Gamification, immersion and flow are well known within game design, and more frequently considered within the development of educational applications. The simplicity and comprehensibility of an educational game can result into improved learning and a more enjoyable experience, as the focus on the gameplay increases with less instructions and a more straightforward approach for playing and learning. The aim is to focus on the relevant areas in order to implement a pick-up-and-play gamification geography game for learnability, as well as understanding the considerations when developing an educational application of this kind. Moreover, the work mainly focuses on the implementation of relevant and central game design elements, including animations, correlated to the researched areas. Given the information and the implementation, evaluation and analyzation were performed using Think-Aloud protocol combined with two scripted tests. Additionally, two slightly modified questionnaires were used, the Game Experience Questionnaire and User Engagement Scale Short Form, as a completion for any uncertainties or missing information after the Think-Aloud protocol. The work has brought up the importance of understanding the correlation between the relevant areas and the game design elements, as well as discussed these in context of this work. Moreover, it describes the importance of the well-balanced usage of animations, which improves the dynamic and engaging experience, while also contributing to a clearer feedback. The Think-Aloud protocol have shown being very useful and effective for the evaluation and analyzation. However, the questionnaires were only useful to some extent, but overall ambiguous and confusing, mainly because of the short playtime by the participants, as well as the difficulties in interpreting the assumptions.

Recent research about L2 writing indicates that L2 writers are likely to instruct themselves on how and what to do during the writing process, using both languages to do so. This constant switch between their L1 and their L2 during their L2 composing process is known as "language-switching" (L-S). In this qualitative clinical study my goals were mainly three: a) to describe and understand the purposes for which participants would potentially language-switch to their L1s, b) to depict the perceptions and understandings these four participants have about their personal L2 composing process and the use of their L1s, and c) to describe the tensions they experienced during the L2 writing tasks in the study. The participants in this study were four students in an American university who completed two L2 writing tasks using a think-aloud technique, in which students verbalized all their thoughts while they wrote. Data collected in this study included interview transcripts, think aloud protocols, reflection sessions, videotapes, students' written texts and observations. The Atlas TI computer software assisted a constant comparative method which implied a continuous comparison of all the data sources (Merriam, 2009). I matched language-switching instances with the participants' behaviors and assigned codes referring the writers' actual activities, behaviors and perceptions. Findings suggest that the L2 composing process is a bilingual event in which L-S has a natural occurrence. The use of the writer's L1 during the L2 writing process is closely related to the writer's L2 proficiency, and the degree of proficiency can be related to the situational context (FL vs. SL) where the L2 is learned and used. Findings revealed that Generating L2 Content was the most recurring purpose for L-S during L2 writing, followed by Controlling the Process of Writing and Revising. It also revealed that participants transfer their L1 skills to the L2 writing process and that the writing expertise they bring to the L2 composing process may influence the L-S purpose frequency. One contribution of this study is the participants' perceptions about their L-S habits. Most were aware of the benefits that L-S brought to their L2 writing process. Their L1s helped them organize ideas, write better texts and understand the tasks given. This study also revealed that time frame, prompts, lack of L2 proficiency and think-aloud protocols can influence the participants' L2 writing process negatively.

Title: Gesture and physical gesture Summary: "Everything is connected with everything" on the basis of this sentence in the thesis of human gestures seeking connection with the outside world. Master's thesis in the first part highlights the importance of sensory perception, as one of the major sensitive sensor that uses our surroundings, by extension, our world is to communicate with us. In addition, point out the intellectual transformation of sensory perceptions, as the second phase of human perception. I thought the transformation of the image formation of a subjective reality seen and then selecting the appropriate medium to share with other people. The work and the choice of media is used for our gesture, whether it is a gesture in the position, time, space or matter. Teaching with artwork based on this concept. Keywords: World, soul, think, culture, gesture, picture

Under 2000-talet har de primära konsumtionskanalerna för musik gått från den traditionella radion och CD-skivan till Internet och dess tjänster så som Spotify och Deezer. Trots den nya tekniken och de nya möjligheterna så har både Spotify och Deezer implementerat en funktion som benämns som radio. Studien undersöker ur ett MDI-perspektiv vilken av musikstreamingtjänsterna Spotify och Deezer som har bäst användarupplevelse, när en användare aktivt vill upptäcka ny musik med hjälp av radiofunktionen. Detta undersöks med hjälp av en grupp studenter från KTH. Denna grupp besvarade en enkät om streamingvanor och deras relation till musik.  De utförde också ett “Think Aloud”-test under interaktion med radiofunktionerna. Deltagarna besvarade sedan en uppföljande enkät om vad de upplevt under testet. Både “Think Aloud”-testet och enkätstudien studerades utifrån hur användbar tjänsten var och hur musikrekommendationen presterade. På så sätt kunde vi se vilken tjänst som gav den bästa användarupplevelsen. Är användaren ute efter en musikupplevelse som främst spelar musik som användaren hört förut och troligtvis också uppskattar bör användaren använda sig av Spotifys radiofunktion som är mer träffsäker på att hitta låtar du gillar. Studien visar även att Spotifys radiofunktion kommer spela många låtar användaren redan hört. Vill användaren däremot aktivt hitta ny musik som användaren inte hört tidigare visar studiens resultat att Deezers radiofunktion är att föredra framför Spotifys radiofunktion. / In the 21st century the primary media consumption has evolved from traditional radio and CD listening to the Internet and software services like Spotify and Deezer. Despite the new technology, both Spotify and Deezer have implemented a so-called Radio function. This study investigates the music streaming services through a Human- Computer Interaction point of view. Furthermore it determines which one of the two has the better user experience when the user wants to discover new music with help from the Radio function. The studied group consists of 15 Engineering (Media technology) Students who answered a survey about streaming habits and their relation to music. Subsequently, they preformed a Think Aloud test during their interaction with the radio function. Following this, the participants answered a survey about their experiences during the test. Both the Think Aloud test and the surveys are observed through a usability point of view, by evaluating the usefulness of the services’ music recommendation. This way we could find which service had the best user experience. The radio function in Spotify provides music the users like in a higher rate than Deezer, however these songs are more likely to have been heard before by the user in comparison to Deezer. Therefore, if the user wants to actively find new music they like, Deezer’s radio function is preferable.

Microservice architecture is an emerging approach to application development. While the decentralized nature of microservices comes with advantages it also introduces new challenges to monitoring as the graph of interactions between services can be complex. We explore how a dashboard for microservice monitoring can support first-line operators with limited experience in software development and microservice architecture. We apply a participatory design approach and create a prototype in an iterative fashion together with developers, operators and stakeholders. The final prototype is evaluated through a think-aloud protocol and a system usability scale survey. A thematic analysis of the think-aloud renders three prevalent design lessons: (1) automation and context-switches; (2) consistency across views and states; and (3) language differences between developers and operators. / Mikrotjänstarkitektur används alltmer inom applikationsutveckling. Även om dess decentraliserade natur kommer med vissa fördelar, introducerar den också nya utmaningar inom övervakning, då den samtidigt kan medföra komplexa beroenden mellan tjänster. Vi utforskar hur en dashboard för mikrotjänstövervakning kan stödja first-line operatörer med begränsad erfarenhet av mjukvaruutveckling och mikrotjänstarkitektur. Vi närmar oss problemet med hjälp av participatory design och skapar en prototyp på ett iterativt sätt tillsammans med utvecklare, operatörer och intressenter. Den slutliga prototypen utvärderas genom ett think-aloud-protokoll och en System Usability Scale-enkät. En tematisk analys av think-aloud sessionerna resulterade i tre teman: (1) automatisering och kontextväxling; (2) att vara konsekvent mellan vyer och tillstånd; och (3) språkskillnader mellan utvecklare och operatörer.

Digitalization in work environment has been a trend in recent years and has profound impact on the way people work. We see the application of digital technologies in workplace greatly benefits people’s daily work, but we also notice health problems such as stress and pressure caused by poorly designed software systems. Two methods, to be used in software development, were proposed to improve the user experience of the software systems. The methods, Contextual Persona method and Contextual Think-Aloud method are supposed to extend IT professionals’ understanding of contextual factors when developing software systems. In this paper, we study students’ perception on the usage of the contextual methods through questionnaire-based survey. We identified the positive and negative aspects of using the contextual methods, and suggestions for improvement. Moreover, we conclude that using the contextual methods is helpful to deliver software systems that are well suited in users’ work environment, and therefore provide a better user experience for the users.

Feedback är ett av de mest effektiva sätten att förbättra akademiska prestationer. I den här studien undersöks tio elevers tankeprocess när de arbetar med en problemlösningsuppgift i matematik. Fem elever får feedback på uppgiftsnivå och fem elever får feedback på processnivå. Dataunderlaget av tankeprocesserna samlas in med en think-aloud-metod och analyseras. Tankeprocessen bedöms, utifrån ett think-aloud protokoll, som underlättande händelser eller icke-underlättande händelser. Underlättande händelser är kommentarer som kan leda till en lösning av ett matematiskt problem och är således mer framgångsrikt än icke- underlättande händelser. Den här studien belyser att elevers tankeprocess förbättras om de får feedback på processnivå snarare än feedback på uppgiftsnivå eftersom elevers underlättande händelser är mer frekvent när de får feedback på processnivå.

The purpose of my study was to describe the manner in which Grade 9 technology learners typically accessed and used information sources during the early phases of their design processes. I did this by using an Extended Cognition framework to study the internal and external information sources that learners typically accessed and used in a technology learning environment. Theoretically, my study aimed to develop the application of the Extended Cognition Theory in an educational context. In this manner, my study adds to the scarce literature on design cognition in technology education. The methodological purpose of this study was to adapt conventional Think Aloud Protocol methods (TAPS) to investigate groups of learners in their natural technology learning environment. This methodology enabled me to understand the link between theoretical and empirical approaches of design cognition. As such, I was able to conceptualise practical guidelines that could be used by technology lecturers and teachers for the effective facilitation of the early phases of design processes. The conceptual framework of my study was adapted from empirical studies of expert designers, and is underpinned by the Information Processing and Embodiment theories. I followed a concurrent mixed methods approach and employed a case study design applying pragmatic assumptions. The target population for this study comprised Grade 9 learners based in a low socio-economic region. Eight female participants were purposefully selected and conveniently clustered into three groups: two groups of three participants, and one group of two participants. Data collection therefore consisted of three separately video recorded protocol studies. I was able to elicit the information access and usage activities of the participants by providing them with a design task that I adapted from a prescribed textbook, as suggested for technology by the Department of Basic Education. During the video recordings of the participants’ design processes, I was able to collect concurrent verbal, visual and temporal data types. I analysed the data according to a five-level framework, also adapted from the empirical investigations of expert designers. During my quantitative data analysis, I identified the occurrences of each group of participants’ cognitive phases, as well as the occurrences of their information access and use activities during each cognitive phase. On the one hand, problem structuring did not occur regularly. However, during their problem structuring activities, the participants mainly accessed and used instructions contained in the design task and pictures. On the other hand, the participants predominantly exhibited problem solving cognitive phases in which they mainly accessed and used external information sources including pictures and sketches. During my qualitative data analysis, I traced how the participants transformed their understanding of the design problem and possible design solutions. During problem structuring, the participants accessed information about the users’ needs, the design context and design objectives by perceiving and recognising useful information in their design task instructions and pictures. Information use during problem structuring was evidenced when the participants transformed information that they accessed to propose design objectives, constraints and requirements. Accessed information was typically transformed when the participants: (1) Read/evaluated information from the design task; (2) Evaluated the problem/context; (3) Evaluated/Elaborated information about the design objective; (4) Justified a design requirement; (5) Proposed/justified a design constraint; (6) Evaluated/Elaborated available resources in the environment; (7) Elaborated on the design context. During problem solving, the participants accessed information about the function, behaviour and structure of possible design solutions by perceiving and recognising useful information, primarily in their sketches, 3D models and pictures. Information use during problem solving was evidenced when the participants transformed accessed information to propose design specifications and limitations. Accessed information was typically transformed when the participants: (1) Evaluated existing solutions; (2) Proposed design limitations; (3) Modified existing solutions; (4) Proposed/evaluated a design idea; (5) Elaborated on a design idea; (6) Justified ideas; (7) Qualified ideas; (8) Modified previous design ideas. From the findings of my study, I could develop practical guidelines for current and future technology teachers. These guidelines should help technology teachers to effectively facilitate information rich design thinking during the early phases of learners’ design processes. I conclude this study by reiterating that the participants’ design cognition was enhanced by the availability of various information sources. This implies that technology teachers play a central role as information providers and mediators. Failure to provide adequate information sources during design tasks might inhibit learners’ development of the proficient design skills intended by the technology Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

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Arbetet syftar till att undersöka vilken av de två bildstilarna ikoner och genomarbetade illustrationer som förmedlar en starkare begriplighet i ett seriellt bildberättande och på så sätt skulle kunna visa hur man på bästa sätt förmedlar viktig hälsoinformation.  Detta för att ta fram tydliga riktlinjer som underlättar skapandet av seriellt bildberättande instruktioner för att förmedla viktig information. Syftet utforskades genom en gestaltningsprocess som ledde fram till två prototyper i två bildstilar. Dessa prototyper har sedan provats ut på målgruppen genom metoderna Think-aloud protocol och intervju.  Resultatet visar att instruktioner som använder genomarbetade mer realistiska illustrationer tillsammans med rörelsepilar kan ge en starkare begriplighet i ett seriellt bildberättande. Ur resultatet framkom också att en instruktions bildstil kan ha en stor påverkan på hur seriös instruktionen upplevs i sin helhet, då instruktionerna som endast innehåller genomarbetade illustrationer upplevdes mer som en färdig produkt och drog till sig mer uppmärksamhet vilket medförde ett större intresse av att titta närmare på illustrationerna, än instruktionerna med enbart ikoner, vilket kan vara av värde när det kommer till att skapa informationsmaterial som förmedlar viktig hälsoinformation såsom instruktioner om handtvätt, för att på så sätt minska smittspridning. This thesis aims to investigate which of the two image styles icons versus elaborate illustrations conveys a stronger comprehensibility in serial image-telling and in this way could show how best to convey important health information. This is to develop clear guidelines that facilitate the creation of serial image-telling instructions to convey important information. The purpose was explored through a design process that led to two prototypes in two image styles. These prototypes have then been tested on the target group through the methods Think-aloud protocol and interview. The results show that instructions that use elaborate more realistic illustrations together with movement arrows can provide a stronger comprehensibility in a serial image-telling. The results also showed that an instruction's image style can have a great impact on how serious the instruction is experienced in its entirety, as the instructions that only contain elaborate illustrations were perceived more as a finished product and attracted more attention. This led to a greater interest in looking more closely at the illustrations, than the instructions with only icons. This can be of value when it comes to creating information materials that convey important health information such as instructions on hand washing in order to reduce the spread of infection.