Development of the app

The first step of developing the proof of concept was to determine the operating system that the app would be developed for. This was determined by the results of the survey. As 66% of respondents stated they use an Android phone and only 21% use iOS, it was decided that it would be best to focus on the Android OS. However, with 21% using iOS this still represents a significant number of users, so the decision was made to ensure the app worked on both operating systems.

Testing was conducted on both iOS and Android devices, specifically targeting operating versions that are the most compatible with the majority of smartphones. The iOS testing took place on an iPhone 5S, as this device runs a currently supported iOS version 8 that all current iOS devices use. The

Android testing was conducted on a Samsung Mini Galaxy 2 chosen as it runs on Android version 2.3. Statistics based on devices accessing the Google Play Store, indicate that there are 6.4% of Android users still on version 2.3 (Android, n.d.).

To enable the app to be developed for multiple operating systems, consideration must first be given to the platform used. The researcher went through a number of options to determine what would be the best platform on which to develop the app.

It was thought that using a WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) platform may be a more efficient method of developing the app, as without having to write the code the focus of the design can be given to the content. A game design engine, Game Salad, was examined. This tool offers the ability to develop game apps using a WYSIWYG system that does not require the user to know any code. However, without the ability to access the code, it was determined that this would limit the researcher’s ability to do any customisation that may be required beyond the scope of what the platform offered.

The researcher then considered developing the app using a range of code, e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript. The researcher has experience in developing mobile web apps using PhoneGap to

package the code (predominantly based on HTML/CSS), so it was decided that this platform would be suitable if all the code could be researcher-written. The decision to use PhoneGap dictated how the rest of the development would proceed and presented a number of issues (see section 7.5 Obstacles faced).

Whilst the app had not yet been developed, the researcher recognised that if there was to be a range of questions asked they would need to be randomised and the answers shuffled so the user has a unique experience each time they use the app. Many options were explored to enable this to be written in code. It was determined that a database would need to be used to enable a range of questions to be answered in a randomised order. In a website, a Structured Query Language (SQL) database would be used for this purpose, utilising PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) to enable the functionality. The researcher explored various options to enable an SQL database to be used in a mobile web app packaged through PhoneGap. To enable the SQL database to be called upon, PHP would need to be utilised. The researcher was able to set up and connect an SQL database to an HTML page and call up unique data from the database, however when it was packaged in PhoneGap and tested on the smartphone, the PHP did not appear to work. It was discovered that PhoneGap does not support PHP, however you could use JavaScript to connect to PHP, which then connects to the SQL database. This method was tested in the same manner through PhoneGap and whilst it functioned successfully in a web browser on a computer, when tested on the smartphone it did not appear to work.

A decision was then made to explore HTML5 eLearning authoring tools that could also be used to develop a mobile web app. Adobe updated their Captivate software in May 2014 with the latest version, Captivate 8, now supporting responsive design and mobile web app options. Responsive design is an approach to web development that allows the content on web pages to be resized and images can be shown or hidden depending on the device it is being viewed on. Whilst this is

essentially an eLearning authoring tool, with the ability to responsively design your project and publish for devices, a focus can be made on the mobile environment. When a project is published for devices,

The user can also add their own configuration file to enable more customisation, such as the icon and splashscreen that appears on the smartphone.

Once the Captivate framework had been chosen, the next step was to start developing the app. The Captivate HTML5 authoring tool offers a WYSIWYG environment that simplifies the design process. However, it also presents some limitations. In Captivate a file is called a project, and each project is published into a stand-alone app. It would appear that you can connect multiple projects within Captivate, however this is not able to be actioned once the project is published into an app. Therefore, a single project must be used to develop the app.

It was decided to develop the app as a literacy skill practice tool that presented a range of questions increasing in difficulty. For the proof of concept it was decided to include two skill options, tenses and punctuation, with three levels of each skill. Captivate provides a quiz module that offers the ability to randomise the questions and shuffle the answers. This was a key feature required by the app so it was imperative the quiz module be utilised.

The quiz shows the users their score at the end of the quiz and offers the ability to review their answers, however there can only be one set of results for each project. Ideally a user would be presented with their score at the end of each level, however with the limitation of only one set of results for the quiz, and therefore the app, it was decided to take a different approach.

The Captivate project is based on a slide show where you can insert a range of slides before, in between, and after the questions. Taking this into consideration, it was decided that a range of levels could be used within the one project, however a score would not be shown at the end. As the user would not be able to see their score or review their answers at the end, it was decided to set the questions up so that the user would need to get the answer correct to move on to the next question. The app was set up so that each time they got an incorrect answer, a “Try again” message would appear in a yellow coloured box with a corresponding sound so that three user interface (UI) options were covered by text, colour and sound. If the answer is correct a “Correct!” message appears in a green coloured box with the sound of a bell that also indicates success. Providing immediate feedback for each question aids in the learning process as the user learns the correct answer straight away, while the question and answers are still visible on screen. Reaching the end of each level is therefore the achievement for the user, and they are able to go back and repeat any level at any time. In repeating a level the user is presented with different questions, and if the same questions do appear again, the answers are also shuffled to ensure a unique experience each time the user uses the app.

It is important for the user to know where they are in each level of the app, so a breadcrumb was added using JavaScript that shows which question the user is up to, for example Q 3 of 6. This script is reset at the end of each level and also at the start of the app so regardless of where the user is starting a new level from it will always start at Q 1 of 6.

The researcher considers the uniqueness of the questions and answers, the immediate feedback provided and the increasing levels of difficulty all contribute to enhancing the user experience. By developing the app as an m-learning tool, incorporating sound pedagogical models and learning theories into its design, the researcher considers the app to be a suitable m-learning tool that can enhance and reinforce traditional learning styles.

The proof of concept app was published in Captivate and packaged as an app through Adobe PhoneGap for both Android and iOS platforms. It is called My Skills Workout and is available to download for free on the Google Play and iTunes stores:

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leoniewilliams.masters_app

iTunes