Aiki - Turning Online Procrastination into Microlearning

Abstract

This paper presents and evaluates Aiki, a simple browser extension designed to redirect a user to a learning platform for a fixed amount of time before accessing websites defined as ’procrastination’ or ’time-wasting’ websites. The goal of the extension is to enable the user to exchange time spent on pages they believe contribute less to their own productivity for microlearning activities, defined as small or short-term learning activities. The paper describes the design and development of Aiki and evaluates the extension with a group of n = 10 participants studying the Danish language. Based on a two-week study, we conclude that this type of extension, even in its preliminary version, has the potential to improve language skills in a lightweight manner and that redirection is an important alternative to blocking for procrastination management