Card-sorting Activity Research Articles

Development of pre-service chemistry teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge through mentoring

The purpose of this study was to develop pre-service chemistry teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) regarding atoms and the periodic table via mentoring. Two pre-service chemistry teachers with different levels of academic achievement participated in the study. The development of the participants’ PCK was investigated in terms of the following components: orientations toward science teaching, knowledge of curriculum, knowledge of instructional strategies, knowledge of learners, and knowledge of assessment. The data of this study were collected over four months using multiple data collection tools, including semi-structured interviews, observations, content representations, card-sorting activities, and field notes. The results of this study provided evidence for the relationship between the development of PCK and mentoring. However, as a result of the mentoring, it was determined that the improvements in the PCK components did not occur at the same levels for these participants. One of the participants had an advanced level of improvement in all PCK components through mentoring, while the other participant had varying levels of improvement in PCK components. It was found that the more academically successful participant had more advanced development in all components of PCK as a result of mentoring. For the other participant with lower academic achievement, there was no improvement in some respects of PCK components. According to the results of this study, it can be said that the development of PCK can be fostered through mentoring in pre-service chemistry teacher education. In light of the results of this study, implications are stated for in-service chemistry teacher education, pre-service chemistry teacher education, and chemistry education researchers.

Argumentation and intellectual humility: a theoretical synthesis and an empirical study about students’ warrants

ABSTRACT Background Argumentation, the justification of claims with reasons and/or evidence, has emerged as a significant goal in science education in recent years. Yet, there is limited understanding of secondary students’ arguments and particularly their use of warrants in interdisciplinary contexts such as science and religious education. Furthermore, research on argumentation in science education has not paid sufficient attention to how students’ arguments may potentially reflect intellectual humility. The concept of intellectual humility reinforces the view that one is not excessively arrogant regarding their beliefs, or excessively dismissive of their or others’ beliefs Purpose It is important to understand students’ engagement in argumentation particularly in the context of topics such as evolution and creationism that often present tension and conflict. For classroom argumentation activities to be fruitful, students’ understanding of warrants as well as their intellectual humility are prerequisite. Sample The data are drawn from Year 9 students’ engagement in a card sort activity in the context of a funded project in England. The activity engaged the students in a task on the origins of life, where evidence and reasons were related to evolution versus creationism. Design and Methods The card sort activity was designed to limit students’ contributions about different evidence and emphasise specifically, the link (warrant) by providing fixed evidence and claims. During the activity, students were presented with ‘evidence cards’. Students were asked to consider each card and place it under the claim that they felt the card supported even if the student did not support that claim personally. They were further asked to explain why they thought the evidence might be used to support that claim. Students’ verbal accounts of their warrants for placing cards were explored. Conclusion Students’ warrants included repetition of evidence statements without articulating the reasons. As intellectual humility concerns accurately tracking the positive epistemic status of a belief or argument, a lack of coherence within students’ arguments contradicts the embodiment of intellectual humility.

Recalibrating the evolution versus creationism debate for student learning: towards students’ evaluation of evidence in an argumentation task

ABSTRACT There is substantial body of literature in science education focusing on students’ understanding of the theory of evolution by natural selection. However, despite decades of research on the evolution versus creationism debate there is still widespread concern that particular misconceptions about evolution persist. The study aimed to recalibrate the evolution versus creationism debate by engaging students in an argumentation task where students can interpret evidence and reasons for why either position is justified or not, and on what basis. A card sort activity used to investigate the students’ use of evidence and reasons. A sample of 77 students with an average age of 13 participated in the study in England in the context of a funded research project. The findings pointed to challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning of evolution through an argumentation task where alternative perspectives are drawn from both science and religious education. Furthermore, they illustrated how argumentation tasks can potentially provide a context for students to explore cross-subject topics. Research about the immersion of students in tasks that support their argumentation can generate understanding of students’ reasoning, and ultimately such research may lead to the design of lesson resources to support students’ engagement in science.

Barriers and facilitators to engaging in mainstream primary school classrooms: Voices of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing

ABSTRACT Classroom engagement can be problematic for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), but is essential to ensure that they can reach their best educational and postschool outcomes. This study used semi-structured interviews to explore the self-perceived barriers and facilitators to classroom engagement for 16 DHH students educated in mainstream primary school settings. The interviews consisted of a series of questions and a card-sorting activity. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes were generated from the thematic analysis. Barriers to engagement were considered as a single theme, while facilitators to engagement were divided into three themes of student strategies, supports to students, and teacher actions. The barriers and facilitators identified demonstrate the range of complex factors that contribute to or impede the engagement of students who are DHH in mainstream classrooms. This information can be used to inform teachers, professionals, students, and their parents about the experiences of these students in mainstream classrooms. In particular, the findings indicate the importance of self-advocacy and the potential benefits of implementing self-advocacy programmes to help students who are DHH manage the challenges to engagement they face in the classroom. The findings also highlight the importance of the consistent use of facilitative teaching strategies by the classroom teacher, and the crucial impact of background noise on engagement along with improvements that could contribute to better noise management.

A Framework of Severity for Harmful Content Online

The proliferation of harmful content on online social media platforms has necessitated empirical understandings of experiences of harm online and the development of practices for harm mitigation. Both understandings of harm and approaches to mitigating that harm, often through content moderation, have implicitly embedded frameworks of prioritization-what forms of harm should be researched, how policy on harmful content should be implemented, and how harmful content should be moderated. To aid efforts of better understanding the variety of online harms, how they relate to one another, and how to prioritize harms relevant to research, policy, and practice, we present a theoretical framework of severity for harmful online content. By employing a grounded theory approach, we developed a framework of severity based on interviews and card-sorting activities conducted with 52 participants over the course of ten months. Through our analysis, we identified four Types of Harm (physical, emotional, relational, and financial) and eight Dimensions along which the severity of harm can be understood (perspectives, intent, agency, experience, scale, urgency, vulnerability, sphere). We describe how our framework can be applied to both research and policy settings towards deeper understandings of specific forms of harm (e.g., harassment) and prioritization frameworks when implementing policies encompassing many forms of harm.

User Needs of Smart Home Services

Technological advances have improved the functionality of smart home systems and services, enabling consumers to automate some of in-home tasks, enhance their safety and security, and save energy. Despite improved functionality, user adoption of many available products and services remains low. This phenomenon suggests that smart home technologies may not be meeting the needs of potential users. Furthermore, continued technological advancement combined with changes in people’s lifestyle and attitudes towards in-home technologies require updated investigations to gain a clear view of current user needs. This study presents findings from a set of semi-structured interviews and card-sorting activities with eleven participants from different socio-demographic backgrounds, with a focus on describing ten challenges commonly experienced in the home environment. Possible technological solutions are discussed from the existing unmet needs within the scope of smart and connected homes.

Perspectives on the Gamification of an Interactive Health Technology for Postoperative Rehabilitation of Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: User-Centered Design Approach.

BackgroundPediatric and adolescent athletes are a large demographic undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R). Postoperative rehabilitation is critical, requiring patients to complete home exercise programs (HEPs). To address obstacles to HEP adherence, we developed an interactive health technology, interACTION (iA), to monitor knee-specific rehabilitation. iA is a web-based platform that incorporates wearable motion sensors and a mobile app that provides feedback and allows remote monitoring. The Wheel of Sukr is a gamification mechanism that includes numerous behavioral elements. ObjectiveThis study aims to use a user-centered design process to incorporate behavioral change strategies derived from self-management theory into iA using the Wheel of Sukr, with the aim of influencing patient behavior.MethodsIn total, 10 athletes aged 10-18 years with a history of ACL-R were included in this study. Patients were between 4 weeks and 1 year post–ACL-R. Participants underwent a 60-minute triphasic interview. Phase 1 focused on elements of gaming that led to high participation and information regarding surgery and recovery. In phase 2, participants were asked to think aloud and rank cards representing the components of the Wheel of Sukr in order of interest. In phase 3, the patients reviewed the current version of iA. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and checked for accuracy. Qualitative content analysis segmented the data and tagged meaningful codes until descriptive redundancy was achieved; next, 2 coders independently coded the data set. These elements were categorized according to the Wheel of Sukr framework. The mean age of participants was 12.8 (SD 1.32) years, and 70% (7/10) were female. Most participants (7/10, 70%) reported attending sessions twice weekly. All patients were prescribed home exercises. Self-reported HEP compliance was 75%-100% in 40% (4/10), 50%-75% in 40% (4/10), and 25%-50% of prescribed exercises in 20% (2/10) of the participants.ResultsThe participants responded positively to an app that could track home exercises. Desirable features included exercise demonstrations, motivational components, and convenience. The participants listed sports specificity, competition, notifications, reminders, rewards, and social aspects of gameplay as features to incorporate. In the Wheel of Sukr card sort exercise, motivation was ranked first; self-management, second; and growth, esteem, and fun tied for the third position. The recommended gameplay components closely followed the themes from the Wheel of Sukr card sort activity.ConclusionsThe participants believe iA is a helpful addition to recovery and want the app to include exercise movement tracking and encouragement. Despite the small number of participants, thematic saturation was reached, suggesting the sample was sufficient to obtain a representative range of perspectives. Future work will implement motivation; self-management; and growth, confidence, and fun in the iA user experience. Young athlete ACL-R patients will complete typical clinical scenarios using increasingly developed prototypes of the gamified iA in a controlled setting.

Prioritization of Features for Mobile Apps for Families in a Federal Nutrition Program for Low-Income Women, Infants, and Children: User-Centered Design Approach.

BackgroundThe Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federal nutrition program that provides nutritious food, education, and health care referrals to low-income women, infants, and children up to the age of 5 years. Although WIC is associated with positive health outcomes for each participant category, modernization and efficiency are needed at the clinic and shopping levels to increase program satisfaction and participation rates. New technologies, such as electronic benefits transfer (EBT), online nutrition education, and mobile apps, can provide opportunities to improve the WIC experience for participants.ObjectiveThis formative study applies user-centered design principles to inform the layout and prioritization of features in mobile apps for low-income families participating in the WIC program.MethodsTo identify and prioritize desirable app features, caregivers (N=22) of the children enrolled in WIC participated in individual semistructured interviews with a card sorting activity. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using constant comparative analysis for themes. App features were ranked and placed into natural groupings by each participant. The sum and average of the rankings were calculated to understand which features were prioritized by the users. Natural groupings of features were labeled according to participant descriptions.ResultsNatural groupings focused on the following categories: clinics/appointments, shopping/stores, education/assessments, location, and recipes/food. Themes from the interviews triangulated the results from the ranking activity. The priority app features were balance checking, an item scanner, and appointment scheduling. Other app features discussed and ranked included appointment reminders, nutrition training and quizzes, shopping lists, clinic and store locators, recipe gallery, produce calculator, and dietary preferences/allergies.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates how a user-centered design process can aid the development of an app for low-income families participating in WIC to inform the effective design of the app features and user interface.

When Is a Harm a Harm? Discordance between Patient and Medical Experts' Evaluation of Lung Cancer Screening Attributes.

A shared decision-making (SDM) process for lung cancer screening (LCS) includes a discussion between clinicians and patients about benefits and potential harms. Expert-driven taxonomies consider mortality reduction a benefit and consider false-positives, incidental findings, overdiagnosis, overtreatment, radiation exposure, and direct and indirect costs of LCS as potential harms. To explore whether patients conceptualize the attributes of LCS differently from expert-driven taxonomies. Cross-sectional study with semistructured interviews and a card-sort activity. Twenty-three Veterans receiving primary care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 55 to 73 y of age with 30 or more pack-years of smoking. Sixty-one percent were non-Hispanic African American or Black, 35% were non-Hispanic White, 4% were Hispanic, and 9% were female. Semistructured interviews with thematic coding. The proportion of participants categorizing each attribute as a benefit or harm and emergent themes that informed this categorization. In addition to categorizing reduced lung cancer deaths as a benefit (22/23), most also categorized the following as benefits: routine annual screening (8/9), significant incidental findings (20/23), follow-up in a nodule clinic (20/23), and invasive procedures (16/23). Four attributes were classified by most participants as a harm: false-positive (13/22), overdiagnosis (13/23), overtreatment (6/9), and radiation exposure (20/22). Themes regarding the evaluation of LCS outcomes were 1) the value of knowledge about body and health, 2) anticipated positive and negative emotions, 3) lack of clarity in terminology, 4) underlying beliefs about cancer, and 5) risk assessment and tolerance for uncertainty. Anticipating discordance between patient- and expert-driven taxonomies of the benefits and harms of LCS can inform the development and interpretation of value elicitation and SDM discussions.

Aged care residents' prioritization of care: A mixed-methods study.

BackgroundEliciting residents’ priorities for their care is fundamental to delivering person‐centred care in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Prioritization involves ordering different aspects of care in relation to one another by level of importance. By understanding residents’ priorities, care can be tailored to residents’ needs while considering practical limitations of RACFs.ObjectivesTo investigate aged care residents’ prioritization of care.DesignA mixed‐methods study comprising Q methodology and qualitative methods.Setting and participantsThirty‐eight residents living in one of five Australian RACFs.MethodParticipants completed a card–sorting activity using Q methodology in which they ordered 34 aspects of care on a pre‐defined grid by level of importance. Data were analysed using inverted factor analysis to identify factors representing shared viewpoints. Participants also completed a think‐aloud task, demographic questionnaire, post‐sorting interview and semi‐structured interview. Inductive content analysis of qualitative data was conducted to interpret shared viewpoints and to identify influences on prioritization decision making.ResultsFour viewpoints on care prioritization were identified through Q methodology: Maintaining a sense of spirituality and self in residential care; information sharing and family involvement; self‐reliance; and timely access to staff member support. Across the participant sample, residents prioritized being treated with respect, the management of medical conditions, and their independence. Inductive content analysis revealed four influences on prioritization decisions: level of dependency; dynamic needs; indifference; and availability of staff.ConclusionsRecommendations for providing care that align with residents’ priorities include establishing open communication channels with residents, supporting residents’ independence and enforcing safer staffing ratios.

Who Tells Your Story? A Card-Sort Activity for Eliciting Authentic Narratives

Card sorting has been used in qualitative studies in various fields to better understand how individuals organize information and make choices based on it. As part of a mixed-methods study of why Black engineering students initially chose their major and why they subsequently decided to persist in or switch out of it, we developed a card-sort activity and used it in 79 semi-structured student interviews. Besides generating data relevant to the mission of our study, the activity shifted the students' focus to their own experiences and away from the interviewers, who were not matched with them on race or age and with whom there was a power differential (interviewers with doctorates talking with undergraduates). The article contains a brief overview of the broader study, a description of steps taken to promote authentic storytelling by the interviewees, an outline of the development and application of the card-sort activity, representative findings, and recommendations for other researchers contemplating using a similar technique. We believe our experience in using the card-sort technique and our subsequent mixed-method analysis of the resulting data will benefit qualitative researchers seeking authentic stories.

The topic-specific nature of experienced chemistry teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in the topics of interactions between chemical species and states of matter

This study aims to determine the topic-specific nature of two experienced chemistry teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in the topics of interactions between chemical species and states of matter. The teachers’ PCK on these topics was investigated in terms of the following components: orientations toward science teaching (OST), knowledge of curriculum (KoC), knowledge of instructional strategies (KoIS), knowledge of learner (KoL), and knowledge of assessment (KoA). Data for the study were collected over five months using multiple data collection tools, including semi-structured interviews, observations, card-sorting activity, and field notes. PCK is identified in the literature as a topic-specific knowledge. Similarly, chemistry teachers’ PCKs in this study were found to be topic-specific in the topics of interactions between chemical species and states of matter. However, it was seen that some dimensions of the PCK components were not topic-specific. The results indicated that one of the participants’ OST was topic-specific, while the other's was not topic-specific. Further, it was determined that the participants focused on abstract nature in the topic of interactions between chemical species, but they focused on daily life examples in the topic of states of matter. To overcome the students’ difficulties and misconceptions, the participants highlighted abstract nature in the topic of interactions between chemical species and familiar examples in the topic of states of matter. Their KoC differed in terms of relations with other disciplines and curriculum sequence across the topics. Lastly, it was found that the participants’ KoAs consisted of general pedagogical knowledge for both topics. In the light of the results of this study, implications are stated and suggestions on improving the understanding of the topic-specific nature of PCK are provided for in-service chemistry education, pre-service chemistry teacher education, and chemistry education researchers.

Is fatigue a cue to obtain iron supplements in Odisha, India? A mixed methods investigation

ObjectivesThis study aims to understand if fatigue, the main symptom of anaemia, is a health concern that cues women and their referent groups to obtain iron folic acid supplements.DesignThis is...

Eliciting Prospective Science Teachers’ Teaching Orientations by Using a Card Sorting Activity

The purpose of this study is to develop a tool for prospective science teachers to elicit their beliefs about science teaching and learning, and goals or purposes of science teaching. We used the card sorting activity developed by Friedrichsen and Dana (2003). We took expert opinions for the produced scenarios. We conducted piloted card sorting activity first. Then, we prepared the final form of 16 scenario texts about electricity unit. We conducted this activity with ten junior prospective teachers. We used MAXQDA 2018 program to analyze the conversations of prospective teachers. The data revealed that most of the prospective teachers taught science in order to teach scientific knowledge. In addition, we found that prospective teachers who want to integrate technology into their teaching practices held mostly transitional and responsive orientations. As a result, we were able to demonstrate that this activity could be used to elicit prospective teachers' beliefs about science teaching and learning, and beliefs about goals or purposes of science teaching in technology integrated environments.

Involving patients as key stakeholders in the design of cardiovascular implantable electronic device data dashboards: Implications for patient care.

BackgroundData from remote monitoring (RM) of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) currently are not accessible to patients despite demand. The typical RM report contains multiple pages of data for trained technicians to read and interpret and requires a patient-centered approach to be curated to meet individual user needs.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to understand which RM data elements are important to patients and to gain design insights for displaying meaningful data in a digital dashboard.MethodsAdults with implantable cardioverter–defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers (PMs) participated in this 2-phase, user-centered design study. Phase 1 included a card-sorting activity to prioritize device data elements. Phase 2 included one-on-one design sessions to gather insights and feedback about a visual display (labels and icons).ResultsTwenty-nine adults (mean age 71.8 ± 11.6 years; 51.7% female; 89.7% white) participated. Priority data elements for both ICD and PM groups in phase 1 (n = 19) were related to cardiac episodes, device activity, and impedance values. Recommended replacement time for battery was high priority for the PM group but not the ICD group. Phase 2 (n = 10) revealed that patients would like descriptive, nontechnical terms to depict the data and icons that are intuitive and informative.ConclusionThis user-centered design study demonstrated that patients with ICDs and PMs were able to prioritize specific data from a comprehensive list of data elements that they had never seen before. This work contributes to the goal of sharing RM data with patients in a way that optimizes the RM feature of CIEDs for improving patient outcomes and clinical care.

Pattern-IT: A method for mapping stakeholder engagement with complex systems

Pattern-IT is a participatory, card sorting activity that aims to illuminate the relationships between people, technologies and concepts in complex systems. Pattern-IT combines two methods: card sorting [11] and mapping sentences [2,6]. Depending on the aims and scope of the research or topic, Pattern-IT can be used in an exploratory, descriptive, or interpretative manner. It is a co-created, adaptable and enjoyable method that can be used with individuals or groups, in-person or online, with or without facilitation. In this paper, Pattern-IT was conducted face-to-face in a moderated group setting using physical cards to explore engagement by project partners with publics involved in implementing Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES). SLES are decentralised energy systems that use information communication technologies (e.g. smart meters, blockchain, real-time pricing) to connect low carbon energy generation (e.g. solar PV) with energy storage and energy services (e.g. electric vehicles).•A method that combines card sorting and mapping sentences.•Uses mapping sentences as an organising and data generating tool.•A novel co-created participatory method for use with individuals or groups.

Cultivating a ‘collegial turn’ in doctoral education

ABSTRACT Doctoral students’ understandings of collegiality and their collegial practices warrant specific attention, yet are often addressed as implicit to peer learning and research communities, and ensconced in transferable skills as ‘teamwork’. This article reports on research involving 43 doctoral students at one New Zealand university. Using a hybrid methodology that synergised social practice theory and phenomenography, the students participated in focus groups and paired hierarchical card sorting activities. The resultant conversations indicated that collegiality among doctoral students can manifest as four types of collegial practices: professional, intellectual, social, and emotional collegiality. Collegial practices offer doctoral students purposeful interaction, professional relationships, and respite from some of the emotional challenges of the doctorate. Accordingly, I argue that students, academics, and academic developers could adopt a more comprehensive approach than present to cultivate an environment of collegiality among doctoral students, and that collegial practices should be considered integral to doctoral professional development.

Assessing Mobile Phone Digital Literacy and Engagement in User-Centered Design in a Diverse, Safety-Net Population: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundHealth care systems are rapidly deploying digital tools for disease management; however, few studies have evaluated their usability by vulnerable populations. To understand the barriers to app usage among vulnerable populations, we employed user-centered design (UCD) methods in the development of a new text messaging app.ObjectiveThe study aimed to describe variations in patients’ engagement in the app design process, focusing on limited health literacy (LHL), limited English proficiency (LEP), and limited digital literacy (LDL).MethodsWe conducted 20 in-depth semistructured interviews with primary care patients at a public health care system, used open-ended discussions and card sorting tasks to seek input about mobile phones and text messaging, and used open coding to categorize the patterns of mobile phone usage and to evaluate engagement in the card sorting process. We examined qualitative differences in engagement by examining the extensiveness of participant feedback on existing and novel text messaging content and calculated the proportion of patients providing extensive feedback on existing and novel content, overall and by health literacy, English proficiency, and digital literacy.ResultsThe average age of the 20 participants was 59 (SD 8) years; 13 (65%) were female, 18 (90%) were nonwhite, 16 (80%) had LHL, and 13 (65%) had LEP. All had depression, and 14 (70%) had diabetes. Most participants had smartphones (18/20, 90%) and regularly used text messaging (15/20, 75%), but 14 (70%) of them reported having difficulty texting because of inability to type, physical disability, and low literacy. We identified 10 participants as specifically having LDL; 7 of these participants had LEP, and all 10 had LHL. Half of the participants required a modification of the card sorting activity owing to not understanding it or not being able to read the cards in the allotted time. The proportion of participants who gave extensive feedback on existing content was lower in participants with limited versus adequate English proficiency (4/13, 30% vs 5/7, 71%), limited versus adequate health literacy (7/16, 44% vs 3/4, 75%), and limited versus adequate digital literacy (4/10, 40% vs 6/10, 60%); none of these differences were statistically significant. When examining the proportion of patients who gave extensive feedback for novel messaging content, those with LHL were less engaged than those with adequate health literacy (8/16, 50% vs 4/4, 100%); there were no statistical differences by any subgroup.ConclusionsDespite widespread mobile phone use, digital literacy barriers are common among vulnerable populations. Engagement in the card sorting activity varied among participants and appeared to be lower among those with LHL, LEP, and LDL. Researchers employing traditional UCD methods should routinely measure these communication domains among their end-user samples. Future work is needed to replicate our findings in larger samples, but augmentation of card sorting with direct observation and audiovisual cues may be more productive in eliciting feedback for those with communication barriers.

Development and Pilot Testing of Text Messages to Help Reduce Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Rural Caregivers and Adolescents: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundA high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) poses significant health concerns, particularly for rural adults and adolescents. A manner in which the health of both caregivers and adolescents can be improved is by developing innovative strategies that target caregivers as the agents of change. Sending text messages through mobile phones has been cited as an effective way to improve behavioral outcomes, although little research has been conducted in rural areas, particularly focusing on SSB intake.ObjectiveBy targeting rural caregivers, this 2-phase study aimed to (1) understand caregivers’ perceptions and language preferences for SSB-related text messages to inform and refine message development and delivery and (2) evaluate the acceptability of text messages for SSB intake behavior change and examine short-term effects on SSB intake behavior.MethodsA convergent mixed methods design was used to systematically develop and pilot-test text messages with caregivers in Southwest Virginia. In phase 1, 5 focus groups that included a card-sorting activity were conducted to explore advantages/disadvantages, language preferences (ie, tone of voice, audience, and phrase preferences), and perceived use of text messages. In phase 2, caregivers participated in a 5-week text message pilot trial that included weekly educational and personalized strategy messages and SSB intake assessments at baseline and follow-up. Before the focus groups and after completing the pilot trial, caregivers also completed a pre-post survey that assessed SSB intake, SSB home availability, and caregivers’ SSB-related practices. Caregivers also completed individual follow-up telephone interviews following the pilot trial.ResultsIn phase 1, caregivers (N=33) reported that text messages were convenient, accessible, and easy to read. In addition, they preferred messages with empathetic and authoritative tones that provided useful strategies and stayed away from using absolute words (eg, always and never). In the phase 2 pilot trial (N=30), 87% of caregivers completed baseline and 77% completed follow-up assessment, suggesting a high utilization rate. Other ways in which caregivers reported benefiting from the text messages included sharing messages with family members and friends (80%), making mental notes (57%), and looking back at messages as reminders (50%). Caregivers reported significant improvements in home environment, parenting practices, and rulemaking around SSB (P=.003, P=.02, and P=.04, respectively). In addition, the frequency of SSB intake among caregivers and adolescents significantly decreased (P=.003 and P=.005, respectively).ConclusionsSpending time in the formative phases of text message development helped understand the unique perspectives and language preferences of the target population. Furthermore, delivering an intervention through text messages has the potential to improve caregiver behaviors and reduce SSB intake among rural caregivers and adolescents. Findings from this study were used to develop a larger bank of text messages, which would be used in a future study, testing the effectiveness of a text message intervention targeting SSB intake–related caregiver behaviors.

An empirical study to investigate the efficacy of collaborative immersive virtual reality systems for designing information architecture of software systems

The ability of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) systems to mimic the real world has made it possible to use this technology to create environments for remote collaborative work. This study aimed to understand the feasibility of immersive virtual reality when conducting a collaborative Information Architecture (IA) design task-card sorting, with geographically dispersed participants. Using a between-subjects experimental design, thirty groups of two individuals each completed a card sorting activity using conventional in-person, video screen-sharing method or immersive virtual reality methods. The dependent measures included total time, percentage match with master card set, usability, presence and perceived workload. Overall usability was found to be significantly higher for the immersive virtual reality condition when compared to conventional in-person card sorting. In addition, the new immersive virtual reality technology performed as well as the other two conditions for other dependent variables. Qualitative data from the participants also indicated a positive reaction to the use of immersive virtual reality for this task. Overall, the participants felt they were productive and enjoyed the IVR condition, indicating the potential of IVR-based approaches as an alternative to conventional approaches for IA design.