Lingo Link

Through the last week I have learned a lot. More than what my community is about but how they will function with what I am designing. Every frame is crucial, because to make it consistent means you have to be more detailed than what is going on in my head as a designer. The trick, test it, with other designers, and most importantly with people who are not in design with you.

When I was designing I tried to think of different ways to show things visually. Based around when I was young and I had trouble in school, I tried to think of ways that I would of liked to learn information. Our next step is to narrow down what the key factors are within our new brand and apply those rules.

Lingo Link: Cooking

Scenerio: Ethan plays the cooking game with Moises (his Madrid partner) to learn about each others cultural meals.

With our energetic colors I wanted to use them for the text. Hopefully to get the child excited about playing this game. In our logo type we have little colored dots. Through the typography I want to include that little detail.

The idea is to swipe from side to side to choose the game the game they want to play. However this isn't clear, but showing just the slightest overlap of the next game could help to indicate the "swipe" action.

I wanted to reference cooking books for this frame. The over lay is suppose to be the toolbar. In many of the games I have on my iPad, you click on an "home" button and it drags out.

I need to make the text more alive. It is looking a little default. I also need to copyright better towards the child.

Making the fridge was difficult. No where else is the there dimensional looking shapes. With the revisions I intend to put some more drop shadows throughout. I also need to think more about the type of layering that can happen.

One part I wanted to address is what kind of small animations that can happen. Like the glass pouring the tomato juice out. Or like the mixing frame, how does the mixture blend together.

Through the designing phase I wanted to keep in mind our audience. It is a bit tricky because to make a complete system, our group needs to make the system visually whole. However, for the iPad the direct audience will be the first graders. For Bethany's section the hub, is directed towards adults.

Questions and Solutions

1. How do you find a consistent curriculum?
   One curriculum that goes from 1st to 5th grade. Consider examples of other programs like Rosetta Stone and Muzzy as a reference tool.
   
2. How can you learn accurate pronunciation?
   Provide enough situations within the curriculum for words about daily life occur. This causes them to make a connection and use what they have learned regularly.
   
3. How can you learn other aspects of the culture through the program (family, culture)?
   Establish at least 5+ topics (food, family values, etc) and find connections between cultures and blend into curriculum/games learned in the program.
   
4. How do you work through other school programs (art, etc)
   New technology such as touch screens+ will help facilitate this through hands-on games and projects that are shared by both sides.
   
5. When and how do the students practice?
   It isn't probable that the students will be able to practice outside of school (in some cases) although they may be able to share with they have learned with their peers that are also engaged in the program. Also, establishing a consistent schedule when using the program.
   
6. How do you become initially connected with the other classrooms?
   Online registry, social network for teachers interested in the program.
   
7. What kind of technology will we use?
   
   Touch-screens, ipad, websites (computers with internet connection), iphones, wacom tablet,

1. How do you decide the "players" among a classroom full of students (interests, strengths)?
   This could either be worked into the curriculum as a game or could be answered simply through the teacher/facilitator choosing and each of the students would be paired based on their already established language skills.
   
2. How does the design engage a young audience?
   Fresh, fun colors, creation of characters, easy navigation/interface, legibility, age-appropriate type and content.
   
3. How does the teacher facilitate the virtual experience?
   Provide guidance after the program or going through the program (at least for the first couple of times so that the student becomes comfortable with the situation). Also, there may be work that the students must complete after using the program in the classroom that the teacher would then grade. They provide the set-up and environment. This may require a special version for the teacher.
   
4. What types of activities are included in the program?
   Games, readings, equations, problems to solve, cooking, art, hygiene, family life.
   
5. How do these activities cross cultures?
   Incorporating things like the history, values, schedules, occupations, vocabulary, and geography.
   
6. How do they initially communicate?
   Begin through the online registry. Teachers introduce to the classroom before the students actually interact. First "meetings" will begin through name introductions and establishing a virtual "profile" which could later link the children as partners in the program.
   
7. What games might they play on the program?
   Matching games, math competitions, spelling bees, geography, vocabulary and pictionary-like games.
   
8. How do elementary schools become a part of this?
   First, they must establish a program and foreign language teacher and a connection with another country of the language they wish to learn. They would find this connection through the online registry and/or talking virtually with the teacher from that school.

Poster Phase 1

This is poster phase 1! When putting this together, there was so much information and little details written and visually that I feel like we threw it all on. From what we learned in interviews visual audit, and the mood boards we developed a visual language that speaks to children in elementary school. Since we have all the information on the posters it is time to edit and organize the information better. One main part that I need to work on is taking some of the written language and making it more visual.

Visual Audit/ Mood Board

Virtual Language Learning

MX: Interview

Dianne DeNoon, Blue Valley School District Education Support Services Team - World Languages

Why do you feel like foreign language education is important?
Because we live in a global society, not just in the united states, the more cultures they understand the better understanding of the language that is very deep routed to each other. 2 or 3 rd language helps SAT scores and just more intellgenet, important scientifically and humanity

-What is the biggest challenge in teaching foreign language in Elementary schools?
Probably- 1. the natural resource being able to dedicate the costs of a program. 2. The time you have to spend with it

-In general, what is the biggest challenge you face as a teacher in your classroom?
The number of students that they see, 2 or 3 times a week and that can be a lot of students. Only for 30 minutes or so at a time.

-What other subjects could facilitate foreign language learning?
In the area of foreign, it is content-less, we don't have anything to teach
Fo example: social studies is very important, geography, we would have math for patterns, art colors, shapes

-In your opinion, what are a few of the gaps found in public education, specifically regarding foreign language?
Gaps in articulation, corse to course, expressing easy transition, from class to class and not repeat

-In your opinion, at what age should foreign language education begin and why?
Ideally from birth
Or as soon as the student starts schools
Start at the age of 8- like other countries, probably because the other students have a sense of learning and also curious

-What are a few barriers of students that know a second language versus those that speak one? What are the social effects of this in the classroom?
it would be the opposite, students can be disadvantaged later in life, they will more easily a foreign language

1st Mood board

First Interviews

American Child, 8 years old, Emma
-What is your favorite subject in school and why is it your favorite?
"Math. It's easy."

-Why do you enjoy learning about that subject?
"Hm...um, uh. Because it's "plus" (addition) sometimes, some of it is hard though."

-What do you like to read?
"I like to read "I don't care" a story from my reading book today."

-When did you start using the computer and what do you use it for (games, school work)?
"I don't remember. Sometimes I play games on it. No school."

-What kind of computer games do you play?
"Well, there's one game, I think it's called the Bubble game. There are bubbles on different colors and you try to get as many as you can get."

-What do you enjoy doing after school?
"Swimming."

-Do you have siblings?
"Yeah. Lots."

-Do you help your siblings or classmates with schoolwork?
"Mm, sometimes. Today, my older brother had a question on his math and I couldn't get it. I forgot what it was."

-Do you have extracurricular activities?
"Dance and piano."

-If you could learn another language to speak what would it be and why?
"French, because, I don't know, it seems easy. I count to six in spanish though."

American Elementary School Teacher, 51 years old
-Why do you feel like foreign language education is important?
"Development of language, exposure to other culture, discipline of thinking through phonics."

-What is the biggest challenge in teaching foreign language in Elementary schools?
"That they would take it seriously. Also, pronunciation because they aren't actually in the culture."

-In general, what is the biggest challenge you face as a teacher in your classroom?
"As a teacher, the biggest challenge is to keep them motivated to move forward."

-What other subjects could facilitate foreign language learning?
"Definitely the arts. They help anything. Also, having a strong mother tongue, an understanding of their own culture and language they speak."

-In your opinion, what are a few of the gaps found in public education, specifically regarding foreign language?
"There are gaps in all forms of education. One of the biggest gaps that we forget about is that everyone has a self will. We don't allow a child to find it for themselves sometimes and try to teach them in our own way."

-In your opinion, at what age should foreign language education begin and why?
"If you want them to have a foreign language it should start at the very beginning. Fourth or fifth graders would probably work well. I think they should learn the basics of their own language first."

-What are a few barriers of students that know a second language versus those that speak one? What are the social effects of this in the classroom?

"Not a full understanding of one language--always crossing over and mixing.

Gathered Information

COLLABORATIVE CULTURE

Goal = To create a simulation of immersion and facilitate early foreign language learning

Virtual Language Learning

• Improvised Learning
• Community involvement
• Real-world sharing and experience
• Offline merging online
  

Brainstorm

Physical Boundaries

Time difference

Accessed through public education in the classroom

Occurs online and in the classroom

Occurs across countries with appropriate technology
Specific countries (US, Middle East, China, Europe)

Attention Span

Practicing regularly
A certain level of understanding the first language, and making sure the other understands their language as well. Like spelling or vocabulary
With younger children they have a short attention span. 2-3 minutes. Also taking into consideration boys verses girls.
Verbal/ and most likely writing as well
Children knowing how to work the computer/ application

What/who is involved

Elementary school children across countries and cultures

Teachers across countries and cultures

• Superintendents/ principles
• Parents

Equipment needed

Computer

Internet Connection

Wacom tablet?

Ipad

Smartphone

Demographics
Class—those that can afford this technology

Public School Education System

Gender: Male + Female

Approximate Age: 3-12 years old, Preschool through Elementary

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, more than one in 5 school-aged children (21%) speak a language other than English at home.

Individual + Community (define wants, needs, tools, symbols, markets, icons, etc)
Community:

Education

Cross-culture communication (Ex/Nurses, doctors, police officers, journalists, politicians, etc)

bi/multilingual communities

Better understanding of own language

Better business

Connecting with other cultures/learning about and from others

Social skills and structure

Youth:

Fun

Learning

Social connection with peers

Varying and engaging activity

Creativity

Positive role models

Define Audience:

Elementary Schools Preschool-8^th Grade, Ages 3-14 years old

http://ask.metafilter.com/31677/How-do-I-teach-my-child-a-foreign-language
Begin teaching your child as early as possible. Children's unique ability for internalizing language decreases over time. Although some parents worry that introducing multiple languages to a young child can create confusion, studies have shown that children can identify and compartmentalize separate languages by the age of 3.

Collect

Visuals about and for the community (motivations for participation)

What’s already out there
http://www.helendoron.com/

http://www.early-advantage.com/

http://www.wacona.com/technology/tech4teacher.html

http://www.wacona.com/kidpix/kidpix.html

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2009/11/100-tips-tools-to-teach-your-child-a-second-language/

http://www.littlepim.com/about/

http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/autobiography/default_EN.asp?

http://www.moec.gov.jm/policies/languagepolicy.pdf

It identifies the nation’s language needs across the range

of communities and cultural groups that it contains;

it surveys and examines the resources available; it

identifies the role of language in general and individual

languages in particular in the life of the nation; it establishes

strategies for managing and developing language resources as

it relates all of these to the best interests of the nation

through the operation of some suitable planning agency

Speech Therapy—ideas to include within program (Game Learning)

http://www.angelfire.com/nm2/speechtherapyideas/

http://www.alsintl.com/blog/elementary-foreign-language/

25 percent of US elementary schools report teaching foreign languages and drops to only 15 percent when including only public schools.

200 million Chinese school children are studying English, which is a mandatory subject for all primary school students, only 24,000 of 54 million US primary elementary and primary school pupils are studying Chinese

National Security Language Initiative

established by the Bush Administration in 2006, are focusing government resources on increasing foreign language education starting at the kindergarten level. NSLI focuses on previously less-popular languages, which the government considers “critical-need languages,” such as Arabic, Farsi and Russian, all of which are becoming increasingly important to America’s future participation in global politics.

Most popular Languages currently being taught:

• French, Spanish
• Chinese, Arabic
• Need for: Arabic, Farsi, Russian

• Interview Questions
• American Child, 8 years old
• -What is your favorite subject in school and why is it your favorite?
• -Why do you enjoy learning about that subject?
• -What do you like to read?
• -When did you start using the computer and what do you use it for (games, school work)?
• -What kind of computer games do you play?

-What do you enjoy doing after school?

-Do you have siblings?

-Do you help your siblings or classmates with schoolwork?

• 
  American Elementary School Teacher, 28 years old

-Why do you feel like foreign language education is important?

-What is the biggest challenge in teaching foreign language in Elementary schools?

-In general, what is the biggest challenge you face as a teacher in your classroom?

-What other subjects could facilitate foreign language learning?

-In your opinion, what are a few of the gaps found in public education, specifically regarding foreign language?

-In your opinion, at what age should foreign language education begin and why?

-What are a few barriers of students that know a second language versus those that speak one? What are the social effects of this in the classroom?

One sentence

This community is made up of participants in the elementary, public education system and responds to shared value of building social skills though foreign language.

MX- Reading and Video Responses

Seven Types of Intelligence:

In this article it talks about seven very different types of intelligence. When reading I thought to myself how each is a like someone I know, or similar to very smart celebrities. Each gave different characteristics such as shy, being leaders, or how they identify them self in social surroundings. I also thought it was interesting the variety in different activities that each type is drawn to. I thought it was interesting to think about how as designer we could visually communicate to each different type. What types of problems each type faces when it comes to learning.

Web Squared: Web 2.0 Five Years On

This article discusses how the web has moved from an access to information to a way to shop, network with people, and really find new ways to educate people. From there we have moved from the screen to touch screen smart phones. I think that this new way of accessing web and sharing information is very unique. However, it brings up the question what will happen to computers. As they mentioned what is next. The easy access of the internet right now seems like it can't be topped. I thought it was very interesting how they compared the internet to a growing baby. I an interesting point was when they discussed the huge numbers of the internet and how it is being broke down into different identities. That identity is then reflected into a new layer of the "structure". I think this is what makes social networking, wiki, and bargaining on the internet its core value.

Media Smart: Kids Learn how to navigate the multimedia world.

This shows the example of kids learning film making skills. However, it goes beyond just becoming more creative but how to communicate better. I noticed through many of the projects these kids were working on that they worked in groups as well. By understanding and being more involved in what their making helps them communicate better and understand the subject better. As we discussed in class, this video introduces a new value to education. Asking kids from news papers how they identify with an image, and making documentaries of the elderly in the community. They are learning skills based around what the texts books are telling them but applying them in different medias.

Changing Education:

This video throws a lot of good useful information at you. They discuss how the education system when it was first created was meant for a much smaller population of people who went to school and onto college. Now days as schools are becoming more populated they are finding different ways in which to teach, thus more diversity within the schools. Changing how the schools systems act is a problems that many of the administrators face. Should schools move into a different format of teaching than they are right now. Its been proven that children learn differently yet we compare them all the time; based on standardize tests, AP classes, but what value does that up hold? Kids are taught to go to school, never mess up, go to college, get a high paying job and be happy. What if on the way, people stopped worrying so much on the economics and started to focus on the interests of the child and develop ways to teach them through that, making the happiness grow along the way and value something deeper rather than whats in store for lunch.

Henry Jenkins on Transmedia

A point that Henry Jenkins made that I could not get out of my head was when he said "Orwell's fear was big brother is watching you but really we are watching each other". My mind contemplated on this thought for awhile because we are in the midst of a transition between one media change and another. He talks about "convergence culture which is a world which every story, every sound, brand, image, relationship plays itself over the maximum number of media channels" This is fascinating because is it good or bad. To stretch out stories, ideas, and sometimes values and make create new ways of showing them on the media. He used the Obama campaign, and how the black eyed peas dude took his speech and created it into an interesting song, while Obama was using social networks to get votes. One part of the media and having smart phones that are linked to youtube or facebook is that it becomes free advertising. One simple idea like the coca-cola true happiness was spread quickly.

Interest- driven Learning

She talks about the value technology that it has with people is good, however its function right now should be more broad, such as education. People are on social net works to self express themselves, using a like on facebook, or following someone on pin-interest. But how do we take that self expression and converge it into the class room. She mentions that these sites are brought up in ones home and not in the public.

The Machine is Us/ing Us

This video literally shows us the flexibility of virtual text. It can me mended with much easier than the old school pencil and paper. Virtual text can be a link, button, and with the right mind organization help you to code a website. With these codes the machine helps us to decode language between each other and break down the structure of the information and literally organize what pages we may like. They say a picture can speak a 1,000 words, with the invention of flickr, videos on youtube we now have access to virtually any type of image we desire. This video made me realize how much I even depend on the internet and how broad it is. It brings to light that we need to be the ones organizing the information and we are teaching the machine.