Gender interest differences with multimedia learning interfaces

Abstract

In this study we examined whether there are gender differences in learning interest from different designs of multimedia interfaces. In the study we assumed that design characteristics add to the interest in learning and we developed taxonomy of design of efficient user interfaces both for boys and girls. The research included 90 children from three kindergarten classes, who were exposed to interactive multimedia stories. The research subjects, with the help of a Pollimeter (Lampert, S.I., 1981, A new scale for consumer research: The Pollimeter combines properties for data collection and data analysis. Journal of Advertising Research, 21(2), 23–29), answered to questionnaires, which examined their level of time on task and their level of satisfaction with the various interfaces. The research findings indicate that there is a significant difference between boys and girls in the influence of the design of the learning interfaces on their level of time on task as well as on their level of satisfaction with the different interfaces. Boys on the one hand had a higher level of time on task, and were more familiar with computer games so they looked for assistance through navigational buttons; girls on the other hand tended to ask for help with the game. Girls preferred to include writing into the game and preferred colourful screens full of drawings, which changed slowly. We also found that boys preferred green and blue colours, whilst the girls preferred red and yellow. Generally speaking, we found that girls preferred the components of the Mise-en-scene interface, and boys preferred the components of the Montage interface.