Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy in Emerging Economies

274 Pages·2008·4.23 MB·English

MILLEE: Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy
in Emerging Economies
Matthew Boon Tian Kam
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
University of California at Berkeley
Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2008-155
http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2008/EECS-2008-155.html
December 13, 2008
Copyright 2008, by the author(s).
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Acknowledgement

(See actual dissertation.)
MILLEE: Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy in Emerging Economies

by

Matthew Boon Tian Kam

B.A. (University of California, Berkeley) 2001
B.S. (University of California, Berkeley) 2001

A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the

requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

in

Computer Science

in the

Graduate Division

of the

University of California, Berkeley

Committee in charge:
Professor John Canny, Chair
Professor Eric Brewer
Professor Glynda Hull

Fall 2008
The dissertation of Matthew Boon Tian Kam is approved:

__________________________________________________________
Chair Date

__________________________________________________________
Date

__________________________________________________________
Date

University of California, Berkeley
Fall 2008
MILLEE: Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy in Emerging Economies

Copyright © 2008

by

Matthew Boon Tian Kam
Abstract
MILLEE: Mobile and Immersive Learning for Literacy in Emerging Economies
by
Matthew Boon Tian Kam
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science
University of California, Berkeley
Professor John Canny, Chair

Literacy levels in most developing countries remain shockingly low and formal
education is making little progress. MILLEE improves literacy through language learning
games on cellphones – the “Personal Computers of the developing world” – which are a
perfect vehicle for new kinds of out-of-school language learning. Games bring children
into rich, immersive environments where they can acquire and use language naturally,
while encouraging them to transfer their language skills outside the game.
The MILLEE research project focuses on developing scalable, localizable design
principles and tools for language learning. The challenges are (i) to integrate sound
learning principles, (ii) to provide concrete design patterns that integrate entertainment
and learning, and (iii) to account for cultural and learning differences in children in
developing regions. In this thesis, we will describe a framework called PACE that
addresses these challenges and eight rounds of fieldwork that had contributed to its
development. We will also describe a tool to expedite audio-only learning (Pimsleur
Generator), a very important niche for developing regions. We discuss our most recent
work which patterns learning games after local children’s traditional village games and
the benefits this approach offers. Finally, we describe the complex adoption ecology in

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developing regions, and how MILLEE preserves learning principles while supporting
rich localization and customization at multiple stages in the adoption hierarchy.

____________________________________
Professor John Canny
Dissertation Committee Chair

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“My son will read and open the books, and my son will write and know writing. And my
son will make numbers, and these things will make us free because he will know – he
will know and through him we will know.” – the non-literate Kino, in John Steinbeck’s
The Pearl

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 1
2. Needs Assessment ……………………………………………………………... 14
3. Exploratory Studies ……………………………………………………………. 41
4. Pedagogical Framework ……………………………………………………….. 53
5. Pedagogical Design Patterns …………………………………………………... 64
6. PACE Framework ……………………………………………………………... 82
7. Game Design Patterns …………………………………………………………. 94
8. Design Iterations ………………………………………………………………. 112
9. Traditional Village Games …………………………………………………….. 146
10. After-School Program …………………………………………………………. 181
11. Pimsleur Generator ……………………………………………………………. 208
12. Related Work ………………………………………………………………….. 233
13. Conclusion and Future Work ………………………………………………….. 240
14. References ……………………………………………………………………... 251
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Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I wish to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to my grandparents
and parents. During the summer after I had completed my basic degrees at the University
of California, Berkeley, I was working in a challenging position in my home country that
drew my attention to the inadequacies of my formal training. I understood that one way to
realize my full potential is to complete my schooling via a PhD degree, so that I would be
better equipped to succeed in future and more demanding responsibilities. My parents did
not have the opportunity to attend college – much less understand what a PhD program is
about. But they nevertheless pledged their utmost support when I indicated my interest in
pursuing a PhD. My father recalled that two of his classmates who finished their PhDs
had gone on to become “movers and shakers” in my country, and perhaps have similar
hopes for me. But my country’s government opposed my intentions to enroll for a PhD
and wanted me to return permanently as soon as possible. My appeals to the highest level
of government were not successful. That experience provided me with invaluable insights
into the workings of bureaucrats and politicians. It was also a most stressful ordeal, and I
am grateful to my parents and grandparents for standing by me throughout this period.
I would like to thank my thesis committee in Computer Science (Eric Brewer and
John Canny) and Education (Glynda Hull) for a supportive environment that enabled me
to pursue doctoral research across traditional disciplinary boundaries. As a driving force
behind the “Technology and Infrastructure for Emerging Regions” research group, Eric
evangelized our mission – among the many other things that he did – and helped us gain
greater acceptance in mainstream CS. Eric truly provided us with the “air cover” that we
doctoral students needed while we were conducting our research on the ground. Growing
up as a teenager, I was inspired by the economists who contributed to my country’s
economic miracle and dreamt of becoming an outstanding development economist after
their footsteps. My encounter with John changed my life’s direction. It was John who
introduced me to “human-centered computing” and showed how CS can integrate the
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