Touchscreen Tablet Research Articles

Young children and tablets: the views of parents and teachers

ABSTRACT Touch screen tablets are now widely available and due to the increasing use of these technologies in homes and early years centres, it is important to consider parent and teacher views about their use. This paper reports on an interview study which explored the perspectives of four parents of children aged 20–36 months and their two teachers in one early learning centre in the north of England. Key findings were that parents and teachers had a positive perspective on young children’s use of tablets and viewed them as educationally valuable. They expressed that they did not wish children to be left behind in learning about new technologies and emphasized having a ‘balanced’ approach to tablets. However, there were also concerns voiced over the potential overuse and misuse of tablets at home suggesting more guidance for parents is needed to support young children’s experiences with tablets.

Technology makes older adults feel older

The current study aims to examine the effect of technology use on the assessment of subjective age across the adult lifespan, with the assumption that using technology might make older people feel older. One-hundred and fifty-one participants (ages 18–83) assessed their subjective age before and after using familiar and unfamiliar applications on a touchscreen tablet. Subjective age was assessed either by line marking or by numerical response. The oldest participants felt older after the manipulation relative to their pre-manipulation baseline, unlike the youngest participants in the sample. This effect was stronger for the unfamiliar application than for the familiar application. We suggest that using technology evokes stereotype threat. Although this threat does not impair performance, it still changes self perception. These findings could have far-reaching implications for the well-being of older adults in an ever more technological world.

Game-playing as an effective learning resource for elderly people: encouraging experiential adoption of touchscreen technologies

Elderly people often struggle to keep up with digital advancements, particularly given the fast pace of such developments and the increasing need to interact with novel devices in everyday life. To include elderly people in ongoing socio-technological developments, we aim to overcome the barriers to learning and adoption such older adults may face. In this contribution, we set the methodological stage for an interactive game-playing approach using touchscreen tablets. By using games in learning settings, we encourage elderly people in digital adoption and skill development. In a first study, a video analysis of game-playing sessions and active learning support were performed. Although approaches that combine game-playing with learning could encourage elderly people to become an integral part of a technologically advancing society, the facilitation of interaction processes in individual and collective gaming seems to be crucial. We report on the performed field study and provide methodological suggestions for investigating digital media adoption.

GERONTECHNOLOGY ENHANCES ATTITUDES TOWARDS AND INTEREST IN TECHNOLOGY USE OF OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA

Past studies propose that attitudinal factors and perceived self-efficacy accounted for seniors’ unwillingness to adopt technologies compared to their younger counterparts, particularly seniors with cognitive impairment (e.g., Gonzalez, Ramirez & Viadel, 2015). On the other hand, healthy seniors feel more positive and more confident in their ability to use technology after some training but not seniors with dementia (Wild et al., 2012). No studies have examined whether a specially-designed technological program for seniors with dementia would positively impact their responses to technology use. We investigated the attitudinal factors and interest in technology use in healthy and dementia seniors as part of a pilot computerized cognitive intervention program. Four cognitively healthy seniors (aged 72–78 years), and four seniors diagnosed with mild-to-moderate stages of dementia (aged 73–90 years) were recruited to participate in twelve training sessions where they play cognitive games on a touch-screen tablet over four weeks. Participants’ attitudes towards technology were obtained before and after the program and affect was coded from recorded observations of the sessions. Healthy seniors reported more positive attitudes towards technology than seniors with dementia pre-program (Us<1.00, ps<.037) but the latter’s attitudes improved such that differences were not found post-program. Additionally, for seniors with dementia, post-program attitudes was positively correlated with reported interests in continued usage of technology (rho=.949, p=.051). Levels of anxiety also decreased over the course of the program (16% to 0%), while interests in technology increased (52% to 78%). These findings suggest that specially-designed gerontechnology can positively affect seniors’ outlook regarding technology use.

A dual-method approach to identifying intimate partner violence within a Level 1 trauma center.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem leading many health care organizations to recommend universal screening as part of standard health care practice. Prior work shows that most IPV victims and perpetrators are unidentified by health care staff. We sought to enhance the capacity of an urban trauma center to identify IPV using a dual-method screening tool, and to establish prevalence of IPV victimization and perpetration among this population. Patients aged 18 and older were recruited from a Level 1 trauma center from May 2015 to July 2017. Participants were assessed for IPV using a touch-screen tablet and then via face-to-face assessment. The data were used to determine feasibility of this dual method and to establish prevalence of IPV in this sample. Of 586 eligible patients, 250 were successfully recruited for the study (43% response rate). Using the subscales of physical abuse, severe psychological abuse, and sexual coercion from the tablet-based Conflict Tactics Scale 2, 40% of women and 34% of men met criteria for IPV exposure in the past year and 35.6% of men and 50.6% of women met criteria using the face-to-face screen. In total, 102 patients (40.8%) screened positive using the dual method. This study reports on a dual method to improve screening and identification of IPV in a Level 1 trauma center. Ultimately, the dual screening method identified more victims than either method on its own. Our findings provide evidence to standardize universal screening in our trauma center. Moving forward, we will link screening results to medical record data to identify predictors of patients' current experiences of psychological and physical IPV. Our ultimate goal is to use these predictors to build a model for identifying patients who are at high risk for IPV victimization or perpetration. Epidemiologic study, level III.

Digital Skills for Elderly People: A Learning Experiment in Four European Countries

The problem of learning digital skills among the elderly addressed in this paper is focused on a methodology that tries to overcome the barriers in adoption of touchscreen digital technology faced by older adults, by using a game-based learning approach. The paper provides an overview of some early results and findings from an exploratory study among the elderly from four European countries based on the use of touchscreen tablets for playing games as a pre-course activity for learning how to use a smart phone. The learning was carried out with pre-selected games designed to enhance the motor skills of the players and improve the coordination between cognitive and motor skills capacity. The results presented in the paper were collected within the partners of the project GIRDA &amp;ndash; Gameplay foR Inspiring Digital Adoption from the European ERASMUS+ programme. The paper describes the research setting, the experiments and the results accompanied by discussion and the conclusion.

Using a wireless touch screen tablet personal computer is feasible to assess the quality of Breast Cancer Survivorship

BackgroundEvidence supporting a tablet personal computer (PC)-based mode for a systemic approach to managing the breast cancer survival is limited. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate whether a tablet personal computer (PC) survey is feasible for screening the risks of the recurrence of breast cancer and the survivor issues associated with breast cancer treatment. Materials and methodsA descriptive study design was used. A pilot test of the tablet PC survey for its feasibility was undertaken using 40 breast cancer survivors at a university affiliated cancer management-survivorship clinic. The tablet PC survey was evaluated by structured questionnaires designed to assess patient experiences responding to the tablet PC-based surveys and user friendliness of the device itself. ResultsOlder patients and those with a lower education were more likely to have difficulty with the tablet PC administration and required assistance. Both physicians and nurses reported that the tablet PC survey was a useful tool that assisted healthcare professionals with providing quality of care. ConclusionThis pilot test supported the feasibility of a tablet PC survey as a vehicle for breast cancer survivorship management.

Validation of a touch screen tablet assessment of early literacy skills and a comparison with a traditional paper-based assessment

ABSTRACTTouch screen tablets are being increasingly used in schools for learning and assessment. However, the validity and reliability of assessments delivered via tablets are largely unknown. The present study tested the psychometric properties of a tablet-based app designed to measure early literacy skills. Tablet-based tests were also compared with traditional paper-based tests. Children aged 2–6 years (N = 99) completed receptive tests delivered via a tablet for letter, word, and numeral skills. The same skills were tested with a traditional paper-based test that used an expressive response format. Children (n = 35) were post-tested 8 weeks later to examine the stability of test scores over time. The tablet test scores showed high internal consistency (all α’s > .94), acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC range = .39–.89), and were correlated with child age, family SES, and home literacy teaching to indicate good predictive validity. The agreement between scores for the tablet and traditional tests was high (ICC range = .81–.94). The tablet tests provides valid and reliable measures of children’s early literacy skills. The strong psychometric properties and ease of use suggests that tablet-based tests of literacy skills have the potential to improve assessment practices for research purposes and classroom use.

A Model to Estimate the Optimal Layout for Assistive Communication Touchscreen Devices in Children With Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy.

Excess involuntary movements and slowness of movement in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy often result in the inability to properly interact with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This significantly limits communication. It is, therefore, essential to know how to adjust the device layout in order to maximize each child's rate of communication. The aim of this paper was to develop a mathematical model to estimate the information rate in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy and to determine the optimal AAC layout for a touchscreen tablet that results in enhanced speed of communication. The model predicts information rate based on button size, number, spacing between buttons, and the probability of making an error or missing target buttons. Estimation of the information rate confirmed our hypothesis of lower channel capacity in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy compared with age-matched healthy children. Information rate increased when the AAC layout was customized based on the optimal parameters predicted by the model. In conclusion, this paper quantifies the effect of motor impairments on communication with assistive communication devices and shows that communication performance can be improved by optimally matching the parameters of the AAC touchscreen device to the abilities of the child.

Improving Quality of the Informed Consent Process—Developing an Easy-to-Read, Multimodal, Patient-Centered Format in Diabetes Research

Objective: To develop a patient-centered informed consent and assessment written at a 6th grade-level that is multimodal, affordable, transportable, and readily modifiable for protocol updates. Methods: This quality improvement initiative was performed in two phases on an actively-recruiting, familial study at a pediatric diabetes multi-site clinic. In phase I, 38 subjects completed the standard paper consent, a comprehension assessment and provided process feedback. Using feedback and the structure of the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle a multimodal consent explanation and assessment were developed. In phase II, subjects were randomized to the standard (n=25) or the multimodal consent (n=25) and all completed the same comprehension assessment via touch-screen tablet. Primary outcomes were comparison of the individual and total comprehension assessment scores. Results: Total comprehension scores were higher in the multimodal vs. the standard consent group (p&amp;lt;0.001) and on the elements of benefits (p&amp;lt;0.001), risks (p&amp;lt;0.001), volunteerism (p&amp;lt;0.012), results (p&amp;lt;0.001), confidentiality (p&amp;lt;0.004) and privacy (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: A multimodal consent explanation and assessment presented sequentially on a touch-screen tablet were patient-centered enhancements to standard consent. Disclosure K. Lindsley: None.

The use of volunteers to implement electronic patient reported outcomes in lung cancer outpatient clinics.

Treatment related toxicity is common after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Our group has developed and validated an electronic Patient Reported Outcome questionnaire (ePRO) to assess symptoms and toxicity in lung cancer patients receiving (chemo)radiotherapy treatment. We assessed the need for volunteer support in clinics to assist patients in completing ePROs. Lung Cancer patients attending outpatient or radiotherapy clinics at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester were consented and asked to complete a Patient Reported Outcomes questionnaire using an electronic device (a touchscreen). Trained volunteers were available if patients required help such as verbal or physical assistance. The primary objective was to determine the need for volunteers to assist lung cancer patients in completing ePROs. 27/86 (31.4%) of patients who consented to this study required assistance to complete the ePRO. After questioning, we found that only 7/86 (8.1%) would have relied on volunteers for assistance as the majority of patients had a companion that could have provided help. 81/86 (94.2%) of patients were satisfied with the use of a touchscreen tablet to complete the ePRO. Our results demonstrate that the introduction of ePROs in lung cancer outpatient clinics is feasible, even without the use of volunteers for the majority of patients. The implementation of ePROs would allow large volumes of high quality (chemo)radiotherapy toxicity data to be collected accurately and quickly. This is essential for the development of predictive models of outcome using population-based data, which could allow the personalisation of (chemo)radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer patients.

Effects of geometric toy design on parent–child interactions and spatial language

Geometric forms have formal definitions. While knowing shape names is considered important for school-readiness, many children do not understand the defining features of shapes until well into elementary school (Satlow & Newcombe, 1998). One reason is likely that they do not encounter enough variety in the shapes they see (Resnick, Verdine, Golinkoff, & Hirsh-Pasek, 2016). The present study observed 60 parents and their 3-year-old children during play with geometric toys, exploring how spatial language varied with the nature of the shape-toy set (canonical shapes versus a mix of canonical and unusual or less-canonical variants) and whether geometric shapes were presented as tangible, traditional toys or shown on a touchscreen tablet app. Although children in the app condition heard more shape names than the other conditions due to the language produced by the app itself, children used more overall words and more spatial language with tangible toys that included varied shapes. In addition, parents used more shape names with sons than with daughters and tended to adjust their use of spatial language more in response to varied shape sets with boys, although these findings need replication to evaluate generality. These data suggest that including non-canonical shapes in tangible shape toys may provide a low-cost, high-impact way of refining adult-child interactions that might facilitate children’s early geometric knowledge.

A cross-sectional study of agreement between the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and patient- and radiation oncologist-reported single-item assessment of depression and anxiety.

To describe among radiation oncology patients: (1) the proportion likely to be experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety as identified by (a) the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; standardised tool), (b) patient-reported single items (ultrashort tool), and (c) radiation oncologist-reported single items (clinician judgement); (2) preferences for being offered psychological support; and (3) agreement between single-item measures and the HADS. Adult cancer patients (n=152; consent rate 58%) receiving radiotherapy completed a touchscreen tablet survey assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS and a single-item tool) and support preferences. Each participant's treating radiation oncologist completed a survey assessing his or her perception of whether the patient was anxious or depressed. Prevalence estimates for likely depression (6.9-18%) and anxiety (17-33%) overlapped across the 3 measures. Overall, only 9.9% of patients (95% CI, 5.6%-16%) wanted to be offered psychological support. For depression, agreement between the HADS and ultrashort tool was fair (κ=0.37, P<0.0001); agreement between the HADS and clinician judgement was slight (κ=0.14, P<0.05). For anxiety, agreement between the HADS and clinician judgement was not significantly greater than chance alone (κ=0.04, P=0.33), and agreement between the HADS and ultrashort tool was moderate (κ=0.49, P<0.0001). These findings highlight the important role that oncology consultations play in interpreting assessment tool results and responding to individual patient's history and preferences for psychological support.

MP44: TEC4Home heart failure: using home telemonitoring to decrease ED readmissions and clinical flow

Introduction: Patients with Heart failure (HF) experience frequent decompensation necessitating multiple emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. If patients are able to receive timely interventions and optimize self-management, recurrent ED visits may be reduced. In this feasibility study, we piloted the application of home telemonitoring to support the discharge of HF patients from hospital to home. We hypothesized that TEC4Home would decrease ED revisits and hospital admissions and improve patient health outcomes. Methods: Upon discharge from the ED or hospital, patients with HF received a blood pressure cuff, weight scale, pulse oximeter, and a touchscreen tablet. Participants submitted measurements and answered questions on the tablet about their HF symptoms daily for 60 days. Data were reviewed by a monitoring nurse. From November 2016 to July 2017, 69 participants were recruited from Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), St. Pauls Hospital (SPH) and Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). Participants completed pre-surveys at enrollement and post-surveys 30 days after monitoring finished. Administrative data related to ED visits and hospital admissions were reviewed. Interviews were conducted with the monitoring nurses to assess the impact of monitoring on patient health outcomes. Results: A preliminary analysis was conducted on a subsample of participants (n=22) enrolled across all 3 sites by March 31, 2017. At VGH and SPH (n=14), 25% fewer patients required an ED visit in the post-survey reporting compared to pre-survey. During the monitoring period, the monitoring nurse observed seven likely avoided ED admissions due to early intervention. In total, admissions were reduced by 20% and total hospital length of stay reduced by 69%. At KGH (n=8), 43% fewer patients required an ED visit in the post-survey reporting compared to the pre-survey. Hospital admissions were reduced by 20% and total hospital length of stay reduced by 50%. Overall, TEC4Home participants from all sites showed a significant improvement in health-related quality of life and in self-care behaviour pre- to 90 days post-monitoring. A full analysis of the 69 patients will be complete in February 2018. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that home telemonitoring for HF patients can decrease ED revisits and improve patient experience. The length of stay data may also suggest the potential for early discharge of ED patients with home telemonitoring to avoid or reduce hospitalization. A stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial of TEC4Home in 22 BC communities will be conducted in 2018 to generate evidence and scale up the service in urban, regional and rural communities. This work is submitted on behalf of the TEC4Home Healthcare Innovation Community.

The effect of active participation on performance and understanding on the Iowa gambling task

AbstractThe Iowa gambling task (IGT) was developed as a neuropsychological assessment of “real‐life” decision making in a laboratory setting by Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, and Anderson in . The IGT was originally implemented as a manual task during which the participants selected paper cards. The task has since evolved into a computerized assessment tool (Psychological Assessment Resources IGT or PAR™IGT) that uses only virtual cards and reinforcement schedules that are somewhat different from those in the original version. Caution should be used when psychological assessments change from manual to virtual formats. Such changes may unintentionally introduce confounds that render the 2 tests nonequivalent as shown with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task by Steinmetz, Brunner, Loarer, and Houssemand in . In this study, we compared IGT performance when participants used either a laptop computer or a touchscreen tablet. Each device was used in 2 conditions: “involved” and “noninvolved.” Participants in the involved condition turned over physical cards and mimicked their own selections by clicking (laptop) or reaching out and touching (tablet) the corresponding virtual cards. Participants in the noninvolved condition only made selections of virtual cards, whereas an adjacent experimenter turned over the corresponding physical cards. Results showed that performance systematically and significantly improved as degree of physical involvement increased in the following order: laptop noninvolved (lowest performance), tablet noninvolved, laptop involved, and tablet involved (highest performance). In addition, participants' verbalized understanding of the task was significantly more accurate with increased physical involvement.

Get MAAAD at Those Apps!

During the past thirty years, various forms of technology have facilitated teaching and learning. Recently, touchscreen tablets are among the devices growing in popularity. Many mathematics apps are available; however, they vary in their usefulness for different users. Monitoring students' interactions with selected apps is important for teachers to do to ensure that earners are benefiting from technology integration. The Modification of Attributes, Affordances, Abilities, and Distance (MAAAD) for Learning Framework (see fig. 1) emerged from evaluations of students' interactions with educational technology (Tucker 2016). Teachers can use this framework to select apps for use in the classroom, formatively assess student understanding, and evaluate the appropriateness of tasks presented by apps.

153 (PB-054) - Assessment of quality of breast cancer survivorship using wireless touch screen tablet personalized computer

153 (PB-054) - Assessment of quality of breast cancer survivorship using wireless touch screen tablet personalized computer

The use of touch-screen tablets in early childhood: Children's knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards tablet technology

Touch-screen tablets are rapidly increasing in popularity and widespread use. They are entertaining, attractive, and potentially powerful learning tools for young children. This study reports on a qualitative research exploring how children use touch-screen tablets in Jordan in particular, and what implications this may have for learning and teaching in early years. A total of forty K-2 children participated in the study (M child age = 6.27 years). Semi-structured interviews and structured observation were utilized. The results indicate that overall, children had reasonable knowledge of touch-screen tablets and their features. Children viewed touch-screen tablets as an entertaining tool more than as a learning tool. Moreover, touch-screen tablets were used for different purposes with ‘playing games’ being the most common purpose, followed by watching YouTube. In addition, children were found to acquire most of the skills needed to use tablets, but still not in control in some cases. It was found that gaming and entertainment apps on the touch-screen tablets replaced the traditional play-based activities used in early years. Finally, the children expressed that their parents impose rules regarding tablet usage and they need help and guidance from their parents while using tablets. The study concludes with a discussion of what the findings might mean for current policy and practice.

Home exercise programs supported by video and automated reminders for patients with stroke: A qualitative analysis.

Allied health professionals working in rehabilitation often prescribe home exercise programs. Smart technology offers an alternative format for presentation of home exercise programs with potential advantages over traditional paper-based programs, but how do patients feel about this? This qualitative analysis was part of a convergent mixed methods design, using in depth, semi-structured interviews to explore the lived experience of patients utilising touch screen tablets to support an upper limb home exercise program post stroke. Ten male participants with stroke and upper limb impairment who received home exercise programs using video and reminders on tablet computers participated. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. There were three main themes: (1) exercises on the tablet helped patients' recovery in a variety of ways; (2) everyone could use the tablet for their home exercise program; but (3) not everyone liked using the tablet. Smart technology is increasingly accessible and provides a novel, convenient way to provide home exercise programs post stroke with a number of benefits. This technology is not for everyone, but may be well suited to patients who already own and use these devices in daily life. Automated reminders were not viewed as a useful reminder tool.

Interactive Apps Promote Learning of Basic Mathematics in Children With Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Interactive apps delivered on touch-screen tablets can be effective at supporting the acquisition of basic skills in mainstream primary school children. This technology may also be beneficial for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as it can promote high levels of engagement with the learning task and an inclusive learning environment. However, few studies have measured extent of learning for SEND pupils when using interactive apps, so it has yet to be determined if this technology is effective at raising attainment for these pupils. We report the first observational study of a group of 33 pupils with SEND from two primary schools in Malawi that are implementing a new digital technology intervention which uses touch-screen tablets to deliver interactive apps designed to teach basic mathematical skills. The apps contain topics that align to the national curriculum. To assess learning gains, rate of progress (minutes per topic) for each pupil was determined by calculating the average time taken to complete a topic. Progress rate was then correlated with teacher ratings of extent of disability and independent ratings of pupil engagement with the apps. Results showed SEND pupils could interact with the apps and all pupils passed at least one topic. Average progress rate for SEND pupils was twice as long as mainstream peers. Stepwise regression revealed extent of disability significantly predicted progress rate. Further exploratory correlations revealed pupils with moderate to severe difficulties with hearing and/or language made slower progress through the apps than those with greater functionality in these two domains because the use of verbal instructions within the apps limited their capacity to learn. This original quantitative analysis demonstrates that interactive apps can raise learning standards in pupils with SEND but may have limited utility for pupils with severe difficulties. Software modifications are needed to address specific areas of difficulty preventing pupils from progressing.