Activities for Structuring the Progress of Learning

Each Week OT expert, Sarit Tresser will be giving an in-depth insightful analysis into the various ways Health Games aid children with disabilities. Stay connected to receive first-hand input from a professional  the field of child development

As I mentioned in the last post, Timocco developed 30 new games for the benefit of activity based eye tracking.

The activities can be played by Tobii’s eye tracking technology or with the use of the Timocco ball sensors, which are activated by the use of hand movements.

The underlying principles of the new activities will begin with a process of knowing the computerized system and gradually learning the required skills needed for effective interaction with the virtual environment.

It is important to note that the purpose is not just learning how to work with the computer, but also using the computer as a tool for communication, learning, and leisure. As a result, the child will achieve an improvement in the ability of understanding cause and effect, improving the ability of abstract thinking, and improvement in visual and spatial perception. Advancement of these skills might help the child with various aspects of life beyond the computerized environment.

In order to help users structure the process of getting to know  the computerized system and controling it, Timocco produced games that are based on Tobii’s learning curve.

The Curve has 5 Stages:

1. Exploration of Cause and Effect: Basic understanding of the connection between movements of the hands or the eyes, and what is happening on the screen.
2. Object Displacement: Initial recognition of objects on the screen and establishing the ability to track them.
3. Zoned Focusing: The ability to shift between different zones on the screen, and to focus on objects that appear in-between different zones on the screen.
4. Active Exploration: Development of precision and timing skills while tracking an object in motion.
5. Control Targeting: An activity that requires a high level of precision skills, timing, response time, and developing the ability to choose an object by delaying ones’ view, motion, and dragging.

The purpose of the new games is to structure the progress of learning, and is divided into 2 groups:

1. Start Learning
2. Start Playing

The Start Learning package includes 15 early learning games which expose the child to letters, numbers and colors. These games encourage exploration and focus while concentrating on recognition and the identification of numbers, quantities, letters, and colors.

The Start Playing package includes 15 early games that provide an interactive sensory experience that encourages exploration of cause & effect, a sense of control, and basic targeting. This exposes the child to a variety of attractive environments: jungle, butterflies and ball games.

The packages are built by themes. Each theme has 5 games, this way each theme takes the child from the first level of the learning curve, to gaining control in the system, and up to the fifth level. As a result,  it is possible to suit the child with the right activity by selecting the activity according to the child’s stage in the learning progress.