This blog documents the Winter 2011 Stanford graduate-level, project-based course, "The Design of Technologies for Casual Learning" given in the Learning, Design, and Technology program. The course was taught by Shelley Goldman and Neema Moraveji, the lab TA was Osvaldo Jimenez. Students created learning technologies for the iPad/iPhone based on research on learning, persuasion, and a user-centered design process.

The final student projects are listed at the top of this page, click any to view their poster and prototypes (in no order):

• Roborace
• PoGo
• Rainforest Story
• Dig it!
• Rhymin' Qwerty
• Mindreadr
• BabelTweet
• IBeenThere
• Smart Home

The posts in the rest of this blog constitute student assignments leading up to the final project.

Thanks to the students, the external reviewers, and other collaborators. The course flyer is included at the end of this post.

Thanks for a great quarter,
Shelley and Neema

Posted by Neema Moraveji

Jamie Diy

I see casual learning as an experience in which the learning potential of the present moment is activated, whether that moment is standing in line, exploring a museum, hiking through the woods, or sitting in class.  Key to this idea is that the learning potential is defined by the learner’s experience of that moment.  It is influenced by the external setting, but also the learner's mindset, needs, capabilities, and desires.  I see this as a contrast to the way learning is often structured in school, where what should be learned is defined and determined by others.  From a casual learning perspective, the learning potential for two people sitting in the same class or standing in the same line may be different, and is dependent on what each wants to learn, needs to learn, and is capable of learning.  Casual learning tools, then, should seek to increase opportunities for learners to uncover, activate, or enhance the learning possible for them at any moment.

My definition has been influenced by our group’s final project (Rainforest Story), which seemed to clash with several ideas about casual learning brought up in class.  Tied to a specific site, it is not “anytime, anywhere” learning.  It is also not particularly flexible, as an experience with a finite beginning, middle, and end designed to lead users to a specific conclusion.  However, based on the definition presented above, it can be seen as a casual learning tool.  I feel it successfully enhances the learning potential that is present, but is not currently being maximized in the museum setting.  The engaging act of finding the character and its secrets becomes a vehicle that allows visitors to uncover and take in the learning possibilities that might otherwise not have been apparent.

 

Posted by jamiediy

Nicole Greenspan

Casual Learning to me comprises of multiple characteristics, but ultimately seems to be the opposite of formal, structured learning. It fits within the context of "informal" learning.  Casual learning has no time requirement or pressure and the learner has control over when, where, what and for how long they learn. The application or game has to be fun and intrinsically motivating to get the learner to start in the first place and continue engaging them. They can play on the go at their leisure and don't feel any real extrinsic pressure, other than perhaps from friends (in the case of social competition). Simplicity is key, with no special skills or time requirements.

Smart Home incorporates all of these aspects, yet can be adapted and used for informal (Girl Scouts) and even formal learning environments. The app is simple and does not include very much information or require memorization, yet it is applicable to the real world. It is easy to play wherever and whenever for however long the user wants. Users have choice and control over what they do in the game, from exploring to taking actions to making pledges. An Energy Point system and Energy Buddy that users chose and interact with throughout the experience, as well as the ability to customize the house make the game intrinsically motivating. Social collaboration and competition that will be integrated will bring players into the virtual world and bring them back time and time again. Smart Home lets users take risks without any real consequences to their score, only reaction from their Energy Buddies. Most importantly it can be taken and played on the go, especially useful for tracking and completing pledges to get more energy points and eventually badges.

Posted by Nicole Greenspan

Angela Pan Wong

Casual learning, to me, is learning that allows the learner to have ownership, with low risk, over how they engage with their learning experience. I have been thinking through what is the difference, or if there is a difference, between "casual" learning and "informal" learning. I I see informal learning as being defined more by the institution within which the learning occurs. Is it in school, out of school, museum space, on learner's walk to school, etc.? Whereas, casual learning is defined by the learner and their attitude and approach to learning. How a learner operates in a casual learning environment is open-ended. They can decide when they want to engage and how intensely to participate without high-stakes attached to their decisions. I also think the word "casual" connotes a sense of carefreeness and lack of depth that seems paradoxical to what are our normal associations with learning. However, I think that it is this aspect that makes casual learning powerful. Many learning environments are designed for the learner to fit into and so require a depth in attendance and conformity to the situation. A casual learning environment, on the other hand, is one that is situated around the learners life. A learner can bring it with them. Attend to it at their own convenience and engage with the learning environment at their own pace without pressure. Thus, casual learning has the capabilities to integrate into a learner's life that other kinds of learning may not have and adds another learning opportunity where maybe there was not one before.

I think Rainforest Story facilitates casual learning in that it allows the learner to decide how they want to engage with their learning. There is minimal risk for the learner because they can choose to how to play with the app without serious consequences. They can find every "secret," find only some, or put it away depending on how they feel. It is also does not require depth of attendance. We believe the focus of learning is in the learner's experience in the museum space, and our app functions to augment that experience. We hope that the app helps spark the learner to integrate all the sights and sounds and things they are learning around them into a whole learning experience. 

 

Posted by Angela Wong

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Casual learning, in my opinion, is when the learner controls the pace and content direction of his or her learning experience. As a result, the learner faces no long-term negative consequence no matter how he or she performs or what material they choose to pursue. Casual learning is not limited by space, time, or background of the learner. It is driven by learners' personal interest, not impersonal, bureaucratic standards they are forced to meet. 

 

iBT very much provides casual learning for it allows teenagers to address sensitive, personal issues whenever and where they want in a safe and intimate environment. We design iBT to be an accessible and welcoming virtual world where teenagers have full control over what and how much they want to learn about teen issues, as well as over their source of information. 

Posted by Teresa Tarn

Franklin Winokur

Casual learning takes place when the learner is driven by curiosity, ambition and/or a sense of amusement.  It does not have to happen in a formal setting or at a specific time.  In some cases, it can occur through a format that is not too dissimilar from formats used in the classroom.  More often, however, it occurs in a format that the user does not associate with learning and when he or she is not primarily driven by learning in the purest sense.  

I believe casual learning can happen effectively when the learner is encouraged to learn in order to increase proficiency in a different context.  This is where Rhymin’QWERTY is powerful.  Driven by the overlying game architecture and ambition, users need to improve their sophistication in their craft in order to succeed.  The app delivers the casual learning experience by appealing to an identity and by demonstrating how the best artists have already honed their skills.

Posted by fwinokur

Christine Fairless

Casual learning is learner driven, flexible(credit to Molly), not dependent on time or place. When someone is learning casually, they are learning what they want to learn, when and where they want to learn it. Casual learning can take place anywhere. It doesn’t require a set amount of time, but rather allows for a range of time engaged. Casual learning is a personal experience, defined by the individual learner.

 

 

iBeenThere embodies all of the above qualities of casual learning. The fact that iBT is a mobile app allows for learning to take place at any time of day in almost any circumstance. Users can choose the amount of time they want to spend, ranging from watching just one video of about one minute in length to watching a series of videos to gain a fuller perspective on a particular topic. IBT is a personal experience. No one has to know that the user is going to the app for information. The user need not worry about embarrassment or judgement by others for their questions or concerns. Lastly, iBT allows for individual experiences. There is no prescribed way to use the app. Each user defines their use for themselves based on their own needs which can change over time.

 

Posted by Christine Fairless

Casual learning is the learning done on-the-go, in times of boredom when there is nothing else to do. It is learning done at the learner's own pace. Because it is very mobile and quick, casual learning technologies must, then, provide people with "bite-sized" chunks of knowledge that learners can consume within the short periods of time they spend "casually learning."

Posted by Michael Duong

Casual learning is simply learning as the individual learner intends it to be.  Where a formal learning environment has consequences tied to various social and political constructs, casual learning has no stakes higher than the individual learner’s intrinsic motivation.

What does this mean?  Ideally it means that the motivation within the individual learner determines all functional aspects of the casual learning activity at all times.  The duration of play, speed of play, urgency of success and similar attributes must be fluid enough to adjust for the learner’s mood and attitude.  Adversely, in more formal learning environments, the learner’s mood and attitude must be fluid enough to adjust for those static attributes that dominate such environments.

In practice, this ideal casual learning is harder (maybe impossible) to achieve 100%.  While there are excellent resources to guide game play and design, only the learner’s mood and attitude can provide proper guidance towards a casual learning state in the learner.  Accordingly, I offer three tenets for the design of casual learning activities:

1. Simple, yet highly configurable interface
2. User-centered design for the target learner or group of learners
3. Software/hardware platforms that allow for easy and constant updates

This should allow the learner maximum control over his or her learning experience, while remaining relevant to the learner’s moods and attitudes in a process that is as close to real-time as possible.

While Rhymin' QWERTY has not fully achieved these three design tenets, some of the intended functionality is present.  The inclusion of the Rhyme Book feature allows users to create rhymes, lyrics, or poetry of any format at the time of their choosing.  This is essentially a space where the only user-dependent mood and attitude is one of participation.

Additionally, the Rhyme Book and Hustle sections are direct products of user insights.  For example, we found that many YouTubers write their own lyrics in the comments section of a video, hence the inclusion of a centralized place for lyric collection.  Also because these lyrics were posted in a public forum, as is the case with a similar phenomenon on Facebook, we included an option to share all Rhyme Book and Hustle creations on Facebook and Twitter (where applicable).  In doing so, we not only centralize the social capabilities but create a system of formative assessment and feedback by peers instead of teachers.

Perhaps the biggest shortcoming in our current prototype is the choice of software and hardware.  While mobile web is easily updateable, it requires considerable maintenance while attempting to accommodate many unique users.  Also, the iPhone serves as a direct consequence of various social constructs, so the learning is gravitates closer to the haves instead of the have-nots (who often identify more closely with the application subject matter).  Judging from recent developments in HTML5 and the ever-lowering price of iPhones, there is reason to believe that issues with access will be resolved by the market, but that still leaves the question of which medium to utilize in order to provide a casual learning experience for as many users as possible.

 

Posted by flyinglenny

When attempting to define the word "casual", I think back to Molly's comment in class about how perhaps a better word to describe this kind of learning is "flexible". I would agree whole-heartedly with Molly. Through the readings and discussions in class and the project that our group (and the other groups) have built, I believe that casual learning is more adequately defined as flexible learning - the kind of learning in which the learner dictates when, where, and what to learn. With this definition, flexible learning does not have to be defined as being in class or out of class. Rather than constraining the definition to a particular learning space, I feel that casual learning is more of an action, an ownership that one takes in approaching one's own learning. 

Our app embodies the definition of flexible learning. Being confined to usage in the museum space, the app does not lend itself to be used wherever and whenever. However, the learner takes full control and ownership over his learning when using the app. He can choose whether or not to play and how to play. The app utilizes the situated learning opportunities that exist inside the museum space and allows learners to expand their knowledge in a 'just in time' and 'on demand' way. Learners are learning as they are having fun, expanding the traditional definition of learning into learning through play. 

Posted by Isabel Cheng

Angela Pan Wong, Jamie Diy, Isabel Cheng

Rainforest Story!

An Augmented Museum Experience

http://stanford.edu/~icheng53/website/

Medium Fidelity Screenshots

Demo Video

Posted by Isabel Cheng

Posted by David Kwek

When Casual learning comes to consideration, first thing happened to me to remember are those short but precious moments of learning. Casual learning in contrast of formal leaning is not a kind of learning planned to develop over the course of one semester, or a quarter or a full academic year or even more, Casual learning occurs at a short time interval, like 5 minutes reading the instruction of half cooked chicken. If casual learning is the leaning we have targeted, we cannot plan on the learning during several months. We should consider moment as a learning time unit. Hence, we should be considerably concerned about the efficiency of our educational material, in order to make the best use of those short moments.

Educational materials for casual learning as a result of aforementioned fact should be prepared based on “Just In Time” concept. We should deliver the knowledge or develop the skill which is mostly needed on that specific moment. Also, short learning time unit call for the need of situated learning. In other words, it is easier to learn something in a short time if it is meaningful in its learning time and if it is related to its context.

There is also another significant difference between formal and casual learning. In the Casual learning the most driving motivation for a learner to be engaged in this form of learning is her own interest while in formal learning most of the time rather than interest learner’s needs are driving motivation. In other words, In formal learning if a learner finds out that her needs are answered, this fact itself could be reason for her to continue this formal learning and maybe the fun part of this learning in some cases is meeting a learner’s needs. However, in our point of view, in casual learning having fun and being entertain separately is really serious issue to consider and we cannot give it up at the expense of meeting users’ needs. By saying that, I am not proposing that formal learning does not need any fun or entertaining aspect, but I am saying different kinds of learning from formal to casual call for different prioritization.

In “smart home” we tried to follow the rule of Just in time learning and situated learning. We hardly tried to avoid users being overwhelmed by the flow of information. At each step of the game, we provide the users just with the information needed at that moment, Information which is meaningful on that moment. Also for making the best use of that short golden moment of casual learning, we have tried to simplified the concept and delivered the most important and effective part of information to our users.

As mentioned before, we are aware of the importance of fun aspect of our application as an application for casual learning, hence we have tried to add features to the application in order to make it motivating and fun for users to enjoy playing with it. These features may seem disconnected to the main body of knowledge and the skills we wish to develop in our users, however, we believe that having this features will help the application be more engaging and fun for its users, Hence, Users will come back to play with it more often and this fact will affect learning quality positively. 

Posted by salehi

Casual Learning is a broad term that can be applied to many learning experiences. Most often casual learning is defined by what it is not, formal learning. One might argue that a casual learning technology can become formal learning depending on the environment it is used in. The key aspects of casual learning are that the learner is in control and can pick it up easily. Secondly, sometimes the learner doesn’t even realize what exactly they are learning. Most casual learning doesn’t require a ton of direct teaching to begin with. (Some board games such as chess are an exception) Board games, such as Checkers, cards, Connect 4, Monopoly, etc… are classic examples of casual learning.

 

RoboRace fits the casual learning definition because of its focus on the learner, and has a low entry level. In RoboRace the learner is constrained by the game dynamics and the goal, but the way s/he reaches that goal is completely up to them. RoboRace is designed to have a low entry level, but have a high ceiling so that it allows for growth. The beginner does not need any pre-required programming knowledge. They only need to know how to give directions and drag blocks. Secondly, if someone has no programming experience they might not even realize that RoboRace is teaching them basic programming. They might view it as just solving a puzzle and a game. However, by giving the robot directions they are actually learning programming. In general, casual learning is when the learning is more endogenous, which is the foundation of RoboRace. It was really important to us that the game dynamics were the learning, which I think we accomplished well. 

 

Posted by cmeltzer

For me, casual learning is any (dare I say soft) learning endeavor initiated by the user/learner, and usually takes place outside of a directed classroom situation.  One can learn a new recipe, one can learn how to fix a window, one can learn how to reach a new level of a game- all at his own pace, on his own time.  I do think we should challenge ourselves to coin a new word though for this notion.  Maybe in asking for these definitions, we can work backwards toward a term.  As I mentioned in class, I fear that the word "casual" has a hint of a negative association, especially when tied to the more formal idea of learning.  Casual is often considered to be at best a lackadaisical effort, with more emphasis on fun, and at time accidental in nature.  The term “learning” has enough debate surrounding it, so if we can hone our goals or intentions with its descriptor, I think we’d have a more worthwhile phrase to use when working in this ever-growing field of apps!

That said, PoGo (creating poets on the go) allows any user to capitalize on a moment’s notice the urge or impulse to play with poetic language.  It provides scaffolding, encouraging the user to experience and explore, and hopefully “learn” through this proactive pursuit.  It provides an opportunity and platform for collaboration and creation, both of which are lauded 21^st century skills.  The affordability of the mobile technology encourages just in time access as well as provides a myriad of multimedia creation tools.  PoGo is a great example of  _____________ (newly coined adj.) learning!

 

Posted by Darri Stephens

Team EPIC-- Colin Meltzer, Jenny Moryan, Nicole Roach

Website:

http://web.me.com/nicoleroach/RoboRace/

Posted by Jenny Moryan

Jenny Moryan

I would define “casual learning” as learning in a low-stakes situation, where grades and the future don’t weigh on the results of the learning. In casual learning, the learner has opted to learn willingly and does so without significant consequences. There is no testing, just the skills gained from the stress-free learning. RoboRace is an instance of casual learning because it allows novice programmers to experiment with programming in a low-stakes environment. Without the stress of being tested on programming concepts, the student is free to make mistakes and adjust themselves appropriately to create a program that moves the robot to the goal to beat their opponent. The skills are gained by racing opponents or the computer. 

Posted by Jenny Moryan

Nicole Roach

Casual learning puts the learner in the driver's seat. Casual learning apps create opportunities, but not requirements. They allow the users to set their own pace, decide when and where to participate and choose their own patterns of interaction. When learning casually, the stated objective is often not strictly educational, but learning is endogenous in the activity. The structure of casual learning activities exists not to dictate a singular method, but to provide a medium through which participants can craft their own learning experiences.

By simplifying programming to arranging code blocks and giving users the goal of creating the fastest (or smartest) robot, RoboRace serves as a platform upon which users can shape their own learning and playing experiences. The game is designed to have a low entry point--to begin, users need only know how to drag the blocks on the screen. We also want to encourage multiple strategies by allowing robots to pick up and set obstacles for their opponents, although we noticed that players are already getting creative within the RoboRace framework, even without the implementation of obstacles. During expo, we had users solve our level in multiple ways and one user even decided to choreograph a dance, ignoring the racing component all together. This freedom of expression and choice in how to learn and participate is at the core of casual learning. Finally, the goal of programming the first robot to reach the goal is not an inherently "educational" objective, but learning about logic, sequencing and basic programming principles is endogenous in doing so.

Posted by Nicole Roach

by Choon Cheng (Cindy) Ong

Reflecting on casual learning has brought me back to the meaning of the word ‘casual’. According to the Oxford Dictionaries Online, ‘casual’ connotes (1) without care, (2) not formal, (3) not regular, (4) not deep and (5) by chance. When used to modify ‘learning’ to form the phrase ‘casual learning’, it would thus seem to suggest that casual learning is thus careless, informal, irregular, superficial and incidental. However, such definition probably applies only when viewed through the lenses of a learner. From the perspective of a designer and educator, I am of the view that for casual learning to take place, designers of such educational experiences need to intentionally capitalize on the affordances of relevant tools and available spaces to lead students into a learning experience.

PoGo is a web application designed as a non-threatening space for budding poets to experiment and express themselves through poetry. When inspired, whether it is by a sight before them or an emotion that came upon them, users can express themselves through PoGo unbound by location and activity, so long as they have an iPad or iPhone with them. Users are free from curriculum constraints and the poetic forms they choose to engage in is based solely upon their choice. Learning in this instance is not the explicit goal; instead expression and experimentation take center stage. 

Posted by c-ong

PoGo!
Creating Poets On the Go
http://stanford.edu/~cong2811/muses/index.html

Medium Fidelity Screenshots

User-testing Video

Password: educ396

 

Posted by c-ong