Engaging Children in Interactive Application Evaluation

Abstract

Interactive applications designed specifically for children offer great potential for education and play. However, to ascertain that the aims of applications are achieved, child-centred evaluations must be conducted. The design of any evaluation with children requires significant consideration of potential problems with comprehension, cognitive ability, response biases and study attrition. Multidisciplinary R&D project evaluation requirements are often extensive, requiring an all-encompassing and prolonged evaluation design. Discontinuity between the highly engaging interaction experience and the multitude of measures that form the evaluation poses a major issue for the evaluation of interactive applications. In response, we have developed Transmedia Evaluation, a method that aims to maintain engagement throughout the evaluation process. In this paper, the Transmedia Evaluation process is explained and applied to evaluate a learning application for children, MIXER (Moderating Interactions for Cross Cultural Empathic Relationships). Children aged 9-11 (N = 117) used the MIXER application and completed an evaluation battery including pre-and posttest questionnaires, immediate learning assessment and qualitative evaluation. Using Transmedia Evaluation to develop the MIXER evaluation resulted in complete data-sets (100%) for quantitative data (by self-regulated completion) along with rich, high quality qualitative responses. Transmedia Evaluation transformed the evaluation, with children fully engaging in and enjoying their experience.