DADODICE: An interactive installation to support learning

In smart technological solutions, interactive installations, multi-touch surfaces are all around us nowadays. In particular, pupils, who are digital native, are keen on these devices. So the adoption of these smart technologies could be an interesting approach to capture their attention. DADODICE (DD), our latest interactive installation, takes advantage of this trend. DD, in fact, is especially thought for pupils, the main target of Sardegna in Miniatura, an amusement park located in Sardinia. Pupils visit the park in small groups so we developed a collaborative installation to allow visitors to interact and benefit from the various contents simultaneously. DD aims to combine both learning (detailed explanations concerning the different renewable energies investigated and used in our region) and amusing contents, utilizing as much as possible invisible technological solutions. The installation is powered by xPlaces, the software framework we develop. We report here some preliminary results of an ongoing research field, which seem to suggest that there are peculiar behavioural patterns in interacting with the installation, various interaction modalities and different perceptions of the installation (toy-like versus highly technological) depending on the age (adults, adolescents and children).