gabriel puerto

concept presentation 10.14.10

thesis project 2010

children 6-12

Defining:

topic

opportunity

needs

users

Issues

to

problem(s)

Evidence of Problems, insights, and ideas

problems to concepts

primary educationarea of interest :

grades kindergarden to 5th grade

children 6-12

area of interest :

primary education

topic Improving the primary education / elementary school experience for teachers, parent, & students.

what about primary education ?

opportunity Primary education has much to improve in terms of how our schools are run, structured, and taught. Our education is at, and at some cases below that of other equally developed countries.Why primary education?

userThe audience being affected will be students ages 6-12, parents, and teachers. The primary consumers will potentially be schools, teachers, & parentsWho?

needs Improvement and enhancement of educational experienceImprovement of the understanding of languageImprovement of communication between parent, teacher, student, peers.What?

parent-studentparent-teacher

student-studentstudent-teacher

( home )

( school )

issues

parents approach school with a defensive or angry attitude

Teachers have different thought process / method than parent

Parents feel uncomfortable talking with teacher

language / cultural barriers

Failure to make the first move

Not communication /talking early enough

Failure to communicate regularly

Failure to follow-thru on actions

intimidation & shyness

race & gender differences/ impact

effectiveness of instructing

student teacher ratio

lack of interest

Fitting in

Motivation

Making friends

Common ediquite

proper values

relevance

bullying

confidence

High expectations put on girls to be good at everything

(social)

Sources :

“Key Issues for Primary Schools” by Michael FarrellInterview with Adina Davidson, Phd.on 9.14. 2010

Source: “Effective Parent-Teacher Communication” - Center for Effective Parenting 2000 Mark C. Edwards, Ph.D.

insights

Kids who’s parents talk to the teacher more, do better at school.

Teachers are like second parents to child.

Parents should approach teachers cooperatively.

Tackle problems early!

It is beneficial for the parent to be friends or in good standing with the teacher.

Good student-teacher relationship= good parent-teacher relationship.

Parent-school relationships:

Expectations of both parties should be communicated

Mutual communications of responsibilities

School’s involvement in the community is very important

Parents should approach school and teacher(s) with the questions “ Whats the plan? What can I do at home?”

several key insights were discovered, that can lead me to further refine guidelines and direction.

issue(s) problem(s)

children don’t always have the bestsocial experience in school

-schools do not accommodate fordifferent childrens learning needs-students feel alot of anxiety due tohigh expectations-children encounter bullying

Lack of confidence, self-awareness ofprogress, understanding, and interactionbetween students.

gender differences impact socialand academic achievement

-boys don’t achieve as well as girlsbecause of lack of hands-on, fasterpaced learning-girls feel alot of anxiety due to highexpectations to be good ateverything

Lack of differentiation of teaching styles forgirls and boys, as well as communication ofexpectations.

( relating to student experience )

clear communication does not alwayshappen successfully

- teachers have different teaching- methods and strategies than parent.- failure to communicate regularly- language and cultural barriers

parents have trouble effectively helpingtheir child with homework

- students have a lack of motivation anddrive to learn- teacher explains curriculum andknowledge in different ways than theparents know the material- requirements are not effectivelycommunicated

issue(s)

problem(s)

Lack of communication about teachingmethods, strategies, and cultural context, aswell as the communication of child progressand assignments on a regular basis

Lack of effective communication of teachingmethods, strategies, requirement, andrelevance to both the student and parent.

parents and teachers don’t alwayscommunicate regularly with teacher

- parents and teachers fail to make firstmove- parents feel uncomfortable talking withteacher- teacher and parent do not communicateearly enough- school is often not a welcomingenvironment for parents, it can be alienating and punitive

Lack of the promotion and understanding of assembling, scheduling, planning parent-teacher interaction, such as event, visits, and conversations, in a timely manner.

( relating to parent-teacher communication)

Lack of confidence, self-awareness ofprogress, understanding, and interactionbetween students.

Lack of differentiation of teaching styles forgirls and boys, as well as communication ofexpectations.

Lack of communication about teachingmethods, strategies, and cultural context, aswell as the communication of child progressand assignments on a regular basis

Lack of effective communication of teachingmethods, strategies, requirement, andrelevance to both the student and parent.

Lack of the promotion and understanding of assembling, scheduling, planning parent-teacher interaction, such as event, visits, and conversations, in a timely manner.

problem 1

problem 2

problem 3

problem 4

problem 1

concept maps

problem 1

problem 3 problem 4

problem 2

problems

what?mobile / electronic device

what?wearable / displayable accessory

what?tutor system

what?school desk redesign

why?

-easier to trade info back and forth.-opportunity for multiple applications / function-adaptable-paper-less-bridges gap between home and school

why?

-trend product- engaging with child-socially engaging-discretely informational

why?

-encourages sharing-makes product accessible to low-income families-socially engaging-bridges gap between home and school.

why?

-encourages sharing-teaches responsibility-forces interaction-encourages peer tutoring

Electronic mobile devices

trade info back and forth.multiple applications / functionadaptablepaper-lessbridges gap between home and school

teacher disperses information wireless to students devices, sharing the lesson of the day, helpful tips and hints for tackling homework, and child progress as a class.

school

students bring device to class for :

simple peer interactions (games)attendance

students bring device home for :

help with homework / assignmentscommunication with peersrewards (games)

home

download updates and tutorials child progress

parent can track child progressreceive information regarding curriculumlearn how to help their child with certain assignments

Besides daily updates , charging, and attendance, students can interact with each other on a limited social level, enabling peer to peer interaction.

mobile mini laptop

a slightly more advanced mobile device that enables interactive learning within the classroom, as well as outside.The teacher can assign work on the device, enabling it to help the student when they need it.

handheld assistant

a handheld device that allows both information download, and auditory recording, for the student to go back through the sound clips of the day for help on homework.

micropal

a small device with two docking stations (home & school) that allow for simple info to be exchanged, including tutorials, handouts, and child progress for the child.The students interaction is limited, perhaps just on an auditory (music) level, and attendance purposes.

infodrive

a device thats purpose is to simply record information. Audio is taken in though the mic at the top, information from the teacher is also taken in and stored on flash memory, given manually by the teacher via USB.

student communicator

a handheld device that combines auditory input with downloadable helpful hints, tips and suggestions that can access information from home via the internet.

wearable / displayable accessory

trend product- engaging with childsocially engagingdiscretely informationalcustomizabletwo levels of information

Teachers device/computer updates the students devices with critical information such as grade reports, handouts, and homework assignments

Students receive information with minimal interaction. For them, the device is more of a fashion accessory or collectable item, then it is informational.

The device can be hidden or stowed in bag and carried with student to school. Using RFID, the chip can indicate child’s attendance.

While at school, the student would not have to take device out of their bag, it would update automatically.

When the child gets home, the parent would be able to access the information by plugging it into their home computer.

commtag

a simple small tag that can be hung from a backpack. The tag is rugged enough to withstand the wear & tear of hanging outside and inside. The simple interface allows for simple indication of the device status.

watch my progress

a simple watchband that takes information from online and changes colors based on the students progress and success in classes. The colors can also help the student realize what classes need to be paid more attention to and are at risk. Each class is color coded, so the information is discrete and understood only by the particular student.

This allows for interaction amongst peers as well. the more literal translation of the child’s progress in the classroom is accessible through a web page.

fundrive

a key chain sized USB that is given to the child for there to be a more manual transfer of grade reports, helpful links and suggestions, child progress, and handouts. The small key chains may be fun animal or color themes for a collectable social aspect.

school desk redesign

encourages sharingteaches responsibilityforces interactionencourages peer tutoring

Classroom tables and desks are often used in a group configuration. These classroom desks and tables could be used to encourage collaboration, sharing of responsibility, and interaction amongst students.

dual diamond desk

a simple student desk designed to allow for collaborative interaction amongst pairs of students. The diagonal configuration allows for more limited interaction then face to face interaction.

desk connector

a connector piece for two desks to be attached together face to face or side by side. The pairing up on assignments and work in class is often times used as a reward for students. This is a non-permanent way of rewarding students, or for enabling peer tutoring at the teachers discretion.

side-by-side desk

a two person desk that allows for collaboration between students in a horizontal orientation. This configuration makes it ideal for peer tutoring and sharing of materials. The storage of all of the students supplies is also shared, implementing a shared responsibility of maintaining cleanliness and organization between a pair of students.

tessellating desk

two desks that nestle together and can be paired up in multiple configurations, making grouping students together easier and more efficient.

tutor system

encourages sharing-makes product accessible to low-income families-socially engaging-bridges gap between home and school.

When a student is experiencing trouble with their understanding on an assignment, or feels lost, they can go over to the shelf and rent out a tutor kit, just like a book in the library.

they take the kit home with them, open it up, and it supplies everything the child needs to better understand the material being taught, and successfully accomplish their assignments.

help tree

a tree-like structure that lies in the classroom. Each “branch” of the tree holds several small devices that are synched up to the main tree. The trunk is wireless synched to the teachers computer, were additional fun exercises, tutorial, and supplemental info can be exchanged.

tutor in a box

a vertical book shelf that holds packages. Within each box is a kit that includes instructions, learning games, and a usb device that contains tutorials for learning the benchmarks taught in class.

e-book shelf

a vertical book shelf that holds electronic interactive books. The e-books plug into the shelf, charging them, as well as synching them. The stuents can take the e-books home, and bring them back the next day, sharing the students homework performance with the teacher as well.

e-book

a interactive book that incorporates analog and digital interface. A place for important documents, handouts to be exchanged, as well as virtual interactive software.

interactive notebook

a digital notebook that allows for less paper usage and exchange, and instantaneous feedback. The notebook would allow students to receive help with homework instantly from tutorials built into the device, making doing outside assignments easier for the child.

zee end

mobile mini laptop

handheld assistant

micropal

infodrive

student communicator

Electronic mobile devices

commtag

watch my progress

fundrive

wearable / displayable accessory

dual diamond desk

desk connector

side-by-side desk

tessellating desk

school desk redesign

help tree

tutor in a box

e-book shelf

e-book

interactive notebook

tutor system

help tree

tutor in a box

e-book shelf

e-book

interactive notebook

tutor system

k, thanks