They played for 45 minutes!? : Evaluating Jo! a TUI Tailored for Real-World Classroom Setting

The use of technology in education has seen substantial growth. One promising aspect is the adoption of Tangible User Interfaces (TUI), which offer particular advantages for children's learning by facilitating hands-on experiences with objects, a teaching strategy commonly employed in the classroom. Despite growing research and commercial development, TUIs remain poorly integrated in classrooms. To address this, we developed JO! a TUI for learning language by engaging in a participatory process with teachers and children. In this WiP, we report the results of the first pilot evaluation of JO! in a session designed and led by two teachers in their classrooms, involving 22 students. We found that JO! aligns with teaching strategies, adapts to class dynamics, supports children's collaboration and engagement, and minimizes classroom disparities.