Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
each design phase are discussed in the remainder
of this section.
selection of learning objectives, (2) the selection
of learning material or subject matter, (3) the
use of instructional media, (4) the adoption of
didactical strategies, and (5) the way pupils are
being assessed.
To counter the criticism of hardly involv-
ing sick pupils themselves in data collection
processes (Balen, 2000; Lightfoot et al., 1999),
structured interviews were set up with children.
Each interview was conducted at the child's home
or at the hospital, took approximately one hour
and covered the following themes: maintaining
contacts with classmates and teachers; school-
related deprivations experienced during periods
of school absence, and perceptions of instruction
received during these periods. Table 1 shows
some important characteristics of the participat-
ing children. Pictures taken by the researchers
in regular classrooms and drawings made by
the participating children were used to make the
interview questions more concrete in line with
suggestions of Borgers et al. (2000). The seven
participating children complied with two criteria:
(i) they were at home or in the hospital due to ill-
ness or revalidation at the time of the study, and
(ii) they missed at least 21 continuous days of
school or they missed at least 50% of the regular
lesson time during the school year 2005-2006.
All interviews were transcribed and systemati-
cally analyzed by two independent coders using
the constant comparative method (Robson, 2002;
Strauss & Corbin, 1998).
DeSIgN PHASe I: NeeDS
AND TASk ANALYSIS
A participatory design model requires that chil-
dren's opinions are taken into account right from
the start of the design process.
Research Questions and methods
The research questions for the needs analysis were
formulated as follows:
•
How are the processes of instruction and
socialization currently filled in for elemen-
tary school children, which suffer from a
chronic or long-term illness?
•
What needs and shortcomings with regard
to both instructional and socialization pro-
cesses are experienced by the participating
children, their teachers, and parents?
To analyze the needs with regard to the
instructional process, a conceptual framework
describing the interrelations between key com-
ponents of learning and instructional settings
developed by Valcke (2005) is used. Within this
model, instructional activities are defined as the
interplay of five instructional components: (1) the
Table 1. Variety in participant characteristics
Child
♂♀
Age
Type of illness
Type of school absence
1
♂
12
Chronic metabolic disease
Frequent, short periods
2
♀
8
Chronic skin disease
Frequent, short periods
3
♀
11
Cancer
Continuous period
4
♀
9
Leukemia
Continuous period
5
♀
11
Cancer
Continuous period
6
♀
12
Cystic fibrosis
Frequent, short periods
7
♂
8
Brain tumor
Continuous period
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