Umi City Mighty Missions: Aquarium Adventure

By: Nilu Fernando, Nana Agyemang, Matthew Stokes, Sandra Oppong

AgendaForm and Function

(sound clips)Developmental

AppropriatenessScreenshotsProfessional Application

of SoftwareReferencesTime To Play!

Form & Function Purpose

Curriculum: Kindergarten (4 years old) Subject: Mathematics Skills:

Number sense and numeration (quantity relationships; operational sense) (Pascal,2007, p.92).

Patterning (patterns and relationships) (Pascal,2007, p.92).

Geometry and spatial sense (geometric properties; geometric relationships; location and movement) (Pascal,2007, p.92).

Feedback Positive feedback: Fosters motivation through praise. Sound feedback: Chime noise is made each time a child

answers correctly.

Form & Function Practice and Review

Self-correcting: The characters tell the user in a pleasant way that they have made a mistake and they tell them to try again. There is an unlimited amount of times to correct them selves. The character then describes what the user needs to find. If you still cannot find the answer, it gives children a hint by briefly lighting up the right answer if they keep getting it wrong.

Choices and Control Hypermedia: use of graphics, animation, and audio. Allows control in navigation. Control with time (user doesn’t feel rushed or anxious

since there is isn’t a time constraint). Choice of where to place fishes in the aquarium. Downfall to this game: Doesn’t provide a map for levels.

Social Interaction Allows for social interaction with the characters but not

with actual living beings (characters talk to children, but children can’t interact with the characters: 1 way interaction.)

Developmental Appropriateness Age Appropriateness

4 year olds Cognitive:

The user identifies the differences in the images, counts, identifies different shapes, differences in sizes (bigger vs. smaller), and identifies most vs. least amount of images. “Understand the concept

of tallest, biggest, same and more

rote counts to 20 or more,

sorts, classifies, and pattern objects with various attributes (smallest to0 biggest; color and shape...)”(Allen & Marotz, 2010. p.148).

Behavioural: The game praises the user when

they answer correctly, self-correcting (tells the children if they are incorrect and to try again), self-correcting goes hand in hand

with John B. Watson’s classical conditioning (the use of positive reinforcement through praise conditions the children to answer correctly) (Huskins, 2011, slide 2).

It teaches children to be patient (makes children wait for the character to finish their sentence before completing the task)

Solitary play vs. Cooperative play Vygotsky believed that some

children hold conversations with themselves as a way of thinking out loud and he referred to this stage as “self-talk or inner speech” (Gestwicki, 2007, p.41)

Developmental Appropriateness Physical:

Hand-eye coordination Moving in non-locomotor ways (moving the mouse) Fine motor development (clicking the mouse) Hearing acuity can be assessed by child’s correct

usage of sounds and language as well as by the child’s appropriate responses to questions and instructions (Allen & Marotz, 2010. p.147).

Jean Piaget believed that children learn best through exploration (Gestwicki, 2007, p.40)

Media and Activities There are vivid graphics, animations, video, and sound

which can bring concepts to life (Goyne, McDonough, & Padgett, 2000, p. 2).

Information and concepts are accompanied by appropriate images and sounds (Goyne, McDonough, & Padgett, 2000, p. 2).

Level 1: Find the Differences

Level 2: Find the Shape/ Number of Sides

Level 3: Find the Grouping of Fishes

Level 4: Decorate Your Own Fish Tank

Professional Application of Software

Consistency with Curriculum Allows for drill-and-practice. Self-directed. The game is both structured (levels 1-3), and

unstructured (level 4). Technical Components

The graphics are clear, sufficiently detailed, engaging.

It is visually appealing without clutter. It is user friendly. Skills formed can be transferable to other aspects

in a child’s life. The user can get lost in cyberspace if they press a

button outside of the game’s screen. (option for full screen should be available) (background can be distracting)

The sound is appropriate. The animation and video clips are clear, easily

visible. Appropriate length of animation: at times the

introductions tends to be long; can be hard to get characters to repeat themselves

Enjoyable and Interesting Manner It depends on personal

interests of the child. Enthusiastic. Triggers interests. Intrinsic motivation.

Accessibility to Children and Barriers It is free and web-based. Children can work in

pairs, but most children may want to work individually.

Headphones will be needed so it isn’t disruptive to other children.

Must have a sufficient amount of computers available for the children.

ReferencesAllen, K. E., & Marotz, L. R. (2007). Developmental profiles:

Pre-birth through twelve. New York: Thomson.Gestwicki, C. (2007). Developmentally Appropriate Practice:

Curriculum and Development in Early Education- Third Edition. Belmont: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Goyne, J. S., McDonough, S. K., & Padgett, D. D. (2000). Practical Guidelines for Evaluating Educational Software. The Clearing House .

Huskins, A. (2011, February 10). Unit 3, Class 5: Linking Personal Values To Philosophical Approaches. Sheridan College: Trafalgar Campus. Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Pascal, C. (2007, June 3). The Full-Day Early Learning- Kindergarten Program: Draft Version. Retrieved November 2, 2011, from www.edu.gov.on.ca: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/kindergarten_english_june3.pdf