ECER 2017 Grell & Schaper TRY Self-Tracking Experiences Academics

25. Aug. 2017 | ECER 2017 Copenhagen | Network 06. Open Learning: Media, Environments and Cultures | Petra Grell & Sophie Schaper | 1
ECER 2017, Copenhagen
Prof. Dr. Petra Grell & Sophie Schaper M.A.
How Self-Tracking Experiences Affect
the Perception of Work-Life-Balance
of Academics
CC BY-Daniel Bichler2.0) https://flic.kr/p/Dc2VLf
CC BY-home thods 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/RyVjuq

Introduction
Self-Tracking is easy and popular
Our Question: Does it have an influence on
people’s life, habits, attitudes?
Self-Experiment:
We are academics. A healthy lifestyle (work-life-balance,
physical activity, sports) is challenging
à How can the usage of an activity tracker device transform
the perception of oneself and one’s work-life-balance?
CC BY-home thods 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/RyVjuq

1
2
3
The Device & Brief Literature Review
Research Design
Findings & Discussion

The Device
Bracelet with
Touch Screen
App on
Smartphone
Website
Daily Steps
Heart Rate
Indicator for
Inactivity
Calories
GPS tracking
Bracelet: CC BY-Daniel Bichler2.0) https://flic.kr/p/Dc2VLf
Other fotos &screenshots bx research team
Prompt Self-Monitoring
Feedback on Performance
Specific Goal-Setting
Social Comparison
Rewards, Badges
...

Literature Review
(start of the project)
Very few articles
Rapp, A., & Cena, F. (2016) – Engaging in personal data
à  Participants considered the act of collecting personal
information burdensome and with no beneficial reward
Connolly, S., Fuchs, S., & Vinkenburg, C. (2011) - Gender-Specifics
à Differences between the work-life balances of men and women
working in academia
Rapp, A., & Cena, F. (2016). Personal informatics for everyday life: How users without prior self-tracking
experience engage with personal data. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 94, 1–17.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.05.006
Connolly, S., Fuchs, S., & Vinkenburg, C. (2011). Work-life balance in academia. Evidence from two
technical universities. In C. Leicht-Scholten, E. Breuer, N. Tulodetzki, & A. Wolffram (Eds.), Going diverse.
Innovative answers to future challenges. Gender and diversity perspectives in science, technology and
business (pp. 175–193). Opladen: Budrich UniPress.

Literature Review (recent study)
Study on motivational impact of wearable device by Kerner & Goodyear,
published July 2017
„Data from this study demonstrated that though
clear potential exists, healthy lifestyle technologies
negatively impact young people’s motivation
for physical activity. Competition, peer comparison
and social comparison to normative predetermined
targets result in only short-term motivational
effects“ (Kerner & Goodyear 2017, p. 295.)
Charlotte Kerner & Victoria A. Goodyear (2017) The Motivational Impact of Wearable Healthy Lifestyle
Technologies: A Self-determination Perspective on Fitbits With Adolescents, American Journal of Health
Education, 48:5, 287-297, DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2017.1343161

Research Design
Research Questions
(1)  How do academics perceive and cope with
continuous data feedback on their own behaviour?
(2)  How does the data feedback influence the
perception of oneself and one‘s work-life-balance?
(3)  In which way are actions initiated or deflated
through data feedback and interactions?
2

Experiment
•  Explorative self-experiment (research team takes part
in experiment wearing the activity tracker)
•  7 participants: 1 senior researcher, 5 emerging
researchers, 1 member of the administration, four
researcher are part of the project team (authors of this
paper)
•  Tracking experience: 3 months (2 + 2 participants) or
12 months (3 participants) à focus on commencement
of experience
•  3 student researchers were involved into data analysis
* Group discussion
*
*
*

Methods
Collection of data
•  Three Group discussions (3 persons, 2 persons, 3
persons) after the first 3 months
•  Each participant was asked to log own
experiences in an online document, at least once
a week during the first months
Analysis of data
•  Qualitative content analysis (Mayring 1990)
•  Conducted by three student researchers,
supervised by research team
* Group discussion
*
*
*

Findings & Discussion
Q1: Perceiving and coping with continuous data feedback
K1: Motives to obtain data feedback
K2: Motives to obtain no/limited data feedback
K3: Adjusting the software
K4: Evaluating data feedback
K5: Impulses given by data feedback
K6: Dealing with data security
K7: Dealing with data privacy
3

Examples K1/K2:
Data Feedback: Obtaining vs. Not Obtaining
K1-c Enjoyment of Comparison
„I think to compare, generally speaking, that‘s a nice thing. (...) So, you see,
okay. I walked that many steps, how many did you walk? That‘s something that
motivates or encourages me, right?“
"Also sich vergleichen, generell, das finde ich eine schöne Sache (...) So, du siehst, okay. Ich
bin so und so viele Schritte gelaufen, wie viele seid ihr gelaufen? Das ist dann irgendwas,
das motiviert oder das spornt an auch, nicht?" (Interview 3, Zeile 1324-1332)
K2-d No Interest in Comparison
„I really don‘t care who has walked how many steps or does whatever, that
doesn‘t interest me at all.“
„Es ist mir scheiß egal wer wie viele Schritte geht oder sonst was macht, das interessiert mich
einfach überhaupt nicht." (Interview 2, Zeile 100-106)

Examples K4:
Data is Perceived as: Consistent vs. Non-
consistent
K4-c Data is perceived as non-consistent
„I was struggling with the data and myself at the very beginning, when my heart
frequency was measured and it told me, that my heart rate was 130 bpm when
I simply walk through the office [...] but that can‘t be true.“
“wo ich sozusagen nur mit den Daten und mit mir gerungen habe war ganz am Anfang, als
ich ... diesen Herzfrequenzmesser hatte und der mir gesagt habe, dass ich einen 130er Puls
habe, wenn ich einmal durch das Büro gehe [...] aber das kann doch nicht sein." (Interview
1, Zeile 470-477)
K4-d Data is perceived as consistent
„So when it showed me something, I just assumed, that it was right“
„Also wenn es mir etwas gezeigt hat, dann bin ich einfach davon ausgegangen, dass das
stimmt“ (Interview 3, Zeile 899-902)

Examples K5:
Data Feedback: Leads to Actions vs. Has No
Effects
K5b – Data feedback leads to actions
„Because of the inactivity indicator and the missing steps [...] I changed my
evening routine. Because I realised how much I laze around in the evening.“
"Aufgrund des Inaktivitätsbalkens und der fehlenden Schritte. [...] Ich habe meine
Abendroutine geändert. Weil mir ist klar geworden wie viel ich einfach rumsitze abends.
(Interview 1, Zeile 889-893)
K5c – Data has no effects
„So with me, it has no effect at all. So when I see it and it tells me ‘Go!’ I just
think: [...] ‘Go yourself’ or something. (Laughter).”
"Also bei mir hat der überhaupt keinen Effekt. Also wenn ich die sehe und dann steht da: Los!
Und dann denke ich mir: [...] Los dich selber oder so. (Lachen).“ (Interview 1, Zeile
931-937)

Results
Q2: Data feedback influences perception of self/work-life balance
K8: Personal data as an impulse for self-reflection
K9: Comparison of data as an impulse for self-reflection
K10: Work-life balance is visualized
K11: Limitations of visualizing the work-life balance

Examples K8:
Validation vs. Revision of Self-Image
K8-a Validation of self-image through data feedback
“I always knew that … but I think it’s cool to get the hard facts, to be confronted
with it in that way.”
"Also mir war immer klar, dass ..., aber da finde ich es dann noch einmal ganz cool so die
harten Fakten zu bekommen und das noch einmal so vor Augen geführt zu
bekommen." (Interview 2, Zeile 37-39)
K8-b Revision of self-image through data feedback
“[...] I was totally exhausted after training and thought: I’m so looking forward
to see my statistics tonight! But then it was 5000 steps less than I would have
expected. In either way, very frustrating.”
"[...] und ich war völlig ausgepumpt danach [Training] und dachte mir: Ich freue mich schon
heute Abend auf die Auswertung. Ja, also tatsächlich es war irgendwie 5000 Schritte
weniger als ich vermutet hätte. Auf jeden Fall sehr frustrierend." (Interview 1 Zeile
205-219)

Results
Q3: Actions / Interactions initiated or deflated
K12: Challenges as initiator
K13: Individual data feedback as initiator for activities
and routines
K14: Transparency offers new options
K15: Tracker as a topic to interact with Non-Participants

Examples K15:
New Dimension – Interaction and
Conflicts with Non-Participants
K15-c Potential for conflicts
“My partner was rather annoyed with the device”
"Mein Partner war nämlich auch ziemlich genervt von diesem
Gerät" (Interview 3, Zeile 1789 f.)
„I have been asked about it and that‘s the thing (...) Each time I
was asked about it, I was looking forward to getting rid of it.“
„Also ich wurde auch schon häufig darauf angesprochen und das ist wirklich
auch so eine Sache. (...) Und auch immer wenn ich darauf angesprochen
wurde, dann freue ich mich auch wieder das wieder los zu
sein." (Interview 2, 725-729)

Conclusion
•  The on-going monitoring and data feedback triggers a
range of divergent impulses and emotions in
individuals: happiness, motivation, annoyance,
frustration, refusal
•  The visibility gives rise to reflect about oneself and
one’s behaviour, also about the technology framing
•  Different coping strategies to deal with social
comparison and (other-directed) goal setting
•  Realising the possibilities of tracking and data analysis
raises awareness for data mining, security, privacy

Challenges for a Research Framework
Not only an object: Wearable, Smartphone App, further
possibilities of data-mining (and surveillance)
Not only an instrument for individual (and autonomous)
monitoring and data feedback, but a catalyst for social
comparison on different levels (friends, acquaintances,
user collective)
Main Challenge: The technology frames experiences. The
specific (other-directed) framework and goals offer only
limited customization and controllability.

References (talk & slides)
Appelboom, G.; Yang, A: Christophe, B.A.; Bruce, E.M.; Slomian, J.; Bruyère, O.; Bruce, S.S.; Zacharia, B.E.; Reginster, J-Y.; Connoll, E.S.
(2014) ‘The Promise of Wearable Activity Sensors to Define Patient Recovery’. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 21, no. 7 (July 2014): 1089–93.
doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2013.12.003.
Buchmayr, M. & Neissl, J. (eds.) Work-Life-Balance & Wissenschaft - Ein Widerspruch? Gender-Diskussion. 5. Wien: Lit Verl., 2006.
Blumer. H. (1976): Methodologische Prinzipien empirischer Wissenschaft. In: Gerdes, K. (Ed.) Explorative Sozialforschung. Stuttgart. p. 41-62
Connolly, S.; Fuchs, S. &je Vinkenburg. (2011) ‘Work-Life Balance in Academia. Evidence from Two Technical Universities.’ In Going Diverse.
Innovative Answers to Future Challenges. Gender and Diversity Perspectives in Science, Technology and Business, edited by Carmen Leicht-
Scholten, Elke Breuer, Nathalie Tulodetzki, and Andrea Wolffram, 175–93. Opladen: Budrich UniPress, 2011.
Dute, D.J., Bemelmans, W.J.E., Breda, J. (2016): Using Mobile Apps to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle Among Adolescents and Students: A Review of
the Theoretical Basis and Lessons Learned. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2016;4(2):e39, DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.3559
Ellis, C.; Adams, T. E. & Bochner, A.P. (2010). Autoethnography: An Overview. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social
Research, 12(1), Art. 10.
Glaser, B. G.; Strauss, A.L. (1967): The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Strategies for Qualitative Research. Aldine, Chicago IL
Kleinschmidt, C. (2009). ‘Die Gesunde Hochschule.’ DUZ : Unabhängige Deutsche Universitätszeitung. Magazin 65, no. 10 (2009): 9–11.
Kerner, C. & Goodyear, V. A. (2017) The Motivational Impact of Wearable Healthy Lifestyle Technologies: A Self-determination Perspective on
Fitbits With Adolescents, American Journal of Health Education, 48:5, 287-297, DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2017.1343161
Loos, P.; Schäfer, B. (2001): Das Gruppendiskussionsverfahren. Opladen.
Mayring, P. (2000). Qualitative Content Analysis. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 1(2). Retrieved from
http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1089
Müller, K.; Krieger, C.; Suchert, V.; Johannsen, M.; Sauer, I.; Hanewinkel, R.; Isensee, B. (2015). ‘Mit Schrittzählern Und Parally Zu Mehr
Bewegung. Das Eigene Bewegungsverhalten Bewusst Machen Und Die Alltagsaktivität Steigern.’ Sportpädagogik 39, no. 1 (2015): 10–13.
Rapp, A., & Cena, F. (2016). Personal informatics for everyday life: How users without prior self-tracking experience engage with personal data.
International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 94, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.05.006

Thank you!
Petra Grell
@PGrell (Twitter)
http://de.slideshare.net/Pgrell
p.grell@apaed.tu-darmstadt.de
Sophie Schaper
@Tarzanlieberin (Twitter)
s.schaper@apaed.tu-darmstadt.de

Annex

Results: RQ #1
(1) How do academics perceive and cope with continuous data feedback on their own behaviour?
K1: Motives to obtain data feedback a) Undirected curiosity, b) Reconstruction of own sport
activities c) Enjoyment of comparison
K2: Motives to obtain no/limited data
feedback
a) No interest in functions, b) Functions are annoying, c) Too
much expense, d) No interest in comparison, e) data security
& data privacy
K3: Adjusting the software a) Adjusting the software, b) Not adjusting the software
K4: Evaluating data feedback a) Data feedback doesn‘t match self-image, b) Data feedback
doesn‘t match body image, c) Data is perceived as
inconsistent, d) Data is perceived as consistent, e) Data is
perceived as non-evaluable
K5: Impulses given by data feedback a) Self-reflection, b) Actions, c) Data has no effect, d)
emotional experiences
K6: Dealing with data security a) Secret tracking, b) Fear of being hacked, c) Fear of being
transparent/crystalline, d) No worries or fears, e) Searching for
alternatives
K7: Dealing with data privacy a) Concern about external perception, b) Interpretation of data,
c) No concern about external perception, d) Data of others are
non-relevant, e) Using data to distinguish oneself

Results: RQ #2
(2) How does the data feedback influence the perception of oneself and
one‘s work-life-balance?
K8: Personal data as an impulse
for self-reflection
a) Validation of self-image through data
feedback,
b) Revision of self-image through data
feedback,
c) no impulse for reflection
K9: Comparison of data as an
impulse for self-reflection
a) Comparison leads to reflection,
b) No interest
K10: Work-life balance is
visualized
a) Sport routines and activities,
b) Time exposure of work-related activities
K11: Limitations of visualizing the
work-life balance
a) Inaccurate tracking,
b) Missing tracking options,
c) Adjustment of software

Results: RQ #3
(3) In which way are actions initiated or deflated through data feedback and
interactions?
K12: Challenges as initiator a) Sport activities,
b) Team building processes,
c) Strategic behaviour
K13: Individual data feedback as
initiator for activities and routines
a) Winning streak,
b) Inactivity bar,
c) Achievements
K14: Transparency offers new options a) Communicating with others,
b) Observing others
K15: Tracker as a topic to interact with
outsiders
a) Discussions about the device,
b) Sport activities,
c) Potential for conflicts

ECER 2017 Grell & Schaper TRY Self-Tracking Experiences Academics

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