Creativity as a process: a participatory design approach to gather mobile language learning user requirements

This paper describes Participatory Design (PD) activities for the development of a mobile language learning environment. Several User-Centred Design (UCD) techniques were successively linked together into one combined method. This method was specifically designed to be accordant with the mental process model of creativity, and should be applicable in creative processes in other areas of research and expertise, as well. In addition to researchers and pedagogical experts, both language learners and teachers were involved in the PD activities. The objective of the study was to elicit general user requirements as well as to co-design paper prototypes of mobile language learning applications. Besides the handson design ideas from the prototypes, the study unveiled perceptions of learners and teachers on motivation, evaluation, course content and collaboration for mobile language learning. © 2011 IADIS.status: publishe