Assessing the Usability of a Tangible Educational Game for Children

Abstract

This paper presents the experience and results aimed to evaluate the user experience of children when they interact with a tangible educational application. The main goal was to create a usability study on the Osmo Genius Kit, observe children's experience while playing and assess the overall effectiveness of the game. Twelve children (6 girls and 6 boys) between the ages of 10 and 12 were observed on how they interact with three games (Numbers, Words, and Tangram). Two types of questionnaires (pre- and post-test questionnaires), combined with an interview, were designed. Moreover, smiley faces were used as scales to measure the answers for each participant. Overall, all children enjoyed playing the Osmo game. However, the results confirm that 42% of the participants experienced difficulty in playing with tangible pieces. In addition, boys are slightly better than girls, as they commit fewer errors, and they are generally more skillful than girls in most of the games.