Day 9

During ID we discussed how to create new trainings. I have been following this information making the game for preschool. We initially discussed what the preschool was learning and the kinds of computer support they could use. I then considered what the goal was and how to support it. We began by evaluating existing software. We found some excellent programs but none we evaluated met the total needs of the population. Rosemary suggested PowerPoint as a possible way to address this need. I began to consider what I wanted to include in the PowerPoint-the topic was suggested by Rosemary. I took her idea a step further and turned it into a full game.

I have now completed the first trial.
Initially there were some problems moving the game to the computer connected to the Smartboard. I saved it as a show and moved it to a jump drive. The videos didn't transfer with the show file. I moved the videos into the same folder and reconnected the links. It still would not work. Rosemary suggested moving the file onto the other computer. That didn't work either, so I reconnected the links again. This time it worked. Rosemary had to install the school type fonts onto the computer so they would work.



After the trial I met with Rosemary to discuss the game. I'm sorry to say that I missed some of the things she spotted and/or the solutions.

1. Problem: Each letter was too long going through the cycle.-a matching slide and a reward slide, then a slide with a fingerspell handshape photo and the letter, then a card with a graphic of the fingerspell handshape that faded into a picture of a fruit or vegetable related item with a sign video.
Solution: Drop the graphic slide since it is redundant.



2. Problem: Children's heads were blocking view of the letters they were trying to match when they came up.
Solution: Raise the height of the cue letter to the center of the page.

3. Problem: Children couldn't double-click which was the setting we chose when we started the game. (We thought that because the children might point to different places accidently that it would be a better choice.)
Solution: Change to single click.


4. Problem: When I loaded the videos I was unsure whether they should start automatically or with a click. I set some as automatic and some as start with a click to see which was better.
Solution: Starting with a click is better. This way the students can see the picture, discuss it if they want and then give full attention to the video.

5. Problem: Title page font was not transferrable into the fonts folder and would not be on most peoples computers.
Solution: Create a graphic of the title page and use it instead.

6. Problem: Children did not pay attention to the next button or use it and it was awkward for me to use it since I was on the other side of the screen and had to keep leaning over to it.
Solution: Remove the button and change the slide to go to next slide on click.

7. Problem: Sometimes the slides would go to the wrong slide (not sure if it had something to do with the built in forward/backward controls or not.
Solution: Unsure at this time will need to look at it more.

8. Problem: The "I love fruit" slide was black.
Solution: Unsure at this time will need to look at it more.


9. Nice Idea-not really a problem: I had previously created an animated character in flash that I thought would be good to use as a reinforcer. The kids loved him-he did a thumbs up (the thumbs down one did not work right at the setup-I set it as a loop once and it doesn't work then-need to change that to loop continuously). Because the deaf cannot hear applause they have developed a visual way of clapping that involves raising their hands over their heads and moving them in a certain way. Rosemary suggested that it would be neat if the animated character could do that. I told her that I would try it (drawing is not my best skill.)

Although this preschool summer program ends tomorrow, there is still daycare in the building that is a combination of both deaf and hearing children. We hope to be able to do a trial with them when the revisions are made.

While finishing up the game for the trial I was asked to troubleshoot a computer/projector problem (Rosemary was setting up for the preschool.) I ran over quickly but was unable to fix it. After we finished in preschool I ran over again and tried restarting the computer and that worked.

I went to the different classes to get photos from them. Some I needed to go back to later because I couldn't get them at the time. Rosemary compiled a list of all that had happened in each team so we could see what we had available.

In the afternoon we went and photographed and videotaped the Team 6-7-8 presentations. When they were finished Rosemary and I discussed how to divide up the work for the video. We are each doing part of it and then going to combine the parts into one video. Right now I am working on the fundraising events.

Tomorrow we have to finish the video (about 15 minutes in length), and set up for the afternoon presentations.