Poster #2 - Caring Comes First: Task Value, Emotions, and Empathy With a Mobile Queer History App

• In Event: 81.034 - MTCC Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: 81.034-1 - Social Factors and Contexts in the Use and Implementation of Educational Technology

Abstract

While the field of mobile apps is rapidly evolving, research examining emotions and empathy during interactions with this technology is limited. This paper contributes to addressing these gaps while teaching students about historical content often excluded in Canadian curriculums: queer history. This paper examined 57 undergraduate students’ ratings of task value (learning about queer history), self-reported topic (queer history) emotions, and empathy prior to and following an interaction with the Queer History (QH) app. Findings revealed that task value significantly predicted topic enjoyment and boredom. We also found that pre-mobile app interaction levels of empathy toward LGBTQ+ individuals and task value significantly predicted post-app interaction levels of empathy. Implications for the design and evaluation of mobile apps are discussed.

Authors

• Jason Matthew Harley, University of Alberta

• Yang Liu, University of Alberta

• Byunghoon Tony Ahn, McGill University

• Susanne P. Lajoie, McGill University

• Andre Grace

• Eric G. Poitras, University of Utah

• Chayse Haldane, University of Alberta

• Andrea Whittaker, University of Alberta

• Brea McLaughlin, University of Alberta

• Kayla Lucas, University of Alberta