This paper is on android mobile application for slow learners with tactile learning style. The purpose of this report is to record all data collected through the author's investigation and research for this project. This project is a mobile application based project and the targeted users are slow learners in Year 2 using the official Malaysian Ministry of Education Mathematics curriculum.
The objective of this mobile application is to study how android mobile application can be used to improve slow learning children with touch learning style learning process and to implement and develop android mobile application that can be used by slow learning children with tactile style. Therefore, this project will help children's learning process for difficult subjects to be easier, more effective and enjoyable. Evaluation of the experimental results shows a satisfactory result where out of 6 children tested, 5 children showed a good response to the mobile application.
Emy Elyanee Binti Mustapha and Miss Ainol Rahmah Shazi Binti Shaarani for guiding me with endless patience and cooperation to help me complete this project. Finally, I would like to thank my parents, family and friends who helped me immensely in completing this project within the limited time and gave me endless support and encouragement, which enabled me to do my best for this project.
Introduction
- Project Background
- Problem Statement
- Objective
- Scope Of Study
- Relevancy Of Project
Every slow learner between the ages of 7 and 14 has a different learning style, such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile learning styles. However, there is a lack of learning aids on the market that focus on slow learners with a tactile learning style. This project will focus on managing and improving the learning experience of slow learners using an Android mobile application by focusing on one learning style for those children with a tactile learning style.
To study how Android mobile applications can be used to improve slow learner children with tactile learning style learning process. A study should be done to understand and differentiate different learning styles and understand which learning style is suitable to improve learning process for slow learner children. This project is done to study the preferred human interaction interface by slow learner children with tactile learning style.
It is important to understand how the student learns slowly in the classroom and understand how the tactile learning style affects children. To implement and develop android mobile application that can be used by slow learning children with tactile learning style.
Literature Review
- Characteristics Of A Slow Learner
- Learning Style
- Tactile Learning Style
- Technology Usage In Education For Slow Learners
- Comparative Technology For The Slow Learner
Studies have found that slow learners have relatively short attention spans and lack concentration. This is why slow learners have resources for gestures or action rather than words (Chauhan, 2011). Slow learners tend to be tactical and kinesthetic rather than able to learn by listening and reading.
Slow learners can learn at their own pace, giving them the motivation to learn and do their best and enjoy learning. 30% of slow learners took less time to learn the same information using technology. It's important to find the right balance between theory and fulfillment to design the right app for slow learners.
Flash technology with drag-and-drop functions works great for slow learners with a tactile learning style. There is a lack of an Android mobile application specifically designed for slow learners who have followed the Ministry of Education syllabus.
Methodology
- Project Activity
- Planning Phase
- Analysis Phase
- Design Phase
- Build Phase
- Testing Phase
The design and implementation phases will be carried out simultaneously and in each cycle resulting in a system prototype that will be reviewed by SK Seri Tronoh students and teachers to measure the effectiveness of the prototype model. The milestone and Gantt chart will be used and act as a benchmark to ensure the completion of each task in a given time frame during the project. Most of the time will be spent on designing the application and understanding the needs of the students and finding the exact field of study and what kind of system can help improve the learning disability.
Project user requirements will be identified in this phase and all research findings will be added to this project. Project requirements will be divided into two categories, which are functional and non-functional requirements. Below is the breakdown describing the functional and non-functional requirement of the mobile application.
The development of the prototype will take place in accordance with the findings and analysis of data obtained from teachers and students of SK Seri Tronoh and SK Tronoh. During this phase, more testing will be done to complement the needs of slower learning children who prefer a human-computer interaction interface. The student can select the desired syllabus from the list and based on the selection the student will be redirected to a new page.
App Inventor will be used in this project because it allows for a faster product. The application is tested for functionality and accuracy to arrive at a result by comparing it with the results already produced. The set of previous data is obtained from the previous testing session performed.
The information capture will be used to help explore the data collected and find the weaknesses and improvements will be made to the product prototype. Testing the application will be done by testing the functionality of the application itself. All basic functionalities have been evaluated and any defective function that did not work is identified and the testing cycle is resumed until all functionality works correctly and perfectly as planned.
To test if the pixel of the application is correct and follows the layout as previously planned. To test the ink function of the application whether it comes out or not.
Result And Discussions
- Story Board Interfaces
- Interview Result
- Observation Result
- Testing Result
This will help the student to practice writing numbers and it helps to strengthen the student's memory to remember the numbers better and last longer than before the use of this application. The user can proceed to the main menu or the next exercise by using the navigation button at the top of the screen. The participant is required to answer a survey regarding the attractiveness, ease of navigation and effectiveness of the application to improve the learning experience of slow learners in the school, SK Seri Tronoh.
Three teachers at the school agreed that the app's navigation is very user-friendly and easy for children to use. One teacher suggested that navigating the app could only be categorized as easy. 60% or 3 teachers agreed that this app is very useful for children in learning mathematics, while another 40% or 2 teachers ranked this app as a useful app to use in class.
Overall, all the teachers agreed that this application will definitely help the students in learning mathematics. 60% of teachers supported the GUI of the mobile application and indicated that it is very suitable for the children. In general, the feedback is good and appropriate for children and attractive enough to attract the children's attention to use it.
All five teachers involved with children with special needs agreed that this mobile app is following the curriculum as stated by the Ministry of Education and can be used in school to teach slow learners in year 2. All participants are aware of the project objective, as previously informed, was involved with this research since FYP I. Introducing the application in solving math problems helps to keep tactile students interested in answering the problem and helping them to learn in the most favorable ways for them.
5 out of six children agreed that the GUI of the app is suitable and they love it because the app uses very bright colors, clear and eye-catching pictures. Finally, half of the class or three of them agreed that this application is very easy to navigate. The experimental result of the Android showed a satisfactory result where out of 6 children tested, 5 children showed a good response to the mobile application.
Conclusion And Recommendation
Conclusion
Recommendation
Challenges, opportunities and future prospects in the inclusion of children with disabilities in the design of interactive technology. A systematic review of computer-based strategies and interventions (CBI) for the reading comprehension of children with autism. Differentiating children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders by their motor behavior characteristics.
Principal component analysis study of visual and verbal metaphorical understanding in children with autism and learning disabilities. Retrieved February 17, 2014, from http://www.greatschools.org/special- education/assistive-technology/702- assistive-technology-for-kids-with-learning-disabilities-an-. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from http://www.moe.gov.om/Portal/sitebuilder/Sites/EPS/Arabic/IPS/Importa/t.
Retrieved February 18, 2014, from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/27/tablets-schools- coding-kids-education-ipad.
Appendices
The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine whether the functional requirements of the system application are met. How do you think the application would help children learn? where 1 is less beneficial and 5 is very useful). Do you think the application is useful for your daily work in teaching the children? where 1 is least useful and 5 is very useful).
What do you think about the GUI, is it suitable for children in year 2. where 1 is least suitable and 5 is very suitable). How easy you can navigate the app (with 1 being very easy and 5 being very difficult). Do you think the app is engaging, interactive and suitable for children aged seven? with 1 being not suitable and 5 being very suitable).
IQ Ratio Formula Calculation
Distribution Of Abilities
Types Of Slow Learner
Functional Decomposition Diagram
Activity Diagram
Use Case Diagram
Flow Of The Application
Teacher’s Survey Form
Student’s Survey Form
