Tablet technology is widely touted as the next wave in education. Last year, many school districts shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars for the new technology. With hundreds of educational-focused applications available in the iTunes or Google Play stores, one may assume that these applications are superior to the traditional methods. Educators cite the engaging and motivational benefits of the iPad and other technologies in student learning. With this question in mind, a team of researchers at Bentley University compared the engagement benefits from traditional paper-based books and a tablet interactive text application “Inkling.” Participants explored this new interactive textbook – Inkling – and the same content in a traditional paper textbook. The case study explored the pros and cons in moving beyond traditional education methods. For our research, we worked with higher education students who owned and used an iPad regularly. We gauged their emotional engagement in the education activities – or ‘homework’ assignments – throughout the sessions. We obtained their emotional engagement data by combining SMI’s eye-tracking technology with Affectiva’s Q-Sensor galvanic system measurement gloves and Microsoft Product Reaction cards. Using this technology, we were able to pinpoint the moments in which students had an emotion response (engagement) with the tasks. At the end of each session, we discussed the qualitative aspects of the interactions, including participants’ expectations and experiences using the iPad and traditional paper textbook to complete the tasks. Our hypothesis was that the iPad interactive reading technology would be more engaging to students and consequently be a better tool to aid their education. In our presentation at the UPA Boston Conference, we will present the sometimes contradictory findings from our case study. We will make recommendations based on these findings for designers – for both traditional textbooks and digital textbooks to keep in mind. We will also explore several open questions our field must tackle as we continue to migrate educational materials to digital forms.

1. Designing for Education:
an iPad Case Study

2. Agenda
• What We’ve Studied
• The Study
– Research method
– Study method
• Findings
– What we learned
– What this means to you
Please interrupt us with questions as we go!
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

3. What We’ve Studied

4. How it all started
• Idea from World Usability Day 2011 theme (Education)
• In November, presented in detail about research methods
Today we are excited to share our findings from the study!
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

5. Education and Tablet Technology
• Pilot programs on using tablets in schools and higher
education are underway
– NYC, Chicago, Virginia, California, Boston and
internationally
– About 1.5 million iPads are in use in school settings using
more than 20,000 education applications
– Intended to be used at home and school in place of
textbooks
– Perceived benefits include
• Light-weight
• Variety of applications
• Interactive Learning
• Few studies done on student education through tablets
Sources:
1. NY Times, Math That Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad
(1/2012)
2. boston.com, Schools eager to launch iPad era of learning
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai (2/2012)

6. Digital Reading
• 20% of the US market is aware of and downloading
paid-for e-books
• Starting in 2011, e-books outpaced print book sales
on Amazon
Sources:
1.Bowker’s Results of Global eBook Research (3/2012)
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai 2. NY Times, E-Books Outsell Print Books at Amazon (5/2011)

7. Our Study

8. Research Question
• Are students more engaged learning on a digital book or a
printed book?
• How can designers and researchers optimize the benefits
of tablet technology while designing for digital books?
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

9. Subject of Study
• Pearson’s ‘Access to Health’ and ‘Nutrition’
• Inkling Interactive Digital Textbook Technology allows for
advanced interactions (i.e. search, notes, highlighting)
Digital Book Paper Book
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

10. Research Methods Applied
• Affectiva’s Q Sensor
• SMI Eye tracking
• Microsoft Product Reaction Cards
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

11. Q Sensor: Measuring EDA
Q Sensor
Created by Affectiva, a company founded by MIT Media Lab
faculty and students
What is the Q-Sensor?
A wireless biosensor that measures emotional stimulation via
skin conductance (Electro Dermal Activity).
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

12. SMI Eye Tracking
• Binocular tracking delivers eye tracking data over all
distances
• Advantageous for use on mobile or tablet devices
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

13. Microsoft Product Reaction Cards
• A set of 118 words
– 60% positive
– 40% negative/neutral
• Does not rely on a questionnaire
or rating scales
• Users don’t need to generate
words themselves
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

14. Recruiting & Session Structure
• Recruiting
– Create online questionnaire with filters
– Identify distribution channels
– Organize schedule for participants
• Setting up Study Session
– Prepare scenarios and tasks
– Conduct pilot study
– Prepare moderator’s guide
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

15. Participants
• Identified 10 undergraduate students who owned iPads
and used the internet at least 10 hours per week
• iPad activities included:
– Accessing the web, checking email, gaming and social
networking
– Additional activities included eBooks, music, course
maintenance, movies and looking at PowerPoint's during class
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

16. Study Method
• Pre-task questions
– Warm-up participants
– Collect information on their tablet usage activities
• Within-subjects study
– Each participant performed tasks on a paper textbook and
then on the digital textbook on the iPad
– Counter-balanced between starting with the digital and
paper textbook
• Post-task questions
– Qualitative metrics on ease of use and preferences
– Repeated after each textbook type
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

17. Findings

18. Emotional Stimulation Results
• 102 data points from 10
participants
• Higher average peaks per
minute(PPM) for Paper textbook
than Digital textbook
• Infer higher cognitive load for
paper textbook
• Higher PPM for paper
textbook for 6 out of 7 tasks
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

19. Microsoft Reaction Cards: Digital Book
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

20. Microsoft Reaction Cards: Printed book
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

21. Quotes about Digital Textbook
“I might tired of looking
“I like how you can just at the screen and the
tap and go to the page” textbook would be more
comfortable”
“With the iPad I have to
“I can use the search
swipe and swipe and
function to find stuff”
swipe and swipe”
“You wouldn't ruin the
“I can change the view
page by highlighting
on the iPad easily and
and taking notes on the
minimize pictures”
iPad”
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

22. Quotes about Printed Textbook
“The battery doesn't die. “I don't think the book
The textbook is more did a good job of pointing
reliable” out stuff”
“The books are heavier to
“If it's on paper, it's carry and the lighting is
always there” also important for the
textbook”
“It was nice to have the
book through to flip “Can re-sell or share the
through and look at. It books. It is also cheaper.
was more personal and Not a big deal if I lose it”
reliable”
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

23. What would you prefer to use?
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

24. What we learned
• Participants had mixed feelings about textbook reading on
the digital vs. the paper textbook
– Financial reasons
– Freedom and comfort
– Reliability
– Searching & navigating content
– Supplemental research
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

25. Take Aways for Digital Reading Apps
• Design Recommendations
– Make search and navigation a top priority
– Integrate web access & capabilities
– Minimizing the ‘swiping’ actions
• Issues to Explore
– Resale & loan opportunities for digital textbooks
– Battery efficiency of reading application
• Combining new methods yield interesting results
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai

26. Questions?
Thank you to our sponsors!
The Design and Usability Center
Contact:
Amanda Davis –adavis.bentley@gmail.com
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai Vignesh Krubai – krubai_vign@bentley.edu

27. Appendix

28. Results
• Statistical Analysis of QSensor Data
• P-value = 0.23(90% Confidence Interval)
Average Peaks per Minute Average Peaks per Minute per
10.0 Task
9.0
10.0
8.0
7.0 8.0
6.0
5.0 6.0
4.0 Paper Book
4.0
3.0 iPad Book
2.0 2.0
1.0
0.0 0.0
Paper Book iPad Book T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
© Copyright Amanda Davis & Vignesh Krubai