Toca Doctor is so gorgeous I had to blog it. With its retro chic style, adults are transported while kids have the bright aquas, pinks and yellows to guide them through a collection of quirky doctor puzzles. Move the germ through the brain maze and out of the nose, pull the thorns from a sore foot, or mop up and bandage an abrasion. Instructions are clear, and function without words. this app
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
The Institute for the Future
Posted on 20:42 by Unknown
If you haven't already, head to the Institute for the Future (IFTF). Their site abounds with projects and infographics of interest to eLearning Interface Designers.
For example, they have a project on The Magic of KidsTech which shares insights on unique applications of technology, such as mobile apps, for kids learning, health and wellbeing.
Reknowned game designer Jane McGonigal is an
For example, they have a project on The Magic of KidsTech which shares insights on unique applications of technology, such as mobile apps, for kids learning, health and wellbeing.
Reknowned game designer Jane McGonigal is an
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Educational Apps connect learners with scientists
Posted on 19:39 by Unknown
Educational apps can connect students with science and scientists with students in remarkable new ways.
Take Project Noah with its stunning interface and jaw-droppingly beautiful photos taken by volunteer nature spotters across the globe. This web community gives learners of all ages a unique networked learning opportunity: Learn about animals and plants while you contribute to scientific
Take Project Noah with its stunning interface and jaw-droppingly beautiful photos taken by volunteer nature spotters across the globe. This web community gives learners of all ages a unique networked learning opportunity: Learn about animals and plants while you contribute to scientific
Sunday, 14 October 2012
EdTech for kids - the tablet explosion
Posted on 20:40 by Unknown
The LeapFrog LeapPad 2
Apparently IT parents had to wrestle for their iPads one too many times, because the world is suddenly a fireworks display of tablets and digital devices for children, customized to be safer, cheaper and more educational than the parent version. New learning devices open up opportunities for new learning apps and interfaces, and thus more exciting work for elearning
Thursday, 27 September 2012
UX and UI for eLearning - Presentations online
Posted on 22:34 by Unknown
The eLearning Guild recently hosted an online forum on Graphic design and UX/UI design for eLearning. One of the highlights for me was the talk by Erin Sappington Kreb and John-Carlos Lozano of SweetRush. Their slides were impeccable and their advice well communicated.
In a later session I presented a series of research-based guidelines for eLearning interfaces to a dynamic audience of
Connie Malamed - Visual Design and eLearning
Posted on 22:20 by Unknown
If you don't know her work already, Connie Malamed, author of Visual Language for Designers combines expertise in both eLearning and Visual Design and as such, is a great source of knowledge for the eLearning Interface Designer.
Check out her high quality articles at E-learning Coach, some of which relate specifically to eLearning Interface Design. For example...
Using graphics to improve
Friday, 21 September 2012
UX Personas as an antidote to the three Ps
Posted on 19:46 by Unknown
Shake hands with the three P's: politics, personalities and prejudices. You'll be doing a lot of work with these guys, and as a UX designer, you may be the only one equipped to get around them with technique rather than tyranny.
Case study - A web publishing process
Challenge: Redesign an internal process for a team of 40 users who know each other, too well. That means stakeholders
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Learning programming languages online
Posted on 18:57 by Unknown
Guest writer Jennifer Jenkins of onlineuniversity.net looks at the role of online learning to increase access to computer science education....
Could online university classes solve the programming gap?
by guest writer Jennifer Jenkins
Despite the rising number of people who utilize computers during their workdays, the number of individuals who study advanced computer science has remained
Could online university classes solve the programming gap?
by guest writer Jennifer Jenkins
Despite the rising number of people who utilize computers during their workdays, the number of individuals who study advanced computer science has remained
Friday, 10 August 2012
UX for Learning - Design guidelines
Posted on 21:12 by Unknown
UX for Learning - Design guidelines for the Learner Experience was just published in the online professional publication UX Matters. In the article I elaborate on a list of practical guidelines drawn from multimedia learning research. Check it out.
Monday, 30 July 2012
eBook on graphic design for eLearning
Posted on 17:35 by Unknown
The eLearning Guild has now released 62 Tips on Graphic Design, UI/UX Design, and Visualization for eLearning - the companion eBook to the upcoming online forum on this topic (to be held online on the 23-24 of August). The eBook is free to download and contains tips provided by the forum presenters (of which I am one, so let bias be noted ;).
Research on innovative learning interfaces
Posted on 17:26 by Unknown
I was delighted to come across Incaa Designs, a non-profit organisation that "researches, designs and evaluates the impact of innovative educational interfaces." "Interested in ensuring that educational technologies improve the learning opportunities and lives of all people" they publish on the use of a variety of technologies for different types of learning. I was especially inspired by their
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
The world is your controller
Posted on 19:46 by Unknown
Ever fantasized about dumping your keyboard and controlling your computer with play dough or fresh fruit? Well maybe not yet, but MIT Media Lab is making nerd-dreams come true with the soon to be released "Makey Makey". It's a freakishly cool device that allows you to plug nearly anything that can conduct even small amounts of electricity (ie. potato) into your computer and use it as a
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Experts call for more "Learning experience design"
Posted on 23:29 by Unknown
Janet Kolodner at ICLS 2012
I was ecstatic in the audience of Pierre Dillenbourg's talk at last week's International Conference of the Learning Sciences when he made an open call for more work to be done on HCI for Education. Later, in an interactive poster session of innovative learning technology, ISLS society founder Janet Kolodner echoed agreement for this need, appropriately recasting it
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
Design for a wiser world
Posted on 17:52 by Unknown
Rich learning experiences can help us grow in wisdom as well as in knowledge and capacity. While many are wringing their hands at the perceived negative effects of technology, Positive Computing opens the door to a future in which human-centred design evolves to a kind of humanity-centred design. The Interactions feature article "Positive Computing: Technology for a wiser world" explores both a
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Book: Designing for Learning Environments of the Future
Posted on 17:12 by Unknown
The book of essays Designing for Learning Environments of the Future (edited by Jacobson and Reimann) is now freely available for reading online. The book contains chapters by leaders in the field of the Learning Sciences and deals with topics like learning in virtual worlds, net-based teams, knowledge communities and inquiry-based learning.
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Workshop / conference on educational interfaces
Posted on 22:52 by Unknown
The third annual Workshop on Educational Interfaces, Software and technology, associated with CHI 2012, aims to combine "the pedagogical expertise of the cooperative learning, and learning sciences communities with the technical creativity of the CHI, UIST and interactive surface communities."
Held May 5-6, You may have just missed it this year, but the papers are now online, and keep your eye
Held May 5-6, You may have just missed it this year, but the papers are now online, and keep your eye
Digital experiences for kids and teens
Posted on 20:59 by Unknown
If you design digital experiences for kids or teenagers, you'll want to check out the recently released Oxford University Press title, Designing Digital Experiences for Positive Youth Development by Marina Umaschi Bers, PhD. The book explores the notion of "Positive Technological Development" and looks at the potential of digital experiences to support positive development in youth.
"Based on
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Online Forum on Visual Design for Learning!
Posted on 17:45 by Unknown
This August, the ELearning Guild will focus one of their Online Forums on visual design for learning. Graphic Design, UI Design and Visualization for eLearning will be held this August 23-24th and attendance is virtual (via Adobe Connect) so come as you are. I have been invited to speak at the forum and will present: "Guidelines for Effective learning Interfaces". More information is
The Future of Learning Interfaces
Posted on 17:30 by Unknown
Future learning interfaces (including multi-touch tables, motion-sensitive interfaces, and physical and tangible computing) represent just one of the topics to be addressed at this year's International Conference of the Learning Sciences (to be held downunder for the first time).
How to design for future learning interfaces will be addressed in the Pre-Conference Workshop: "Digital Ecosystems
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Seminar on Visualization for Science Education
Posted on 20:19 by Unknown
Heads up on the following seminar on how visualizations can be leveraged for science learning...
Making Sense of Science through Visualization will be presented by Roy Tasker on 20 April 2012, 11-12pm at The University of Sydney.
A deep understanding of chemistry requires the ability to imagine the invisible molecular world to explain the observable world. Only then do abstract chemical
Making Sense of Science through Visualization will be presented by Roy Tasker on 20 April 2012, 11-12pm at The University of Sydney.
A deep understanding of chemistry requires the ability to imagine the invisible molecular world to explain the observable world. Only then do abstract chemical
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Glamming up research
Posted on 15:34 by Unknown
The folks at web and print media at the University of Sydney have just done a fantastic job with a brilliant little interactive that makes the importance of research and research funding accessible, appealing and audience driven. It's a lovely example of infographics, crowd sourcing, and live stats in action. It's a model in web seduction that seeks to educate the public while shaping their
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Interaction Design in Ed Environments - Workshop
Posted on 20:53 by Unknown
I was delighted to hear of the 1st International Workshop on Interaction Design in Educational Environments - IDEE 2012 which will be held on the 28 June, 2012 in Poland. Note, this is an academic conference style workshop in which papers are presented (as opposed to a training workshop). Paper submission deadline is April 10.
I look forward to the resulting insights and publications!
Monday, 2 April 2012
The Multimedia Principle - A quick guide
Posted on 01:29 by Unknown
infographic by: Indi Samarajiva
The Multimedia Principle: When designing for learning, use words and graphics rather than words alone.
This little starlet of learning research is both well-established and deceptively simple. Introduced by multimedia learning guru, Richard E. Mayer, it's at the core of what we do, but it has some important caveats. it's a staple concept in instructional
Thursday, 23 February 2012
4 principles for the design of game interfaces
Posted on 21:18 by Unknown
The latest issue of User Experience Magazine features a gem of an article for those looking for a very brief intro into basic heuristics for game design. "Designing Game-Based Tools for Youth" By Sarah Chu and Constance Steinkuehler reveals findings from their research into the UX of the massively popular and massively multiplayer game, World of War Craft. Their conclusions...
Keep the
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Online games for behavioural intervention
Posted on 15:04 by Unknown
Jennifer Wilson, Director of The Project Factory gave a riveting presentation about the use of games for learning, behavioural intervention, and health at the University of Sydney last week. Melinda Lewis kindly published the juicy menu of interactive examples that Wilson cited during her speech.
For example, Luminosity is a popular game-based brain trainer that promises to improve your
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Study HCI at Stanford - free and online
Posted on 22:40 by Unknown
Would you believe me if I said you could study HCI at Stanford this semester?
For free?
From home.
No really.
http://www.hci-class.org/
I'll be there - sitting up in front.
Oh, and there's also the Open Classroom Material from last year.
Thanks, Stan.
For free?
From home.
No really.
http://www.hci-class.org/
I'll be there - sitting up in front.
Oh, and there's also the Open Classroom Material from last year.
Thanks, Stan.
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