Abstract
The Seamus company is seeking a vendor on a hire basis to develop a technology-enhanced interactive learning solution to improve one of the processes. This paper will focus on process enhancements and learning modules. The proposed solution is a comprehensive mobile application that combines grammar exercises for curriculum reinforcement, gamification using the company IP and video content, both of which will also include relevant knowledge and curriculum elements. This solution greatly enhances and digitizes various elements of the SC learning products while offering a supplemental tool for instructors and students to use outside traditional education. The objectives of the project are to develop a stable mobile application on major platforms, transfer and create new engaging content, and integrate the app into the core material offered by SC so that it can be licensed for financial gain. Initial funding requirements for the project will range at $300,000 to $400,000. The expertise in mobile technology and app development is relevant in this project as it requires an understanding of the challenging process of not simply creating an application but the business and content side of it that often remain misunderstood.
Proposal
The Seamus company is a successful enterprise in the education sector providing material for grammar learning to students in the middle and high school demographic. It remains a challenging field, particularly to acquire the interest and popularity among students in order to remain relevant among educational institutions. SC is seeking to expand its product offerings, expand profitability, and improve efficiency of the educational process through its materials. All these elements can be addressed through the development of a mobile application based on existing intellectual property owned by Seamus.
Solution
The proposed solution encompasses the development of a comprehensive mobile application based on Seamus company existing IP surrounding its successful series of grammar learning books and video game, with the potential of expanding said IP to fit programming, commercial, or educational needs. Mobile device penetration is extremely high, with 53% of kids owning a smartphone by the age of 11 and reaching 84% by high school (Kamenetz, 2019). Teens spend increasingly more time on smartphones ranging from 5 to 7 hours per day. Meanwhile, there has been an increasingly positive conversation regarding the use of smartphones in the classroom and for mobile learning to supplement primary curriculum, particularly in the context of expansion of online learning after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
The mobile application would have three primary functions – exercises to review grammar topics, mini games with learning elements utilizing the existing video game IP, and a section with videos or cartoons to build upon the IP and subtly integrate grammar lessons. It is possible to integrate various social media elements into the application so that classmates can communicate with each other and the instructor and share their achievements. The mobile application will be marketed as a vital media supplementation tool that teachers can utilize for classroom activity and homework, with an emphasis on extracurricular use by students. The best business approach to this application would be to license it alongside material or for additional fees to school districts. While the application itself will be free to download, it will require registration using school-provided (or independently purchased) codes to utilize fully.
Literature Review
There is significant research which supports the benefits and feasibility of mobile applications for learning purposes. Mobile learning allows to take education out of the classroom boundaries by providing access to students to a broad range of content. The technological capabilities are shifting the concept of pedagogy and traditional school system education while also creating increased demand for mobile applications within education for both formal and informal purposes by teachers, parents, and students. Mobile applications provide differentiated instructions that contribute to the three major curriculum elements of content-input, process, and product-output. It is also an effective education tool which helps students navigate in the modern digitized world and focus on real world requirements (Drigas & Angelidakis, 2017).
A survey by Nami (2020) highlights the usefulness of smartphone applications in language learning. While vocabulary and lexical skills apps are the most popular, the type of education app can strongly shape student attitudes towards digital language learning. It is recommended that teacher training highlights the inclusion of language learning apps due to their educational value and design that improves knowledge of various language skills. Design requirements play a crucial role in mobile applications for language learning. Design must consider that students utilize mobile devices frequently when conducting self-initiated learning tasks, practical elements for student use are important and design material should meet specifications, and that students often prefer to work independently with their limited time. Therefore, solutions in design must be integrated into the software tools in a practical manner that support individual learning (Viberg & Grönlundb, 2015).
Objectives
The primary goal of the project is to develop a mobile application for Android and Apple smartphone devices. This will be accomplished by the vendor by utilizing the in-house team of software developers and hiring additional talent necessary. Compatibility and ease-of-use must be ensured, the application should be designed with the consideration that it will continuously receive updates. The biggest supplemental goal is to design relevant content for the application. Educational experts from SC or the outside may be used to develop helpful grammar exercises which are able to cover a variety of topics in the SC books and appeal to different levels of students by difficulty. Game designers will work closely with the software developers on integrating the games seamlessly into the application. Content creators and visual artists from within SC collaborating with outside professionals will develop video content for the app. Provided that SC has already existing IP, designers will be hired to transfer the existing characters and artifacts from current video games and cartoons into the application. After the initial completion of the application, a team will be formed from those who worked on the project to provide continuous updates and new content.
Timeline
- Within 30 days – develop a design for the app and present to SC board for approval. Hire additional staff if necessary. Begin working on basic coding. Review all materials and IP provided by SC.
- 2 months – finalize all plans for initial content, form design and creation teams, establish channels of information for IP sharing with SC.
- 3 months – present a beta version of the app, begin preliminary testing, submit app for certification.
- 4 months – begin putting together the final product. Devise an implementation and marketing strategy for the app.
- 5 months – develop marketing presentations and workable tests for potential clients. Continue working on testing the app and uploading new content. Finalize agreements on server hosting of the app, update channels.
- 6 months – release application to market if ready. Begin licensing deals with education providers. Monitor release and mass use for quality issues.
Resources and Costs
- Content costs – using SC IP and transferring it into the app and developing additional content. Salaries for designers, instructors, and visual artists. Expenses can range from $50,000 to $100,000.
- Developing and programming costs – consists mostly of salaries to software developers and engineers of the vendor. The majority of necessary equipment already present. $150,000 over the course of 6 months.
- Technical costs – server storage, databases, testing, and others – $10,000
- Licensing and content protection – legal fees – $5,000
- Marketing costs – development of promotional material, internet advertisements, bids to educational institutions – $3,000
Evaluation Framework
Developing and implementing a mobile application is a complex process when done competently. After initial completion, the software will have to undergo testing phases, done first by developers themselves and potentially a small market group of adolescent users. The application must also undergo certification in the application stores on both platforms ensuring its compatibility and safety. The developer of the application which is the vendor submitting the current proposal must meet specific criteria for the mobile application:
- Documentation and support
- Long-term feasibility
- Maintainability
- Extensibility
- User interface elements and native feel
- Load times
- Runtime performance (Heitkotter et al., 2013)/
Post development, the vendor alongside SC will evaluate the application on a variety of elements. This includes compatabiity and performance once in the open market. Licensing and sale numbers after marketing will be considered. Finally, subjective evaluations such as user and instructor experiences and learner success should be considered to evaluate the feasibility of the product in the long-term.
Needs of Seamus Company
Developing the mobile application meets several business needs of the company simultaneously. SC sees profits and greater sales of its materials due to the success of its IP. The application expands it and translates it to a widely available platform, which will likely increase sales. Furthermore, a mobile application is new type of medium, one which is interactive and can enhance learning on the go. Through the medium, the company will increase its exposure and outreach, and become more relevant in the digital age when traditional learning and entertainment products are struggling. The licensing or subscription-based business model for this solution will ensure a continuous revenue stream for the company that will cover initial development costs and fund additional expansions of the IP in the materials and application.
References
Drigas, A., & Angelidakis, P. (2017). Mobile applications within education: An overview of application paradigms in specific categories. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 11(4), 17.
Heitkotter, H., Majchrzak, T. A., Ruland, B., & Weber, T. (2013). Evaluating frameworks for creating mobile web apps. 9th International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies.
Kamenetz, A. (2019). It’s a smartphone life: More than half of U.S. children now have one. NPR.
Nami, F. (2019). Educational smartphone apps for language learning in higher education: Students’ choices and perceptions. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 82-95. Web.
Viberg, O., & Grönlund, Å. (2015). Understanding students’ learning practices: Challenges for design and integration of mobile technology into distance education. Learning, Media and Technology, 42(3), 357-377.