Redesigning a Content Delivery System, TUSK, for the Small

Screen: Bringing a Web-based LMS to the Small Screen, a Ubiquitous Appliance in the

Developing World

Susan Albright, Daniel Walker, Theodora Hadjimichael,Daniel Jozwiak, Benjamin Schwartz, Mary Lee

Agenda

•What is TUSK ?•Why TUSK Mobile?•Methodology for redesign •Design considerations•Implementation •Next steps

What is TUSK? Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase

Features

•Tools for ▫Content authoring/upload/replacement▫Quizzes▫Patient Logs▫Virtual Patients▫Evaluation▫Curriculum Management▫Collaboration▫Personal knowledge management▫etc

Leverage faculty expertise and optimize intellectual capital

Learning object repository

Reuse

Robust indexing and search and retrieval

Robust authoring tools

http://www.intellectualcapital.nl/

Histology

image used

across three

schools

Index Search and Retrieval: UMLS Controlled Vocabulary

Content Management Tools

•Create folders •Upload any multimedia•Reuse TUSK content•Create links across any TUSK content•Create external links•Create API’s to external links•Require metadata for all content

Tufts University Mission: Global Health and

Internationalism

The Problems

•Lack of computers in partner schools•Preceptors asking for support in the office•Students need to access content “on the

go”

Can a Mobile TUSK begin to address these issues and provide new opportunities for learning?

“I think it's time that we recognised that for the majority of the world's population, and for the foreseeable future, the cell phone is the computer, and it will be the portal to the internet, and the communications tool, and the schoolbook, and the vaccination record, and the family album, and many other things…”

Joel Selanikio is a physician and co-founder of DataDyne.org, a non-profit creating open-source software for public health and international development BBC, Jan 2008

Cellular phone growth

•300 million computers vs 3 billion cell phones in the world (metcalf)

•Spending in the developing world on telecommunications outstrips other sector including health care (Hammond)

•Nearly 100% of students at our partner schools have phones, less than 10% have computers

Mobile Learning

•Mobile represents and opportunity to reach learners – especially “just in time learning”

• Increasing research on mobile learning including situated learning (Naismith)

•M-learning is not just about readily accessible information -- it opens up the possibility for the delivery of audio information, interactive learning and assessment, and real-time distance collaboration. (coe.sdsu.edu)

Mobile Development Plan•Contract with students from human factors

major at undergrad campus•Background research on design

considerations•Survey current TUSK Users•Usability testing•Final Design Recommendations•Design implementation•Testing in the US and in developing countries•Research other mobile applications

Survey TUSK Users: Cell Phone Access

Veterinary (%) Dental (%) Medical (%) Total (%) Users who have a cell phone 77 89 89 91

Brand

LG Samsung Motorola Nokia

39 19 16 9

14 22 27 8

20 21 17 8

22 19 21 6

Internet Access Regular Internet Limited Internet No Internet

13 42 47

32 37 37

23 38 45

20 35 39

Pay for Data plan Yes No

11 89

34 66

25 75

21 69

Frequency of Internet Use

Never Less than 1/week 1-2/week 3-4/week 5+/week

93 0 1 0 5

59 12 7 3

19

75 6 4 4

12

69 5 3 2

10

Rank Order of most requested Functions

Veterinary Dental Medical Schedule Patient Logs Schedule Patient Logs Schedule Patient Logs Lecture Slides Syllabus/ Course Info Image Collections Image Collections Lecture Slides Online Evaluations Syllabus/Lecture Text Image Collections Syllabus/Lecture Text Lecture Recordings Cases Lecture Slides Discussions Online Evaluations Cases Online Evaluations Quizzes Discussions Quizzes Lecture Recordings Lecture Recordings Cases Discussions Quizzes

ValuesRankedU.S.students

Importance Need Number

Mobile version allows users to search all content TUSK website.

Mobile version allows users to access audio files. ** 1 Mobile version allows users to access images of PowerPoint slides.

*** 2

Mobile version allows users to access, complete, and submit online quizzes.

* 3

Mobile version allows users to reference previous course information.

** 4

Mobile version updates and allows users access to discussion boards.

* 5

Mobile version allows users easy, intuitive use of TUSK. Mobile version is quick and easily accessible. *** 6 Home page has easy access to schedule. *** 7

Mobile version gives users new access with TUSK. Mobile version has access to professor’s contact information. * 8 Mobile version allows easy access to school announcements. *** 9 Mobile version has 24/7 access to patient scheduling. *** 10 Mobile version is integrated with Outlook. * 11 Mobile version allows users to upload and download files. * 12 Mobile version displays schedule of due dates for assignments to be handed in.

** 13

Mobile version is integrated with Horde/IMP webmail browsing. * 14 Mobile version has direct links to library websites. * 15 Mobile version allows users to send feedback for suggested TUSK enhancements.

*** 16

Mobile version is compatible with MAC. * 17 Mobile version lists lecture schedule and name of lecturer together for a particular course.

* 18

Design Challenges

•Mobile provides different context for information access

•Screen size•Load Time of complicated pages•Storage space •Many phone types

Initial Design Considerations

•Understand user patterns (from survey)•Fewer links per page then web version•Allow more scrolling in favor of larger

text size•Simplified pages

Usability Test – phase 1

•Students presented with 3 designs and 3 scenarios

•Students asked to narrate choices•Users timed and errors noted for each

task•Students were asked to state preferences

for each of the three options with supporting reasons

3 Versions of Log in Page

Phase 2 Usability testing

•One interface created incorporating features that would address errors/likes/time from phase 1

•Phone emulators used•Statistically every user improved from the

averages of the first usability test in time to completion and in total errors occurred

Log in Page

•TUSK logo included with alt text: to connect mobile TUSK to website and deal with phones with images turned off

•Password field masked

•Remember me box checked by default

•All element appear on screen – no scrolling

Main Menu Page

•All entries numbered and assigned corresponding access key – Alternate plan for phones without functionality

•Entries sorted by frequency of use or alphabetically

•Announcements option to alert to new message

•Search and logout option should be on the list

Announcements Page•Announcements sorted by course with options by date

•Courses color coded to match website

•Number of ann. Limited – by course and age

•Length of announcements limited – truncate or abridge with access to full length. Length not to exceed 80 characters – ~3 lines on the screen

Schedule

•Default to today’s schedule and next day. Days diff by bolded, italicized or underlined text

•Course color coded

•Option to select day in past or future though either calendar or entry format

Content Types•Content types divided into groups to reduce density with a link to switch between types

•Search option to locate additional/related/new content

•Content arranged in logical order assigned by content creator

Images

Implementation Changes

•We can support all multimedia (flash coming along)

•Whoops – forgot about faculty – fixed that•Opera mini browser works well for older

phones

The Future• Mobile Discussions coordinated with web-based

representation of same discussion▫ Discussions can easily be mobile – don’t need to

worry about integrating sms messaging with discussions

• Mobile Data collection – case logs the first step• Off-line data collection (our students and

developing countries)• IVR – interactive voice response• Determine need for additional phone specific

applications

Thank you! Questions?

Student Ambassador Program Contributions

•Participants are MD, MD/MPH, MPH, MD/MALD and BA/MPH students

•Time spent on site: 1 to 8 months

•Motivated and trained Students

•Clinical postings and projects at CMC provide understanding of local conditions

•Good social and organizational skills

•Students Trained in “authoring and content management” aspects of TUSK

•Understanding of value of TUSK from a learner’s perspective

•Skype - good communication

•Good backup by Tufts technical staff when problems arise

Challenges

•Sustainability▫Transfer of all knowledge for system

management▫Transfer of skills to maintain the system▫Retain trained staff

•Technology▫Access to computers ▫Bandwidth

How does TUSK support an integrated educational experience?

TUSK as a Complete System

INFRASTRUCTURE

CONTENT

USERS

Flexible and Extensible

Personalized tools

Development and

Management Tools

Under Development….• Competency Based

Education▫ Input competencies

and learning outcomes

▫Match/track content to outcomes/competencies

▫Track student competencies (eportfolio) Student view Faculty and curriculum

planners view

Under DevelopmentMobile TUSK

TUSK Impact

• Knowledge about learner, content, system

• Integrated knowledge management• Transform how we educate and

assess

• Interdisciplinary collaboration and integration locally, globally

• Facilitates quality improvement