TUSK to mobile

Susan Albright from Tufts University gave an overview on how her Tufts research team has adapted access to their curriculum database Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase (TUSK) for mobile devices.  This presentation caught my eye because one of my primary interests is in finding new instructional technology applications in the developing world.  Creating small-screen-friendly content addresses one of biggest barriers to information access in low-resource areas.  Susan spoke about TUSK information organization, the need to adapt their content for cell-phone access, interface redesign for mobile devices, and finally some of the challenges they have faced. 

 

Susan gave us a thorough overview of the TUSK knowledgebase in order to emphasize the importance of creating more universal access.  TUSK is a database of lectures, course syllabi and schedules, various multimedia files with slides, videos.  It has a metathesaurus which allows searching, cross-referencing and re-using content through controlled vocabulary.  This means that one source, i.e., a journal article could reference an illustrative digital video.  Information is organized vertically and horizontonally and includes a variety of collaboration tools such as my groups, wikis, and content sharing.  One of TUSKs most interesting features is its library of standardized virtual patient cases.

 

Tufts' partners in the developing world need an alternative form of access to the web because so few students have computers.  Only about 10% of people have computers, while nearly 100% have phones.  Likewise, the developing world is spending significantly more on telecommunications development than in other sectors.  Cellular access is technology that already exists.  The developing world were not the only students asking for mobile access.  Polled students in the U.S. wanted to access TUSK in the subway, on the go, or wherever else their mobile devices might accompany them.

 

Adapting TUSK to hand-held devices required the web site be redesigned.  They simplified the logon page, kept the logo for consistency, color-coded links to match the web site, reduced content density, and organized the home page by frequency of use, so the most popular links were at the top.   With the redesign in place, researchers implemented usability testing.  Testers were given 3 designs and asked to express their preferences.  Users were also timed with the different options such that the final design would maximize usability.

 

Susan summed up the presentation with some of the challenges both they and their students faced and possible areas for future improvement.  The problems faced by their developing world partners were low bandwith, few computers and low data storage capacity.  As content designers, some of the challenges the Tufts team faced were different mobile context, small screen size, a range of phone types, and few students with a data plan.