Jari Varsaluoma; Heli Väätäjä; Tanja Walsh, Tampere University of Technology

1. Exploring Motivational Aspects and
User Experience of Mobile
Mathematics Learning Service in
South Africa
Jari Varsaluoma, Heli Väätäjä
Tampere University of Technology, Finland
Tanja Walsh
University of York, United Kindom
Contact: jari.varsaluoma@tut.fi
Academic Mindtrek
20th International
Academic Mindtrek
Conference
Oct 17th - 19th, 2016

2. Outline of the presentation
• Background
• Study design
• Main results
• Conclusions
*Jari Varsaluoma 2

3. Background
Motivation
• Developing world more mobile than
developed world (World Bank, 2012)
• Opportunities for new mobile learning
services.
• More research required in developing
countries regarding mobile learning
services:
• What motivates learners?
• How to provide positive user experiences?
*Jari Varsaluoma 3

4. Background
Research goals
To understand…
•what factors motivate learners in South
Africa to...
– study mathematics?
– use mobile mathematic learning
services?
•what is the relationship of motivational and
user experience factors in this context?
*Jari Varsaluoma 4

5. Study design
Microsoft Math Service
– https://math.microsoft.com/
*Jari Varsaluoma 5

6. Study design
Instruments & participants
• Mobile survey integrated into Microsoft Math
platform + log-data describing the actual usage.
• 53 responses (22 female, 42%) used in analysis
• Age 14-42 years (M = 18.3, SD = 3.87). Three
over 19 years old. 85% in primary school or
college.
• On a scale: “Very hard 1 – 5 Very easy”
• math in general: M = 3.74, SD = 1.02
• math questions in the service: M = 3.66,
SD = 0.85.
*Jari Varsaluoma 6

7. Study design
Survey topics and questions
*Jari Varsaluoma 7
User
experience
Q1. What is your overall evaluation of this mobile service?
(Emoticons: Sad 1–5 Happy)
Q2. This service is… (Difficult to use 1–5 Easy to use)
Q3. This service is… (Ugly 1–5 Beautiful)
Motivation
Q4. I am interested in studying mathematics in general.
(Strongly Disagree 1–5 Strongly Agree)
Q5. Why are you interested or not interested in studying mathematics in
general?
Q6. I like to use this mobile service in studying mathematics.
(Strongly Disagree 1–5 Strongly Agree)
Q7. Why do you like or dislike to use this service in studying
mathematics?
Q8. Abridged version of Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS)
(Guay et al., 2000)
L1. Number of completed separate quizzes.
Behavioral intentions (2 questions) | Context related (2 questions)
Background & Math skills

8. *Jari Varsaluoma 8
UX
Q1. What is your overall evaluation of this
mobile service?
(Emoticons: Sad 1–5 Happy)
M = 4.74, SD = 0.52
Q2. This service is…
(Difficult to use 1–5 Easy to use)
M = 4.74, SD = 0.71
Q3. This service is… (Ugly 1–5 Beautiful) M = 4.85, SD = 0.36
Motiva-
tion
Q4. I am interested in studying
mathematics in general. (Strongly Disagree
1–5 Strongly Agree):
M = 4.75, SD = 0.62
Q6. I like to use this mobile service in
studying mathematics.
(Strongly Disagree 1–5 Strongly Agree)
M = 4.74, SD = 0.63
Q8. Abridged SIMS
INT & IDE: M>4.42, SD<1.06
EXT: M = 3.03, SD = 1.35
Results
UX & motivation scales

9. *Jari Varsaluoma 9
Motivation Type Responses
1 For my future Identified regulation 25/53
2 I like to study mathematics Intrinsic motivation 19/53
3 Improve my math skills Identified regulation 14/53
4 For school External regulation 4/53
5 Math is easy Intrinsic motivation 2/53
6 Help fellow learners Identified regulation 1/53
7 It supports my hobby Identified regulation 1/53
Results
What motivates learners in
studying mathematics?

10. *Jari Varsaluoma 10
Motivation Responses
1 High-quality content supports informal learning 27/53
2 Improves my math skills 15/53
3 Accessibility 8/53
4 Fun way of learning mathematics 7/53
5 Supplements teaching at school 7/53
6 Competition 6/53
7 Ease of use 5/53
8 Makes me use more time on studying 4/53
9 Efficiency 3/53
10 Prizes 2/53
11 Inexpensive 2/53
12 Measure my progress 2/53
13 Novel learning experience 2/53
14 Unmotivating 4/53
Results
What motivates learners to use
Microsoft Math?

11. • 10/53 (19%) respondents had completed less than
10 separate quizzes
• 14/53 (32%) had completed more than one 100
quizzes
• 9/10 respondents who had completed less than 10
separate quizzes stated that they were very
interested (Q6) in using the service for studying
mathematics
*Jari Varsaluoma 11
Results
Motivation based on logged
usage data

12. • No strong correlations between UX &
motivational factors
• Statistically significant differences
• between “novice” and “expert users” in SIMS
external regulation (Q8, EXT: U = 175, p < .05)
• between “math-talented” and “non-talented”
groups in SIMS item INT1: “This activity is
interesting” (Q8, U = 275, p < .05)
*Jari Varsaluoma 12
Results
Correlations and comparisons
of subgroups

13. Conclusions
User Experience Goals
*Jari Varsaluoma 13
• Autonomy – to feel freedom by choosing
when and how to study using the mobile
learning service.
• Competence – to feel successful by
achieving new goals in the learning
process.
• Efficiency – to feel that no time is wasted
in the use of the mobile learning service.

14. Conclusions
Implications for conducting
remote mobile surveys
*Jari Varsaluoma 14
1. Open questions can work with mobile
surveys.
2. Longer questionnaires can be divided into
two parts to decrease respondent fatigue.
3. Logged (objective) usage data can
support subjective statements.
4. Free airtime coupons for mobile data as
rewards.

15. Thank you!
Exploring Motivational Aspects and
User Experience of Mobile Mathematics
Learning Service in South Africa
Jari Varsaluoma, Heli Väätäjä
Tampere University of Technology, Finland
Tanja Walsh
University of York, United Kindom
Contact: jari.varsaluoma@tut.fi
*Jari Varsaluoma 15

16. Background
Key terms 1/2
• Mobile learning (MoLeNET programme)
• The exploitation of ubiquitous handheld
technologies, together with wireless and
mobile phone networks, to facilitate, support,
enhance and extend the reach of teaching
and learning.
• Informal learning (Jones et al., 2006)
• Learning that is outside institutional contexts.
*Jari Varsaluoma 16

17. Background
Key terms 2/2
Motivation
•Intrinsic motivation
•Extrinsic motivation
• External regulation
• Identified regulation
•Amotivation
(Deci & Ryan, 1985)
User experience (UX)
•“a person’s perceptions and responses that result from the use or
anticipated use of a product, system or service” (ISO 9241-210, 2010)
•The components of UX include pragmatic / utilitarian and hedonic /
non-utilitarian aspects of product use.
(Hassenzahl, 2003; Mahlke & Thüring, 2007)
*Jari Varsaluoma 17

18. Conclusions
Topics for further research
*Jari Varsaluoma 18
• Studying motivational aspects with more in-
depth approach, e.g. interviews
• Including learners less skilled in
mathematics
• Studying views of other actors: teachers
and parents
• Longitudinal studies of motivational and UX
factors in mobile learning context