Gaze system developed by IT University of Copenhagen provides low-cost means interacting with computers via large-screen displays.

The ITU Gaze Group at the IT University of Copenhagen has been doing some very interesting work to develop a low-cost eye-tracking system that can benefit people who have severe mobility limitations. The source code is free and open-source, which is a good thing, since commercial gaze tracking systems can run up in the thousands of dollars. The project was sponsored by COGAIN, a network of people working on interface technologies to benefit people with disabilities.

The following video shows how a web-cam based gaze system can be used along with a large interactive display:

Gazetyping on large projected displays:


ITU Gazetracker Quick Guide - provides demonstrations of how set up the gaze tracker remotely and also how to set it up using a web camera that is near the user's eye:




This shows how you can calibrate and set up the tracker system:
ITU Gaze Tracker:







I have a new student at my school who might benefit from this system!

From the move + play + learn blog: iPod Touch in the Elementary Classroom

I recently came across the move + play + learn blog, maintained by Dr. Michael A. Evans, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech, and graduate students in the instructional design and technology program. A recent post on the blog discussed how 40 iPod Touch devices were "air dropped" to an elementary school for a math and language art teacher to use with their students. The above picture shows how the teachers used their creativity to establish a space to store the iPods when not in use. He'll be posting more about the iPod Touch airdrop in the future.


Dr. Evans supports the use of games in educational settings and posted the following interview with Dr. James Paul Gee about ways videogames can be used for learning and ongoing assessment.


"Grading with Games: An Interview with James Paul Gee"

Dr. Gee is the author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy (2003, Second Edition 2007), and Good Video Games + Good Learning: Collected Essays on Video Games, Learning, and Literacy

Establishing Joint Attention with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders using the HP TouchSmart PC and NUI Suite Snowflake Software

I've been using my HP TouchSmart PC at work with students with disabilities. I'm experimenting with the NUI Suite SnowFlake on my TouchSmart.

The software utilizes a plug-in from NextWindow that allows for more than one touch on the screen at a time. I found that interacting with the Particles application delighted students with severe autism.

I found that many of the activities included in the Snowlake software provided opportunities for the students to establish joint attention. I also noticed an increase in the number of vocalizations and/or verbalizations among the students. Of course, this was NOT a scientific study.

NUI Suite Snowflake Multi-Touch Applications (Demonstrated on a touch-table, but the effect is similar on the HP TouchSmart.)

Note: The Particle application starts at 3:00 - the demo is set to show how it could be used as a social activity in a bar, but it is clear to see the possibilities for use with students.

Update: Here is the SnowFlake application running on a TouchSmart:


More about the HP TouchSmart PC in education:
Interacting and Communicating with HP TouchSmart Notes: Photos, Video, Audio, and More


Joint Attention:

Definition of Joint Attention from UConn:
"Joint Attention is the process of sharing one’s experience of observing an object or event, by following gaze or pointing gestures. It is critical for social development, language acquisition, cognitive development…"

Establishing joint attention is an important step in the development of social interaction skills among young people who have autism spectrum disorders.

Joint Attention Study Has Implication for Understanding Autism Science Daily, 9/29/07
Asperger-Advice: Joint Attention
Autism Games: Joint Attention and Reciprocity
Why is joint attention a pivotal skill in autism?
Tony Charman

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2003 February 28; 358(1430): 315–324. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2002.1199.

Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Children and Teens: The Challenge Software Program

Brad Chapin is a psychologist and director of community based services for a mental health center.

Brad developed the subscription-based online Challenge Software Program to teach children and teens how to problem-solve and moderate their thinking processes. Students who have significant mental health problems do not always have the coping strategies they need to prevent things from becoming extremely out of hand, as in the case of violent fights, school shootings, or suicide.

Links to information, including video tutorials, about Challenge Software:
What it does
How it works (This is important to view, as it describes the assessment process, the scenarios, and the games.)
Pricing and Features
Endorsements
Supporting Research
News and Events
Contact

The program provides a scenario approach to assessing the child or teen's problem solving skills and coping strategies, using video scenarios and an easy-to-use assessment interface.

Brad maintains a blog that complements the Challenge Software Program. Here are links to a couple of his posts:

Teaching Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies to Small Groups of Children

School Violence and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention

Brad Chapin is a member of Classroom 2.0, the social network for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education.

Cross-Post: Henry Jenkins, Games and Learning, Media Literacy & Quest to Learn School in NYC

Henry Jenkins will be moving from MIT to USC Annenburg School of Communication and the Cinematic Arts School. He'll be teaching courses such as "Transmedia Storytelling" and "New Media Literacies".

"...there is a learning ecology now, one that takes place outside of the classroom in the after school world...and right now, schools are cutting themselves out of the learning ecology by blocking games, by blocking YouTube, by putting filters on the computers. They block off ways the students are technologically connected, from the best ways of learning..and they leave those students who are trapped behind the participation gap from having access to the experiences that prepare the technically literate for the future."

"..Good teachers are fighting a valiant battle just to be able to access the materials of YouTube .. the other day we discovered that students could not access online resources about Moby Dick, the great American novel, because it had the word "Dick" in it."

My high school blocks websites about games. TeacherTube is blocked, too!

In the above video, a school that integrates the use of games within the curriculum is mentioned. The school is Quest to Learn, scheduled to open for the 2009-2010 school year. It is known as "New York's school for today's digital kids".

"Quest supports a dynamic curriculum that uses the underlying design principles of games to create highly immersive, game-like learning experiences for students. Games and other forms of digital media also model the complexity and promise of “systems.” Understanding and accounting for this complexity is a fundamental literacy of the 21st century."




Institute of Play (A partner of the Quest to Learn school)
Quest to Learn Press Links
A Win-Win Scenario: "Game School" Aims to Engage and Educate
Eliza Strickland, Wired 8/6/07

AccessApps: Open-Source Assistive Technology from RSC

From the AccessApps Webpage:

"AccessApps is an initiative developed by the Scottish JISC Regional Support Centres in cooperation with JISC TechDis. It consists of over 50 open source and freeware assistive technology applications which can be entirely used from a USB stick on a Windows computer (here is a full list of applications on offer)."

"AccessApps will run without needing to install anything on a computer and provide a range of e-learning solutions to support writing, reading and planning as well as visual and mobility difficulties."

AccessApps has a good help page that includes "how-to" information in video format, a step-by-step guide that you can download, and a FAQ page. Categories of applications include a free installable screenreader, games, utilities, presentation tools, multimedia tools, keyboard/mouse alternatives, visual support, reading and writing support, planning and organization, productivity software, and guides.

AccessApps won an award from the Scottish Open Source Award 2008.There is more information about the various applications on the AccessApps download page.

Cogmed RoboMemory: Technology to Improve Working Memory; Play Attention to Improve Focus

Cogmed is a Swedish company that developed a computerized working memory training program. There are two versions of the application, one for children, and the other for adults. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has worked with children or teens with Cogmed computer applications.

Here is a recent article that demonstrates how using the Cogmed application can change brain chemistry:
Changes in Cortical Dopamine D1 Receptor Binding Associated with Cognitive Training (pdf) Fiona McNab, Andrea Varrone, Lars Farde, Aurelija Jucaite,Paulina Bystritsky, Hans Forssberg, Torkel Klingberg
Methods, Table S1, and References(pdf)

Abstract:
"Working memory is a key function for human cognition, dependent on adequate dopamine neurotransmission. Here we show that the training of working memory, which improves working memory capacity, is associated with changes in the density of cortical dopamine D1 receptors. Fourteen hours of training over 5 weeks was associated with changes in both prefrontal and parietal D1 binding potential. This plasticity of the dopamine D1 receptor system demonstrates a reciprocal interplay between mental activity and brain biochemistry in vivo."

Cogmed's Working Memory Guide


Photos from the Cogmed website.

Cogmed JM, for children ages 4-7



Cogmed RM for children and teens 7 and up


Cogmed QM for adults


It looks like this software would be good to consider for people who have working memory problems related to traumatic brain injuries, in addition to people who have ADD or ADHD and problems with executive functions.


Another computer-based application, reportedly been used in 450 schools, is Play Attention, by Unique Logic and Technology, and uses "Edufeedback", a technique that is similar to neurofeedback, to help people improve focus and attention.

Play Attention's ADHD Video Gallery

"Edufeedback allows Play Attention students to see attention in real-time by controlling video games by attention alone in order to build cognitive skills and shape behaviors. Edufeedback also allows students to see a direct correlation between attention and behavior; fidgeting makes the Play Attention games stop if attention wanes."

I would be interested in hearing from psychologists who use Cogmed or PlayAttention products. Is anyone using Cogmed or PlayAttention for RTI purposes?

Rich White's "Mobile Immersive Learning Lab" Project; EduSim Update

Rich White is an educational technologist for Greenbush County, Kansas, has been working with the 3D interactive virtual world, EduSim, for quite a while. He's taking EduSim to the next level.

"The concept is one of an enclosed virtual learning space - with surrounded projection of the virtual learning world the students are exploring - similar to the StarLab Concept (with a rectangular configuration). along the lines of a CAVE - however simpler, mobile, and relatively in-expensive by comparison."

The project is at the beginning prototype stage.

Below is a demo of the virtual world as it is projected on two screens that are placed next to each other at a right angle, with the center of the virtual-world view positioned where the two screens meet:

This might be a great way of reaching students who have autism!

More about EduSim:

EduSim, for those of you haven't seen my previous posts on the topic, is a multi-user 3D interactive environment used in classrooms with interactive whiteboards:

Information from Rich White's Greenbush blog about Edusim:

Wikipedia entry:
"Edusim is a Cave Automatic Virtual Environment based concept of lesson driven 3D virtual worlds on the classroom interactive whiteboard or classroom interactive surface. The Edusim concept is demonstrated by the Edusim free and open source multi-user 3D Open Cobalt virtual world platform and authoring tool kit modified for the classroom interactive whiteboard or surface. The Edusim application is a modified edition of the open source Open Cobalt Project and relies heavily on the affordances of direct manipulation of 3D virtual learning models and Constructionist Learning Principles."

History of Edusim:
"The Edusim project began in September 2007 at the Greenbush Education Service Center in Southeast Kansas as an effort to bring an engaging 3D experience to the classroom interactive whiteboard. Pilot groups were established with 6th and 7th grade middle school students throughout Southeast Kansas to observe how students would be engaged through the software, and how the user interface would need to be augmented to account for the affordances of the whiteboard, and the usability of the students."

Here is a virtual world in Edusim in COBALT, showing how a drag and drop function is used for in-world VNC application sharing:

The Cobalt 3D metaverse browser has been modified for multi-touch interaction by some of the members of RENCI, a collaborative venture of Duke University and several other North Carolina universities. The video below is Dr. Xunlei Wu, demonstrating how gesture and touch is used to manipulate items and navigate through two Cobalt virtual worlds:

Some of the members of RENCI built a multi-touch table in addition to the collaborative multi-touch wall. For more information:

RENCI: Multi-Touch Collaborative Wall and Table using TouchLib: More about UNC-C's Viz Lab

The Smart Table is Now Available for Purchase!

The Smart Table is now available for purchase!



Here is the plug:

"The world's first multitouch, multiuser table for primary education - the SMART Table - is now available for purchase.Order the SMART Table"

"As a collaborative learning center, the SMART Table enables engaging and motivating small-group learning experiences. Up to eight students can use their fingers intuitively to sweep, slide and spin objects on the interactive screen. The SMART Table's ready-made activities help primary students gain and further their skills in areas like counting and reading."

"The SMART Table also makes an ideal complement to whole-class activities on the SMART Board^™ interactive whiteboard. It helps reinforce concepts in a small-group setting and ensures students can participate in interactive and creative learning experiences."

(Cross-posted on the Interactive Multimedia Technology and Technology-Supported Human-World Interaction blogs.)

Gesturetek Health: "Interactive Technology & Virtual Reality Systems for Therapy & Rehabilitation"

(Pictures from the GestureTek website.)

Gesturetek's Health division has created a variety of interactive applications designed "... for the disability, hospital, mental health and education sectors. Our touch-free, motion-activated solutions for virtual reality physical therapy, multisensory stimulation and immersive play let patients (regardless of age, ability or condition) have fun in a hygienic environment and experience marked improvement in their physical and cognitive abilities."

Here are a few highlights:




Overview of some demos from GestureTek:


References:
GestureTek Health and FlagHouse Announce Partnership to Bring Sensory Solutions to the Physically and Cognitively Challenged

GestureTek Videoclips

GestureTek Company Fact Sheet (pdf)

Note: Dean LaCoe, of GestureTek, will be presenting at the Interactive Displays 2009 Conference in April.

Update on Game Accessibility Resources

I posted information about game accessibility resources on the Interactive Multimedia Technology blog:

Update on Accessibility and Interactive Games



The post is full of information, resources, and links from the IGDA Game Accessibility Special Interest Group blog:

.

Potential School Dropout or Late Bloomer with High Potential - Do adult attitudes regarding struggling ninth grade students make a difference?

So often I see students in the ninth grade who are completely overwhelmed by the demands of of the "Big School". They soon find that they can not keep up with the rate and pace of work, and often failing key core courses. Some demonstrate increasingly disruptive behaviors and express their discontent in ways that rub teachers and administrator the wrong way.

As a school psychologist, I know that many of these students have hidden strengths and talents, but the curriculum they face does not match the way they learn.

What are the consequences of this problem? It isn't pretty.

Ninth grade students have the highest rate of failure in grade, detentions, expulsions, suspensions, long-term alternative school placements, and school drop-out.

Despite various efforts to improve outcomes for high school students, things don't change from year to year. Cohort after cohort of teens follow the same path, and this is documented by similar statistics throughout most of the U.S.

The following chart shows what I mean. It outlines the average number of short term suspensions of students at various levels of the educational system in North Carolina from 2002-03 through 2006-07:



For more information about the problems young people face when entering the ninth grade, and links to some solutions, see the following post:

"Ninth Grade Tipping Point: What Happens in the First Year of High School Impacts Graduation and Dropout Rates"

For an interesting story about one man's personal experience as a late bloomer, take a look at
"Confessions of a Late Bloomer "
"We have fixed notions about the time course of success and the nature of talent that encourage us to write off the very people who are most likely to (eventually) change the world."
Scott Barry Kaufman
Psychology Today Nov/Dec 2008

End Mindless Notetaking! Engage Students! DyKnow Software - a tool for high school RTI?!

Take a look at this videoclip about DyKnow, an application developed to combat mindless note-taking and enhance classroom learning. Although the video demonstrates the benefits of this technology in a university classroom, it is clear to see that this would be a great asset in high school classes conducted in computer labs or have access to classroom sets of laptops.

The "retro" effect of this black-and white clip is entertaining.



DyKnow provides a means for teachers to control the way the laptop is used during class, which in a high school environment is important. Watch the DyKnow Monitor video to learn more about the features of this application, which includes a means of instant progress monitoring. The software provides for collaborative interaction between students and between the students and the teacher's work space.

In my opinion, this looks like it would be an effective resource in high schools that are adopting data-driven decision-making and Response to Intervention (RTI) models. It provides students - and teachers- with immediate feedback, and monitors progress electronically.

We know that most students do not learn best auditorily at the high school level, yet much of the high school curriculum is delivered through traditional means that involve lectures, note-taking, and some discussions. In this set up, it can be easy for some of the students to become disctracted in class, with lower grades and test scores as a consequence.

For many struggling students, traditional means of instruction opens the door for task avoidant behaviors and an increase in discipline events. They simply are not often fully engaged in the learning process.

Video: DyKnow in a high school setting: DyKnow in Action: Auburn City Schools

The DyKnow video highlights some of the ways that the curriculum be delivered in a more on-task, visual, and 'hands on" way that engages a higher percentage of students.

Article: High School Students, Teachers Learn Long-Term Benefits of Tablet PC's in the Classroom

If your school is using DyKnow, feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts!

Children at the Surface Table: BETT 2009

The picture below was posted on the Shakeout blog, and shows children gathered around Microsoft's Surface at the recent BETT 2009 educational technology conference in the UK. Read "Interesting tidbits from BETT 2009" for more information.

Interacting and Communicating with HP TouchSmart Notes: Photo, Video, Audio, and More

via Interactive Multimedia Technology

The HP TouchSmart Notes application can be used in a variety of interesting ways. I have an HP TouchSmart PC, and I like how easy it is to slide the notes about the screen using this multi-modal application. It allows the user to take capture pictures, video, or audio to create notes, as well as traditional "stickies" that allow for typing or finger-writing input. You can even draw or write over photos. It is an application that has many accessibility features. It also supports many of the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

The various notes can be put together in a variety of ways, and allow for video or photo storytelling and interesting ways of leaving messages- even a song or two.

I did some hunting and found the more information about some non-verbal students with autism who are learning verbal skills through this technology at Hope Technology School in Palo Alto, California.

Video of student using the HP TouchSmart Notes application at Hope Technology School:






Here are a few "How Two" videos that demonstrate the TouchSmart Notes features and interactions:

HP TouchSmart Voice Notes


TouchSmart Text Notes


The pictures below are from the HP TouchSmart Notes Application Review , by Peter Redmer 11/14/08



Text/Drawing Note Creation Panel


Icons for selecting input method for notes



Photo notes input panel:



You can draw on your photo-notes:

DimensionM', a 3D Interactive Multi-Player Algebra Game is Spreading in 21st Century Schools

Tabula Digita's 3D multi-player algebra game, DimensionM, is spreading to more middle and high schools around the country. Steven Hoy, of Tabula Digita, is working with UNC-Wilmington and educators in Pender and New Hanover counties.

"There is no problem with catching on. There is no problem with student usage. It is just a matter of fitting it into the curriculum"

"When was the last time you saw groups of students excited about math?" I would make the recommendation if there are other large school districts who are interesting in coming on board and providing a 21st century environment for 21st century students, they should do this..."

DimensionM Multi-player Algebra GameTournament in NYC

I first set my eyes on Tabula Digita's previous math game, Dimenxian, at the 2005 Serious Games Summit. It is exciting to see how the game has evolved, and how research shows that it is an effective teaching and learning tool.

DimensionM Website

Information about DimensionM and math curriculum standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:
http://www.dimensionm.com/alignments/Mission%20Standards%20Alignments_NCTM_V3.0.pdf

Related Research
The Effects of Modern Math Computer Games on Learner's Math Achievement and Math Course Motivation in a Public High School Setting:
http://www.dimensionm.com/docs/UCFResearch_Brief_June_202008.pdf

"The results also support findings from two meta-analysis, including: (a) Vogel et al. (2006) who concluded that interactive simulations and games were more effective than traditional classroom instruction on learners' cognitive gains based on a review of 32 empirical studies, and (b) Dempsey et al. (1994) who concluded that students who played math video games and attended the traditional classroom instruction achieved higher mathematics score than students who only attended traditional classrooms based on 94 empirical studies."

The use of computer and videogames for learning: A review of the literature
http://www.dimensionm.com/docs/VideoGamesforLearning.pdf

Link from link a NC State wiki with inforation about DimensionM:

http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Dimenxian

"DimensionM is a video game that immerses students into a virtual world with the intention of teaching them mathematics concepts using familiar game constructs. This video game targets middle and high school students and covers pre-Algebra and Algebra objectives through a series of missions. In each mission the students enter a reality-based environment where they are introduced to new math concepts. Throughout the missions students challenge themselves to understand and master the math concepts to improve their performance in the game. Students cannot move from one phase to another until they have completed the math problems or tasks with 100% accuracy."

RELATED

Drexel's Math Forum/Basic Algebra

http://mathforum.org/library/topics/basic_algebra/

Albert Ritzhaupt, Ph.D. UNC-Wilmington Class:

MIT 595: Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds (pdf flyer of Spring 2009 course)

Watson School of Education

International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations

Music to Teach Core Academic Concepts: A Look at Rhythm, Rhyme Results

One of the most popular posts on the Economic Sounds and Sights blog is a post that contains a link to the rap, Demand, Supply, by Rhythm, Rhyme, Results (RRR). If you work with middle or high school students, or you are a parent, you might be interested in learning more about these catchy, educational tunes.

Information from the RRR website:

"An extraordinary emphasis on assessing information recollection through standardized testing has subjected teachers and students to closer scrutiny. Researchers and educators note that some of the greatest problems in classroom education are the wide disparity of preparation of students, a variety of learning problems encountered, outdated or insufficient amount of teaching materials, and a lack of teaching tools for alternative learning styles."

"Textbooks alone have limited ability to engage students. Disengaged students often underachieve."

"RRR’s academic supplements assist in addressing all of these problems as well as bridging race, gender, and socio-economic divisions. Mnemonic devices enhance retention and are particularly effective with students who have visual learning disabilities, language difficulties, or poor reading skills; they appeal to a wide range of students and permit difficult information to be presented in an appealing and memorable manner.

As more schools embrace digital content they are able to access materials with fewer capital outlays, storage issues, and problems of theft or damage. RRR’s media library grows seamlessly and can be downloaded or streamed into homes or classrooms worldwide 24 hours a day."

Below is a video from Teacher Tube, using RRR's Photosynthesis rap along with slides created by a teacher, "Mr. D".

Photosynthesis Rap from RRR, along with related teaching resources

RRR's educational music page features math, science, language arts, and social studies songs, which can be purchased from their website, as well as through the iTunes Store and Amazon MP3

I couldn't find any scholarly articles to provide data regarding the effectiveness of this teaching strategy. If you are a school psychology, music, education, or special education professor or graduate student in need of an interesting research project, this might be the a good choice for you!

Eric Sailers' Speech and Language Blog & Website: Exploring New Interactive Technologies

Eric Sailers, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a speech and language pathologist and assisted technology specialist in La Mesa, California. Eric has a great webiste, Speech and Language Pathology Sharing, and a very accessible, icon based navigation system on his website at Parkway Middle School.

Like me, Eric is a fan of Johnny Chung Lee. If you haven't heard of Johnny Chung Lee, you need to know that along the way to earning his Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie-Mellon, he explored various ways to hack the Wii and WiiMotes. His YouTube video, "Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard Using the Wiimote" went viral, and over the past year, it recieved over two million hits.

(Johnny's work was the inspiration for one of my previous blog posts, "I wish I could be Johnny Chung Lee for a day!")

At any rate, here is Eric Sailers' "how-to" video that explains how to create a low-cost system appropriate for use in the schools:


The purpose of Eric's blog "...is to share speech-language materials. Some example materials will include computer books, communication boards, and social language videos."

His blog is well worth visiting if you work with students with special needs.