Parents and guardians received text messages about their child’s progress in real time. They were then able to send their own words of encouragement.
This system provided both additional social support to the child and an easy way for caretakers to stay connected with their kids.
As the study centered on after-school programs, where guardians are usually away from their children, this sense of connection proved especially critical.
“The human beings are sort of the anchors to the system,” said Ahn. “Without the human in the loop of the devices, the devices lose meaning.”