An analysis of crossword learning: A mobile application for the elderly

Abstract

Mobile learning (or m-learning) is a learning modality that lies on using mobile devices by the people involved in the apprenticeship process, enabling learning to occur anytime, anywhere. Many different kinds of people should have access to this modality of learning, including senior users. Considering such particular audience, the main purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the results of an accessibility and usability evaluation of a mobile educational application called Crossword Learning. The prototype app was structured based on the users profile and aims to teach seniors about several subjects with a crossword support. In total, ten users participated in the accessibility and usability evaluation. The obtained results showed that the problems found in the mobile educational application were the same that could occur in applications from other domains. This study evidences the accessibility and usability issues that have been identified in an mobile learning applications. The evaluation can serve as a significant input for developers of this type of application, assisting them during the development process.