andrewwhann-blog

[andrewwhann-blog]

NI curriculum

http://ccea.org.uk/curriculum/key_stage_1_2/areas_learning/mathematics_and_numeracy

The curriculum for maths is a great way for me to think about what needs to be covered in the app. Real life situations seem to be used like the use of money could be helpful for kids to learn.

[andrewwhann-blog]

Maths for Year 1

https://uk.ixl.com/math/year-1

This is pretty useful list of things that is covered in year one of primary school. I could take 1 of these sections and try and create a game around it.

[andrewwhann-blog]

UX blog practices for kids

https://eggplantdigital.cn/best-practices-for-designing-ipad-apps-for-kids-2/

There are some good points that are worth noting from this article. Giving constant feedback to a child for whatever they press is a must or else they are not likely to press it again. Keeping buttons away from the edges and the bottom of the iPad incase of accidental touches. They use the example of talking tom which has strategically placed buttons around edges so that kids will accidentally make in app purchases.

[andrewwhann-blog]

The Significant Seven: What Makes Games Addictive

Studying the research and looking at the way video games had come to dominate young Kyle’s life, the Bruners identified seven different hooks

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programmed into games that keep players riveted to the virtual action. Not all seven exist in every game, but the more that are present, the greater the chance of players becoming hooked. They are:

Beating the Game. To conquer a game, one must spend untold hours navigating increasingly difficult levels. “Sports are made for winner, loser, game over, you move on,” Kurt explained. “Board games are made for winner, loser, pack it up, it’s done. Video games are designed to feed a never-ending and growing appetite for more and more and more.” That can require searching every nook and cranny of screen space for hidden bonuses, leading to the second addictive quality …

Exploration. Some titles, like the classic “Myst,” are entirely about traversing and studying imaginary worlds. That’s a powerful draw made stronger by the inclusion of secret levels, which have been built into video games since the earliest edition of “Super Mario Bros.”

Mastery. Programmers build feedback into the game (hand controllers vibrate, for example, when your player is “shot”) so that players get visual and physical responses to what they’re doing onscreen. Psychologically, this fuels the learning process, making the player even more eager to master elements of the game.

The High Score. Of course, beating the high score has been an incentive since the earliest pinball machines. But video games are different in that the higher you go, the more difficult the game becomes. Players spend countless hours trying to get a new high score, even if the one they’re besting is their own.

Story-Driven Role-Playing. Everyone wants to know how the story ends, whether it’s a children’s fairy tale or a plot-driven video game. Some games let teens control an onscreen figure, but role-playing games go much deeper by allowing the player to create and become the character in a story. Being so personally invested makes it that much harder to quit. This is why more and more games are constructed around a foundational story.

Competition. Boys in particular love to lock horns in spirited contests. With multiplayer options, teens take on both the game and other gamers for bragging rights. Some committed fans go so far as to schedule activities and sleep patterns to accommodate a network of online partners or opponents.

Relationships. Fantasy role-playing games let teens create personas much different from who they are in real life. For example, an overweight, athletically challenged boy can become a muscle-bound superhero in an online world, thus making friends with people who would not normally associate with him. Pressure to keep up with online peers also produces powerful incentives to keep improving.