Project Proposal

1. Project Proposal Niamh O’Connor Aoife Mallon Claudia Walker

2. User group = Leaving cert students • Organisation a big problem • Monitoring their time with study (self quantification) • Understanding CAO process, deadlines and communication with students in 3rd level • No Irish/Leaving Cert specific apps on the market An introduction to our idea

3. Leaving cert student having time management issues (self quantification) • Spending too much time on some subjects/not enough on others • Confusion over CAO application and deadlines • Distraction from social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter etc. • Lack of motivation to study • No rewards/goal system in place • Difficult to find first hand experience from students in their 3rd level course of interest • A need to take control of their own learning, self monitoring their time spent studying and test results What’s the Problem?

4. Lisa Smith – 18 years old – 6th Year • Having trouble with organisation, motivation and monitoring her studies • Struggles with subjects she dislikes – doesn’t spend enough time on them • Confused about converting grades to points • Worries about missing CAO deadlines Say hello to Lisa!

5. Improve her study skills and monitor her studying over the year • Divide her time equally between subjects • Show her progress and how it relates to time spent studying • Irish Leaving Cert specific app for points calculation and CAO reminders Persona

6. Not many apps available • ‘Study Checker’ – Android • Badly designed • Not user friendly • Confusing • Irish Leaving Cert Specific app • Existing apps for revision etc. – nothing like this • Improvement of Study Checker plus Points Calculator app Product related research

8. Kohn (1993) noted that a student's motivation to learn prospers when the student has an element of control or power over their learning. • Achievement motivation is a key component in order for students to successfully complete their academic studies (Yousefi, Ghasemi & Firouznia, 2009). • Recent studies highlight that the use of electronic media, such as video games or social networking sites, have a negative impact upon student's attention and cause distraction when undertaking academic tasks (Jacobsen & Forste, 2011). • McCollum and Kajs (2007) noted that low achievement among students showed a strong positive correlation with the avoidance of goal orientated study So, what does the literature say?

9. Students need to be in control of their own learning • Motivation is a key component for academic success • Facebook and Twitter do not count as study! • Working with a goal system can help Well, what does that mean?

10. Application for smart phone (android, iphone etc.) • Organise study • Monitor grades and test results • Monitor hours spent studying and what subjects • Study tips • Per cent to grades • Calculate points • CAO information and reminders • Block other apps • Set goals • Irish student specific Solution 1

11. Website focused on Irish leaving cert students • Students earn ‘points’ for amount of hours study logged each day • Can redeem points for ‘prizes’ i.e cinema tickets, educational materials, days out • Online forum where students can share tips and communicate with 3rd level students in their course of interest • Get study tips and connect with other leaving cert students Solution 2

12. Spoke to leaving cert students about their feelings on both ideas • From this research we found…. • More likely to use an app for smart phone then a website/online forum • Students would lie about amount of hours studied completed to earn extra points • Would want a default study schedule as making one takes too much time • Wanted a function which showed an estimate of CAO points to keep them on track throughout leaving cert cycle Field Research

13. Used a Google Docs survey • https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kukmYGvMZwin8uIUN4x2Alz72fcTcirOhp99PVtB5mE/viewform • Easiest method to access user group • Qualitative and Quantitative questions, Likert scale Requirements Gathering

14. Carried out a survey on leaving cert students () • Want a feature that blocks other distracting apps such as Facebook, Twitter etc. • Overall said they would use this app and found app idea more useful than website/online forum idea Our survey says….!

15. “If an app like the one described above was made, I would die of happiness” Actual Quote from survey respondent:

16. 95% of survey respondents have a smart phone, so mobile app more useable. • From this we can assume that they are tech savvy. • Users want to be able to keep track of their progress in classes • Want clear easy to follow study schedule • Users are busy and stressed so want reminders to keep them on top of their CAO deadlines. User Characteristics

18. Most likely use Axure to design prototype • Most features are straightforward and feasible for a prototype demonstration • Some features (eg. sliding) may not be available in Axure but would be intended to be used in the finished model Technical feasability

19. Jacobsen, W. C., & Forste, R. (2011). The wired generation: Academic and social outcomes of electronic media use among university students. CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 14(5), 275-280. • Kohn, A. (1993). Why and how to let students decide.Phi Delta Kappan, 75(1), 8-20. • McCollum, D. L., & Kajs, L. T. (2007). Applying goal orientation theory in an exploration of student motivations in the domain of educational leadership. Educational Research Quarterly, 31(1),45-59. • Yousefi, A. R., Ghasemi, G. R., & Firouznia, S. (2009).Relationship between progress motivation and academic achievement in medical students isfahan. Iranian Journal of Medical education, 9(1), 79-85. References