Young Children's Use of Microcomputer Input Devices

King, Jeremy; Alloway, Nola

doi:10.1300/j025v09n04_05

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…They have found high correlations between study data and Fitts' model [Inkpen 2001;Jones 1991]. They have also observed how children's performance with input devices increases with age [Crook 1992;Joiner et al 1998;Jones 1991;King and Alloway 1993], and how younger children show a higher variability in their performance [Joiner et al 1998;Jones 1991]. Both of these findings are compatible with Kail's predictions.…”

Section: Children and Input Devicessupporting

confidence: 61%

“…This may be due to boys being more motivated towards this goal-oriented task than girls. The inconsistency with other studies on gender difference could also be explained by the fact that this study looked at younger children [Kerr 1975;King and Alloway 1992;King and Alloway 1993].…”

Section: Children and Input Devicescontrasting

confidence: 59%

“…Many researchers have looked at children's use of input devices in the last decade [Crook 1992;Inkpen 2001;Joiner et al 1998;Jones 1991;King and Alloway 1993;Strommen et al 1996]. They have found high correlations between study data and Fitts' model [Inkpen 2001;Jones 1991].…”

Section: Children and Input Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differences in pointing task performance between preschool children and adults using mice

Hourcade

Bederson

Druin

et al. 2004

ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact.

119

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Several experiments by psychologists and human factors researchers have shown that when young children execute pointing tasks, they perform at levels below older children and adults. However, these experiments have not provided user interface designers with an understanding of the severity or the nature of the difficulties young children have when using input devices. To address this need, we conducted a study to gain a better understanding of 4 and 5 year-old children's use of mice. We compared the performance of thirteen 4 year-olds, thirteen 5 year-olds and thirteen young adults in point-and-click tasks. Plots of the paths taken by the participants show severe differences between adults' and preschool children's ability to control the mouse. We were not surprised then to find age had a significant effect on accuracy, target reentry, and efficiency. We also found that target size had a significant effect on accuracy and target reentry. Measuring movement time at four different times (first entering target, last entering target, pressing button, releasing button) yielded the result that Fitts' law models children well only up to the time they first enter the target. Overall, we found that the difference between the performance of children and adults was large enough to warrant user interface interactions designed specifically for preschool children. The results additionally suggest that children need the most help once they get close to targets.

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Section: Children and Input Devicessupporting

confidence: 61%

Section: Children and Input Devicescontrasting

confidence: 59%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Differences in pointing task performance between preschool children and adults using mice

Hourcade

Bederson

Druin

et al. 2004

ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact.

119

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…King and Alloway [10] also noticed this improvement with age. Although almost all of the participants reported beginning computer use at young ages and most rated themselves at a medium level of expertise, the problems experienced by participants in this study mirror the problems researchers documented 15 years ago, before home computer use was common.…”

Section: Children's Approaches To Typing and Spellingmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…King and Alloway [10] studied children ranging in age from 4 to 8 and found that the keyboard was the slowest method of input across all age groups when compared with the mouse and the joystick. Researchers have also found that certain keyboard letters may be harder to find for children, causing them to be slow at entering letters for a keyword search [7].…”

Section: Typing and Spellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

How children search the internet with keyword interfaces

Druin

Foss

Hatley

et al. 2009

Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children

100

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Children are among the most frequent users of the Internet, yet searching and browsing the web can present many challenges. Studies over the past two decades on how children search were conducted with finite and predetermined content found in CD-ROM applications, online digital libraries, and web directories. However, with the current popularity of the open Internet and keyword-based interfaces for searching it, more critical analysis of the challenges children face today is needed. This paper presents the findings of our initial study to understand how children ages 7, 9, and 11 search the Internet using keyword interfaces in the home. Our research has revealed that although today's children have been exposed to computers for most of their lives, spelling, typing, query formulation, and deciphering results are all still potential barriers to finding the information they need.

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