Project Statement: Topic:

Digital Features in Interactive Learning (ebooks) Research Problem:

Cognitive constructivist approaches of learning, developed by the Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, are based on learning through experience. Piaget believes that children must develop their own knowledge through experience. According to Piaget, there are two fundamentals of learning. The first one is active process, which involves making errors and solving problems. Piaget examines how and when information is introduced in the process. The second fundamental is authenticity, referring to the interaction of children with both the material and the learning environment. Piaget supports learning through a meaningful context, and he highly recommends technology and multimedia as tools for applying the cognitive constructivist theory. Also relevant is the theory of edutainment, developed by Landoni, stating that reading comprehension books with the purpose of acquiring reading skills for children must entwine entertainment and education. Nowadays, children are having difficulties being motivated to read, whether in structured reading comprehension tasks at school or in less structured leisure reading. There are efforts by parents and educators to encourage and support childrens reading, but these efforts, such as ebooks with sometimes seemingly haphazard approaches to graphic design (in terms of typography, icons, layout and information construction/design), have only limited success. I am lead to question whether an ebook designed with Piaget and Landonis theories in mind might result in better design to motivate children to read.

Purpose Statement:
I plan to study how to use graphic design (in terms of typography, icons, layout and information design) and interactive design,informed by cognitive constructivist theory and edutaintment theory, to motivate children to read.

Research Question:

Based on cognitive constructivist and edutainment theory, how can graphic design (typography, icons, layout and information design) and interactive design, aid the design of ebooks to motivate children to read in structured reading comprehension tasks at school or in less structured leisure reading?