cosmo - discover the colours of language
application design for students to
learn languages in a motivating way.
time frame
oct - feb 2023/24
team
sabrina kuom, sarah franke
tools
figma, unity, after effects, premiere pro
my role
project management & coordination ...
user & content research, ideation, conception & development, prototyping, user testing, ui design, animation
"It would be cool if there were things that motivate me, but there is actually almost nothing that motivates me to learn."
insights
the school problem
according to the german school barometer 2023, 87% of teachers noted motivation problems among their students.
importance of the language lense
learning languages promotes personal development by enabling communication and the exchange of thoughts, ideas and emotions in social and professional contexts. it also opens up new perspectives on the world and influences our thinking, similar to a lens through which we experience different ways of expression.
nevertheless language learning at school is often associated with frustration and declining motivation throughout the process, but that's not how it has to be.
intrinsic motivation is key
the key to solve this problem is intrinsic motivation.
it is motivation that we generate from within ourselves and not through the influence of external incentives. It makes us enjoying sth. and sticking with it in the long term.
according to the self determination theory, intrinsic motivation is dependent on three needs: mastery, autonomy and relatedness. the fulfilment of these three needs encourages intrinsic motivation.
meaningful gamification
to implement this knowledge we use meaningful gamification, which favours a focus on a motivating look into the future instead of a judgemental look into the past through statistics and comparisons.
process
"cosmo" is a tablet application in which 9th grade students discover the english language in a playful, indirect and context-based way.
usecase
the main use of the application takes place in free time of the students and is independent of school due to its strongly extrinsic mechanisms.
however, the application is introduced by the teachers and, in the best case, the motivated approach to language learning should be transferred to the classroom.
part of the application is also a journal that allows students to deepen their analogue writing skills.
indirect & context based
in our application, language is used as a tool to achieve other goals.
the content of the application is based on the real life circumstances of the students and they discover their interests through problem-based missions.
personal
the application adapts to the individual student.
there is no comparison with others: development is based on personal requirements and skills. students can learn in their own way and at their own pace.
independent
students can act independently and autonomously.
they have the opportunity to customise the application themselves and can move freely within the application.
main features
