrently Studying for an ‘MA Design By Practice’

University of Wales Institute, CardiffReacTickles.

The Original Brief

Using everyday technologies encourage playful experiences for people with learning disabilities.

Audience will be both male and female, between the ages of 8 – 10 with different intensity of autism along the autistic spectrum.

Introduction

More mobile phones than people in the UK.

Nearly 50% of all children in the UK aged between seven and 16 now own mobile phones, a report has revealed. (bbc.com, 2001).

Research in to mobile phone games

Autism

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. They are:

• difficulty with social communication• difficulty with social interaction• difficulty with social imagination.

Autism Spectrum (Synaesthesia)

Autistic Behaviour

Sensory distress is common within those with ASD, as the individual acts different with different stimuli. “In a resource play area two out of six autistic children behave better

in green light that in red. In red light they wandered round staring at the light. In green light they came and sat down and were co-operative.”

As people’s brains decode stimuli differently the children response to red light was based on the information sent to their brain causing them to act this way.

As information sent to the brain may not just be sending the normal electrical impulses obtain form the surrounding nerve system, thus making them act out and confused.

How do we learn?

“I think, therefore I am.” - René Descartes, 17th-century philosopher

“ A man in the natural attitude, then, understands the world by interpreting his own lived experiences of it, whether these experiences be of inanimate things, of animals, or of fellow humans.” (Schutz 1932:108)

‘A watched pot never boils’ - old proverb

Abstract

The current project I am working on is using everyday technologies to encourage playful experiences for young children prior to their formal education.

The aim is to consider how best to design age appropriate experiences that are desirable and useful within pre-school settings. While also assisting practitioners in experimenting with technologies in the early years school curriculum.

Wii Remote

Built in with accelerometer

Infrared camera capable of tracking up to 4 points

Gesture based interaction.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Observations

Throughout the last month there has been real-time observations of non-digital play of young children in a pre-school playgroup and the subsequent introduction of group activities with affordable, non-specialist devices such as ReacTickles, Wii remote and microphone.

The study captures the vital inspiration phase of design research. By utilizing observation and interview as an analytical framework to help practitioners to articulate the nuances of playful interaction, the designers have been able to draw early conclusions that provide the guiding principles for future design.

Methods of Research

Action Research

Usability Test

Observations

Observation and activities

Session 1: 23/10 = observation and interview playgroup staff

Session 2: 06/11 = ReacTickles, IWB & microphone

Session 3: 13/11 = Light Games

Session 4: 20/11 = Movement games

Session 5: 04/12 = Christmas theme

Any Questions?

Stephen Didcote 

didstudios@googlemail.com

Tel: 01792 816972

Mobile: 0785 2255 082

Skype: StephenDid