arXiv subjects

Irene-Angelica Chounta

Publications and source records attributed to Irene-Angelica Chounta.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Haptics in Cognition: Disruptor or Enabler of Memory?

This exploratory pilot study investigates the impact of haptic perception --specifically tactile sensitivity (touch) and kinaesthetic intensity (movement)-- on learning, operationalized as information retention (immediate recall) through handwriting. Participants (N=20) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups in a 2x2 factorial design, manipulating touch (via glove use) and movement (via increased writing pressure). Information retention was measured using an immediate recall test, while mental effort (reaction time in a secondary task) and perceived workload (NASA-TLX) were examined as mediating variables. Bayesian binomial regression revealed moderate evidence that increased writing pressure negatively influenced recall (85-88% probability of negative effect), whereas glove use alone demonstrated no clear effect. Bayesian mediation analysis found no strong evidence that mental effort or perceived workload mediated these effects, as all 95% credible intervals included zero, indicating substantial uncertainty. These findings suggest that increased Kinaesthetic demands may slightly impair immediate recall, independent of perceived workload or mental effort. Importantly, the manipulation of touch alone does not appear to influence information retention. The study contributes to understanding the nuanced relationship between embodied interactions and cognitive outcomes, with implications for designing sensor-based multimodal learning environments.

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arXiv2025

Eliciting User Requirements for AI-Enhanced Learning Environments using a Participatory Approach

This paper explores the needs and expectations of educational stakeholders for AI (Artificial Intelligence)-enhanced learning environments. Data was collected following two-phased participatory workshops. The first workshop outlined stakeholders' profiles in terms of technical and pedagogical characteristics. The qualitative data collected was analysed using deductive thematic analysis with Activity Theory, explicating the user needs. The second workshop articulated expectations related to the integration of AI in education. Inductive thematic analysis of the second workshop led to the elicitation of users' expectations. We cross-examined the needs and expectations, identifying contradictions, to generate user requirements for emerging technologies. The paper provides suggestions for future design initiatives that incorporate AI in learning environments.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

A Pandemic for the Good of Digital Literacy? An Empirical Investigation of Newly Improved Digital Skills during COVID-19 Lockdowns

This research explores whether the rapid digital transformation due to COVID-19 managed to close or exacerbate the digital divide concerning users' digital skills. We conducted a pre-registered survey with N = 1143 German Internet users. Our findings suggest the latter: younger, male, and higher educated users were more likely to improve their digital skills than older, female, and less educated ones. According to their accounts, the pandemic helped Internet users improve their skills in communicating with others by using video conference software and reflecting critically upon information they found online. These improved digital skills exacerbated not only positive (e.g., feeling informed and safe) but also negative (e.g., feeling lonely) effects of digital media use during the pandemic. We discuss this research's theoretical and practical implications regarding the impact of challenges, such as technological disruption and health crises, on humans' digital skills, capabilities, and future potential, focusing on the second-level digital divide.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2022

The CAT Effect: Exploring the Impact of Casual Affective Triggers on Online Surveys' Response Rates

We explore the impact of Casual Affective Triggers (CAT) on response rates of online surveys. As CAT, we refer to objects that can be included in survey participation invitations and trigger participants' affect. The hypothesis is that participants who receive CAT-enriched invitations are more likely to respond to a survey. We conducted a study where the control condition received invitations without affective triggers, and the experimental condition received CAT-enriched invitations. We differentiated the triggers within the experimental condition: one-third of the population received a personalized invitation, one-third received a picture of the surveyor's cat, and one-third received both. We followed up with a survey to validate our findings. Our results suggest that CATs have a positive impact on response rates. We did not find CATs to induce response bias.

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arXiv2019

Using learning analytics to provide personalized recommendations for finding peers

This work aims to propose a method to support students in finding appropriate peers in collaborative and blended learning settings. The main goal of this research is to bridge the gap between pedagogical theory and data driven practice to provide personalized and adaptive guidance to students who engage in computer supported learning activities. The research hypothesis is that we can use Learning Analytics to model students' cognitive state and to assess whether the student is in the Zone of Proximal Development. Based on this assessment, we can plan how to provide scaffolding based on the principles of Contingent Tutoring and how to form study groups based on the principles of the Zone of Proximal Development.

cs.HC↗