Software Evaluation – Umi City Mighty Missions: Aquarium Adventure

Hello everyone, i was looking for educational software for my assignment and i came across with this software called Umi City Mighty Missions: Aquarium Adventure. I found this website on NickJr. This software promote learning for children and also teachers, it also support children’s cognitive, behavioral, physical development and it provide reliable appropriate context for children. This software is appropriate for 4 years old children because according to the textbook, Developmental Profiles, because it allows them to answer “whose? who? why and how many?” (Allen & Marotz, 2010. p.148). I believe this because i made my 4 years niece played which she loved it and she kept asking her self how many sea creatures whiles she was counting. There are 4 levels to this game which the first 3 levels are structured which the children have goals to meet and level 4 is unstructured which the children have the choice to design their fish tank based on their preference.

Level 1-Find the Differences

In level one the children has to identify the difference between the 3 sea creatures, two of the sea creatures are the same color but the other one is difference.

Level 2-Find the Shape/Numbers of Sides

Level 2 Children will find the particular shape/numbers of sides of the sea creatures.

Level 3-Find the Grouping of Fishes

Level 3 children will count the groupings of sea creatures and find the right amount of grouping of sea creatures.

Level 4-Decorate your own fish tank

In the level 4 children have the choice to decorate their fish tank based on their preference.

I chose this Aquarium Adventure educational software to review for a lot of reasons, it enhance children to learn their cognition by their number sense, numeration, patterning geometry. It also assist children to identify the differences in the sea creatures, count the sea creatures, identify different shapes, sizes(biggest vs. smallest) and most vs. least amount of sea creatures. According to the textbook, Developmental Profiles, children at the age of four can “understand the concept of tallest, biggest, same and more, rote count to 20 or more, sort, classify, and pattern objects with various attributes (smallest to biggest; color and shape…)”(Allen & Marotz, 2010. p.148).  In addition, it enchance children behavioural development this software gives children praise when they answer correctly and self-correcting (tells the children if they are incorrect and to try again). For physical development, children will hand-eye coordination, Move in non-locomotor ways when they are moving the mouse and fine motor development when they are clicking the mouse. The information and images on this software is very appropriate for all children.

I also chose this software because the skills such as number sense, numeration, patterning and geometry that children gained can be used in their everyday life.  Children also learn mathematics in a fun way. This software is free and web based which it means everyone can access it which children can work by themselves or with their friends.  This software have high quality such as the graphics are clear (very appropriate for everyone), engaging, user friendly, realistic colors and sound is appropriate. This software keeps children enthusiastic and also boosts their intrinsic motivation which it makes a four years old child get connected to the software.

This software has a lot of good features that will support a child care profession such children placing the sea creatures anywhere in the fish tank. When a child make a mistakes there is a lot of opportunities for trial to get the right answer. This software support children because it allows drills and practices and very self-directed. Umi City Mighty Missions: Aquarium Adventure also challenge children to find the right answer to the question been asked by the character of the software. Some children may solve the  problems verbally to themselves.  According to Lev Vygotsky’s belief of “self-talk or inner speech” (Gestwicki, 2007, p.41). Vygotsky believed that some children hold conversations with themselves as a way of thinking out loud.

Whiles playing the Umi City Mighty Missions: Aquarium Adventure software, I found a lot of limitations such as a child might get lost in the cyberspace if they accidently press a button outside of the software. Before you can get to the game, children will have to skip an advertisement and I feel like is unwanted because if a child doesn’t have patient and they click on the advertisement it will take them to another portion of the website. This software doesn’t provide map for levels which children can’t pick what level they want to play and children can’t go back to the previous level unless they start the whole game over.

Some tips I will provide for child care professional who wished to use this UmiZumi’s Aquarium Adventures education software are this game is not inclusive to all children because children with hearing impairment can’t play. This software doesn’t really display multiculturalism because all the characters are Caucasian, they could have included other cultures. In a child care setting, headphones will be needed so it doesn’t disrupt other children.  You will need internet access and enough quantity of computers available for the children in the child care setting. You will need flash-based on your computer before you can play this game. Children might get distracted easily due to the background or a child might accidently click another link.

Overall Team UmiZumi’s Aquarium Adventures education software is very great for children to enhance their cognitive, behavioral, and physical development also further learning in an reliable and appropriate context.

Please click on the Youtube link to get a review of the software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_5oIEF7YHU

References:

Allen, K. E., & Marotz, L. R. (2007). Developmental profiles: Pre-birth through twelve. New York: Thomson.

Gestwicki, C. (2007). Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Curriculum and Development in Early Education- Third Edition. Belmont: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Peakaboo Child Care Centre

Hello everyone, i was assisting my friend to find a child care for her daughter and i came across this child care that i believe is a high quality and also a great center for families to that is looking for a child care. The name of Child care Centre is Peakaboo Child Care Centre.

The Peakaboo Child Care Centre Website is very organize and easy to find information such as, on top it has links to programs, locations,team, Why us?, FAO and waiting list.  This child care website is child- friendly because it has a lot of  pictures and video clip of what children are doing such as sensory, art an activity, a child was on a computer playing games RECE and children interacting. All the pictures have little writing that describes the pictures and goes with it. Peakaboo child centre is a diversity child care which they allows families from different cultures, values and religion.The main contact of the center is Lee-Ann Arkell. She is the owner/Director of Peakaboo Child Care Centre.

 

Peakaboo Child Care Centre has over 27 locations across Ontario that provides child care centre for all families that is close to their home. some of the locations are Brampton,Hamilton, Toronto, Mississauga and Etc. At this care centre they accept children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age. The information is up to date because it stated 2011 for the publication. Clicking on the welcome to Peakaboo you will access information about the philosophy of the centre and main contact. Location is also give you different locations across Ontario, which you can map and search for your closet location to you by using your postal code or city. For every location it shows which programs have space or book for waiting list. Finding this child care centre was very easy, i just search Peakaboo Child Care on Google, As i stated before this child care website is very informative, easy to find what i am looking for and is very organized. The multimedia used on the site is very good. They used writing, pictures of what children are doing such as doing art, sensory activity, videos clips with pictures and writing describing the pictures. Video clips of parent’s testimonials of the child care and lastly video clips of what children are doing in every section such as dramatic, science and etc.

Every Child Care Centre has a mission statement, i really like their mission statement because the content covers children Developments, their needs and type of environment they have for children. http://www.peekabookid.com/whyus The mission statement of the centre is they “We believe the early years of life build a framework for lifelong learning. We believe in the dignity and value of all children. We believe that social and intellectual skills are best learned in an environment where self-esteem is nurtured and respect is absolute. We believe that children learn best through active exploration, experimentation and problem solving in a safe and stimulating setting and also focuses on the whole child.” (Peekaboo Child Care Centre, 2011)

     The target of audience of the website is parents looking for quality child care for their child. I know this because the video shows activities of what children are doing and also how RECE interact with the children.Every program has some descriptive information about what they do such as toddlers, the RECE focuses on both physical and mental growth. They also believe in play-based learning, they talk about what play-based learning, important and benefits with pictures to support what they talking about.

 

 I like the video over the internet the most because it gives the parents access to watch what their child is doing in the child care setting from home, office, also how their day went and how the RECE treat the children.

I will recommend they have pictures of parent and RECE interacting,  how parents can be involved in the child care such as parent’s night, picnics during in the summer. They should also have food and nutrition section because it is very important for parents to know what their child is having at the Child Care Centre. The food and nutrition should have all their lunch and snacks they serve at the child care, have newsletter for every season, post up the weekly schedule for parents to see and also add their input. Overall it is a good child care website for families looking for a child care centre for their child.

 

 

 

Daani Sanders commit sucide because of Cyber Bullying

Hello everyone, i was searching articles for my assignment i found a article on Google blogs and it was posted by Mandy-Jane Clarke. I was really sad after reading this article because 16 years old teenage girl  name Daani Sanders who killed herself  from been cyber bullied. The following day, over 200 high schools met at Sydney Park to remember her. Daani was bullied on Face book which she had appropriately 2000 friends. On her memorial page one of the comment was “Deserved it. I (laughed out loud) hard.” Daani’s boy friend said he wasn’t aware Daani was been bullied or had problems. Lifeline patron and former politician, John Brogden, said Daani’s death was a tragic wake-up call. “It’s a tragedy, we’ll never understand why it happened or what was in that young girl’s mind but what is important is if we ignore what happened, we ignore the problem of suicide .” Even though Daani is dead cyber bullying is still going on.

“By the time I came out, that kind of stopped it. The bullying stopped when I claimed myself and proved that I wasn’t afraid. A lot of it was when I was hiding when I was younger”. Randy Harrison

The article provides information for parents and children what bullying is and the different types of bullying are  Physical bullying, Emotional bullying ,Verbal bullying, Cyber-bullying, Sexual bullying and Homophobic bullying. According to Online Etymology Dictionary (2010),”blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.” Technology is effective way to find resources for victims of bullying and how the bullies can put a stop. There is also a bullying hotline which you can call to find out information or someone will assist you in terms of having doubts about life. The number is 1-800-273-TALK(1-800-273-8255. There is also bullying online courses that provide resources for parents, educators and children on how to address the issue of bullying in a better way at school, home and communities. This is the site http://www.bullyingcourse.com/.  This bullying article helps us with our learning what bullying looks like, what their targets are, what can children and also parents do. According to Our kids (2011), “A study by the University of Toronto showed that less than 50 percent of cyber bullying is reported and that one in four school students had been bullied online. 70 percent of sexual harassment incidents occurred online.”

“Some people won’t be happy until they’ve pushed you to the ground. What you have to do is have the courage to stand your ground and not give them the time of day. Hold on to your power and never give it away.” ― Donna Schoenrock

Another point i came across when reading this article is it shows that bullying rate has increase due to that a lot of people are committing suicide or doing drugs so they don’t get bullied. As an RECE is our responsibilities to, teach young children about bullying so they r not a victim or bullying someone. As an RECE we can be involved by doing bullying awareness week with the children and also teaching the children what bullying is, how it starts, what to do when it starts. We also have take the bullying course to gained more knowledge and able to share with children. We can also assist parents about what bullying is by providing information about it so they can be aware. Is important as RECE to work with parents to recognize bullying and find solution to it because it can affect a child’s social development and also their health. As RECE, we should teach children to report right away when they see someone been bullied instead of cheering or standing there to watch the incident. RECE’s and parents need to work together to find solutions to bullying as soon as it arise before anything happens.

This article connects with my pedagogy because I believe every child is unique in their own way. I believe as ECE we should provide safe, healthy and friendly environment for children to grow. Is not fair for other children to be pick on and be a victim of bully. I believe that bullying should be taught during preschool because been victim of bullied can lead you to low self-esteem, depression and etc. During bullying awareness week I will make the children take anti bullying pledge so they have idea about it.   http://www.bullying.org/htm/main.cfm?content=1063   (this the bully pledge).  I believe that  they should be more ECE’s in the room so the children can be supervise very well because bullying happens everywhere such as washroom, playground , hallway and etc. I also believe we should all care, respect one another based on everyone’s values and culture and not hurt one other. As my philosophy of ECE, we should teach children more cooperative activities. Have a problem box for children, parents and ECE’s so everyone can report their problems and concerns which they will get some suggestions. It connects with pedagogy and philosophy of ECE because when you have good teachers and children interacting, children will trust you to tell you their problem because they know you will be able to assist them.

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