Abstract
Communication problems seriously affect the social interaction and normal life of preschoolers. Digital books are increasingly used by families as a learning and cognitive enhancement tool for children because of their lower cost and side effects than traditional therapies. However, the interactive format, the effectiveness of complementary therapies, and the negative effects of electronic devices are still huge obstacles to the current work. This paper proposes a U+X participatory interaction design pattern and uses it to develop a digital book application that incorporates relevant stakeholders. A paired experimental design conducted with 60 preschoolers examined the effect of the U+X on enhancing preschoolers’ communication skills. The collected scale questionnaires were analyzed by paired samples t-test. The results show that the U+X design pattern has a positive effect on promoting preschoolers’ language skills and communication behaviors. In response, this paper presents suggestions for including users in the interaction design process. In a participatory context, it provides new ways to improve the communication problems of preschoolers by stimulating children’s creativity, enhancing family connections, and encouraging children’s self-expression.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the “Research on Digital Art and Cultural Industry Development” project of Guangzhou Wanqu Cooperative Institute of Design (9028). We would like to thank Associate Professor Huang Guanghui of Macau University of Science and Technology for her guidance on this paper. We would like to thank Guangzhou Wanqu Design Institute for their support. We would also like to thank all the families who participated in the research.
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Zhang, A., Lin, R., He, C., Huang, G. (2023). U+X: A Participatory Interaction Design Pattern for Improving Communication Skills in Preschoolers. In: Zaphiris, P., et al. HCI International 2023 – Late Breaking Papers. HCII 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14060. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48060-7_30
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