http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/cwsn

This project sets out to develop and enhance the learning experience of students on the BA Early Childhood Studies who are required to examine their practice through the reflective opportunities offered on work based learning modules, EEC112, EEC205, EEC311. Some aspects of practice are difficult to facilitate for students, for example: safeguarding children and working with children with severe special needs. Our aims are;

• To create interactive, online scenarios for use on BA ECS using Poser (3D character animation software)  that makes characters more engaging and interactive;
• Test new decision tree/branching models of presentation;
• Compare student attitudes, through feedback questionnaires, to new, more fully rendered character models with what was said about the originals in previous evaluations;
• Rigorously evaluate the interactive element, decision tree format, the opportunity for formative ‘simulated’ workplace, work practice role modelling. We will be using a user group to facilitate this process that will be engaged in the developmental phases as well as in sampling the completed product.

The child in this story, Elliott, is 3 years old and has serious difficulties with attention deficit syndrome. He has problems sitting still, concentrating and sharing. We previously produced a similar scenario, using Flash, to teach students how to deal with a child (David) who has been physically abused. We are planning to revisit ‘David’ incorporating a more detailed ‘decision tree’ approach.

Method

The story is presented as a series of scenes. At the end of each scene students are presented with options to determine what they should do. They are given instant feedback on their chosen course of action and told why their decision is good or bad.

Involved

Client: Caroline Leeson, Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, Faculty of Education

Developers: Mark Pannell, Flea Palmer, Mark Lyndon (LTs)

Related Resources

Child Protection Scenario for Registered Practioner Portfolio – This was a project we created prior to ‘Children with Special Needs’. The scenario, built in Flash, centres around David, a child who nursery staff suspect is a victim of physical abuse at home.

See ‘Children With Special Needs’ at http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/cwsn