ZOOM KIDS
Learning together, even when apart.
ABOUT ZOOM KIDS
In response to the rise in remote learning driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, Zoom emerged as a versatile platform for online meetings and classes. While it proved effective in certain areas, such as remote work, other aspects, like the educational experience in elementary schools, remained largely unregarded.
Therefore, I launched a project to investigate how Zoom could better address the needs of little kids that have to start their student life, from home.
MISSION
Zoom Kids aims to develop a new "student-experience" that emphasizes safety, happiness and the sense of self-importance for children. Its goal is to redesign the overall studying atmosphere for children that have to experience school from home.
PROBLEM
In elementary schools, children learning from home through Zoom often encounter several challenges, including difficulty focusing on the teacher, a sense of diminished self-importance, and an overwhelmed feeling from the numerous settings, menus and sub-menus presented by Zoom's UX.
PROBLEM DEEP DIVE
No Hierarchy at the Meeting Screen
The teacher is represented as just another squared video in the call. Lacking teacher's proper dominance, it makes it hard for the students to follow her.
Like the teacher, the student that watching the class sees himself represented as just another squared video without any special emphasis, what may affect the child's sense of self-importance.
Overall Complexity
There are too many options even though the new learners just need a few of them. When trying to use the action bar features, it pops up a new distracting modal for every feature, including a lot of unneeded options, leading to an overwhelming feeling. For example, for just writing a note, the note modal will pop up including 5 different tabs.
End of Meeting Shock
At school, the bell ringing is a happy moment for the students telling them the lesson is over. However, in the virtual realm of Zoom, this moment is fragmented by a modal declaring "This meeting has been ended by host.", which can be a panic moment for little children, instead of a happy one.
THINKING PROCESS
SELECTED SCREENS
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Students can view today’s class schedule and join their next lesson with just one click.
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Here is the classroom space, where you can see the entire class on one screen.
The left sidebar lets students manage their virtual classes as easily as in real life.
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When the camera is turned off, only the student’s name will be shown.
Students can see their current class, what’s coming next, and how much time is left in the lesson.
Students can take notes for themselves. like writing down there homework.
Stickers provide an alternative way for students to express themselves without using the microphone.
There’s a class chat where students can write anything related to the lesson.
