PCS For Families: A Case Study in the Participatory Design of a Technology-Rich Elementary School Classroom

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 646-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faith McCreary ◽  
Ray Reaux ◽  
Roger Ehrich ◽  
Susan Hood ◽  
Keith Rowland
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
System Support ◽  
Laboratory Facilities ◽  
Working Day ◽  
Workspace Design

Computers and network connectivity in the classroom raise new challenges in workspace design. Unlike corporate or dedicated laboratory facilities, a technology-rich classroom plays multiple roles throughout its working day. Classroom design demands flexible and robust construction, particularly when applied in an elementary school setting. Using the PCs for Families project as a case study, this paper discusses design issues of a technology-rich networked classroom from ergonomic design to system support.

scholarly journals Involving Users and Creating Symbols for Tangible Programming: a Case Study with TaPrEC

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Marleny Luque Carbajal ◽  
Cecília Baranauskas
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Affective Responses ◽  
Programming Environment ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Tangible Programming ◽  
Product Creation

INTRODUCTION: Participatory Design is an approach that is characterized by the active participation of users as part of the design team, thus reflecting their perspectives and needs in the product design. BrainDraw is a participatory technique for use in the design phase of product creation. This article investigates the use of participatory practices with elementary school teachers, aiming at the redesign of the programming blocks of TaPrEC, a tangible programming environment for children. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed at the redesign of symbols for the repetition blocks of TaPrEC involving the main stakeholders. METHOD: A Case Study in an educational space that offers activities during out-of-school hours to children was carried out using the BrainDraw technique with a group of elementary school teachers to redesign the symbols of the repetition blocks of the TaPrEC. The experimentation and evaluation of the created symbols were carried out by the same teachers and a group of elementary school children. We also applied the Self-Assessment Manikin form to assess the participants' affective responses during participatory activities. RESULTS: The results of the workshops highlight that the symbols created by the teachers have been better accepted by teachers and children. This positive acceptance may result from the fact that the participatory solutions proposed by the teachers suggest associations with everyday elements such as traffic signs and the symbol of multiplication. CONCLUSION: Participatory Design is a process that involves researchers and end-users in creating products for their use. Using this approach, we studied different symbol proposals for representing and understanding the repetition blocks of TaPrEC, a tangible programming environment, to promote a solution that had the participation of stakeholders and reached a solution that made sense to them.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication in an Elementary School Setting: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Virginia L. Walker ◽  
Yun-Ching Chung
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Function Type ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Communication Needs

Purpose: Although there is a strong evidence base supporting the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in school settings, the research-to-practice gap in this area remains a concern. Few studies have examined how AAC systems are implemented in school settings and whether these systems adequately promote communicative competence for students with complex communication needs. The aim of this case study was to better understand the ways in which elementary-age students with complex communication needs used AAC throughout daily routines. Method: Observations of five students, four receiving services under the category of autism and one under intellectual disability, in school settings were conducted to document the communication function, type of AAC systems used, and the times and activities during which AAC systems were accessible. In addition, supplemental interviews were conducted to understand the rationale for AAC implementation from the perspective of the special education teacher and speech-language pathologist. Results: Overall, findings from the observations and interviews indicated that a variety of AAC modes were utilized. Interactions represented a range of communicative functions, with the exception of social closeness, and were primarily observed during academic activities. However, there were some discrepancies between observations and interview data. Conclusions: Although these findings provide insight into how students with complex communication needs may use AAC in elementary school settings, more research is needed to explore AAC use across a range of students, classrooms, and schools. We present specific future research directions, along with implications and recommendations for AAC teams and researchers.

Selective Mutism in Elementary School

1997 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane J. Giddan ◽  
Gloria J. Ross ◽  
Linda L. Sechler ◽  
Bonnetta R. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Elementary School Children ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Multidisciplinary Treatment ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Selective Mutism ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Diagnostic Symptoms

Selective mutism is an infrequent phenomenon, often first identified in the school setting. This article presents the historical background for the treatment of selective mutism and current diagnostic symptoms of selective mutism, and then elaborates with a case study illustrating successful multidisciplinary treatment outcomes of a child who was selectively mute. Issues relevant to speech-language pathologists working with elementary school children are discussed, and treatment guidelines are provided.

Importance of Video Aids’ Usage in Teaching and Learning Process of English Language Classes

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eriselda Vrapi ◽  
Xhevdet Zekaj
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Communicative Skills ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
9Th Grade ◽  
8Th Grade

This study aims to explore the use of video in English language teaching (ELT) elementary school (grades 8 to 9)... In addition, the thesis aims to find out how videos in English lessons helped to achieve the goals of English curriculum. The main hypothesis was that teaching with video would develop pupils’ communicative skills and, therefore, was appropriate for the communicative approach to ELT. The study addressed five research questions regarding the use of videos in English lessons in the case study school: why the teachers used videos in ELT, what kinds of videos were used in English lessons, how and how often videos were used, what was taught and learned through the use of videos and, finally, what the teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes to lessons with videos were. The research was performed as a case study at an Elbasan elementary school. The data for the research was obtained through the use of mixed methods: qualitative, in the form of interviews with four English teachers and observations of three of the interviewed teachers’ lessons with videos, and quantitative, in the form of a pupil questionnaire answered by 105 pupils from two 8th grade and two 9th grade classes.

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