SBIR PHASE II: KidCode: Software for Young Children's Exploration of Symbolic Representation

SBIR 第二阶段：KidCode：用于幼儿探索符号表示的软件

• 批准号: 9710619
• 负责人: Michelle Baker
• 金额: $ 31万
• 依托单位: Intellinet Inc New York
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-11-01 至 1999-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9710619&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; PHASE; II; KidCode; Software

Mathematics without the message devolves into mere manipulation of symbols. It is important to help children develop an understanding of symbolic representation through experience with a wide variety of codes and coded representations, yet there is no software explicitly designed to encourage children in an exploration of symbolic representation. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project from Intellinet will implement prototype software, Kidcode, and develop teacher resource materials for a computer program that allows children in the age range 5-10 years to explore symbolic representations. In the course of the Phase I research a sequence of two-person games to be set within the context of an electronic mail system was developed. These games satisfy the following objectives with respect to children's interest and their ability to understand and play independently: Each game is genuinely enjoyed by at least some cohort of the target age range, and all children evaluated exhibited delight in at least one game as expressed by their level of interest and/or requests for repeated play. Moreover, there is evidence that, taken together, the games improve the children's facility with symbolic processing. The Phase II plans include completion of the implementation of a software prototype for the four KidCode games designed in Phase I; development of teacher resource materials to supplement the software; development of animated demonstrations and an on-line help facility; and evaluation and refinement of the software, help facility, and teacher resource materials. The KidCode games and e-mail software have commercial applications in the markets for both home and school educational software. KidCode is designed make use of local area computer networks and the Internet. At present, with the exception of Web pages on the Internet, little or no educational software exists that takes advantage of a networked computing environment. Moreover, the games address a real need in elementary mathematics curricula and appeal to teachers of elementary-aged children and other adults as well. Possibilities outside of the classroom include development of a board game style version of the KidCode games and, because the games are interactive, visually and aurally attractive, humorous, and colorful, the development of an intriguing television game show for kids.

没有信息的数学仅仅是对符号的操纵。通过体验各种各样的编码和编码表征，帮助儿童发展对符号表征的理解是很重要的，但目前还没有明确设计的软件来鼓励儿童探索符号表征。这个小型企业创新研究的第二阶段项目将实施原型软件Kidcode，并为计算机程序开发教师资源材料，使5-10岁的儿童能够探索符号表示。在第一阶段的研究过程中，开发了一系列以电子邮件系统为背景的两人博弈。这些游戏在儿童的兴趣、理解能力和独立游戏能力方面满足以下目标：每款游戏都受到目标年龄范围内某些群体的真正喜爱，所有被评估的儿童都表现出对至少一款游戏的喜爱，这体现在他们的兴趣水平和/或重复游戏的要求上。此外，有证据表明，总的来说，这些游戏提高了孩子们的符号处理能力。第二阶段计划包括完成第一阶段设计的四款KidCode游戏的软件原型；开发教师资源材料以补充软件；开发动画演示和联机帮助设施；评估和改进软件、帮助设施和教师资源材料。KidCode游戏和电子邮件软件在家庭和学校教育软件市场上都有商业应用。KidCode的设计利用了本地计算机网络和互联网。目前，除了Internet上的网页之外，很少或根本没有利用网络化计算环境的教育软件。此外，这些游戏解决了小学数学课程的实际需求，并吸引了小学年龄儿童和其他成年人的教师。课堂之外的可能性包括开发桌面游戏版本的KidCode游戏，因为这些游戏是互动的，视觉和听觉上都很吸引人，幽默，丰富多彩，为孩子们开发一个有趣的电视游戏节目。