Evaluation of a Motion-Based Platform for Practicing Phonological Awareness of Preschool Children

Autor/inn/en	Goffredo, Michela; Bernabucci, Ivan; Lucarelli, Cristiana; Conforto, Silvia; Schmid, Maurizio; Nera, Maria Matilde; Lopez, Luisa; D'Alessio, Tommaso; Grasselli, Bruna
Titel	Evaluation of a Motion-Based Platform for Practicing Phonological Awareness of Preschool Children
Quelle	In: Journal of Educational Computing Research, 54 (2016) 5, S.595-618 (24 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0735-6331
DOI	10.1177/0735633115626881
Schlagwörter	Motion; Kinetics; Human Body; Phonological Awareness; Preschool Children; Teaching Methods; Conventional Instruction; Emergent Literacy; Technology Uses in Education; Educational Technology; Cartoons; Kindergarten; Italian; Instructional Effectiveness; Language Tests; Scores; Comparative Analysis; Foreign Countries; At Risk Students; Simulated Environment; Italy + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bewegungsablauf; Kinetik; Menschlicher Körper; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Frühleseunterricht; Technology enhanced learning; Technology aided learning; Technologieunterstütztes Lernen; Unterrichtsmedien; Zeichentrickfilm; Italienisch; Unterrichtserfolg; Language test; Sprachtest; Ausland; Künstliche Umwelt; Italien
Abstract	The aim of this study is to introduce a new platform, called "En Plein", for the kinesthetic practice of phonological skills by preschool children and to examine its feasibility in combination with more traditional teaching methods. The rationale is that the manipulation of structural phonological units is important to train the necessary prerequisites for writing and reading and to help the identification of early learning disability precursors. The system includes a large number of phonological activities for children and allows interaction with a playful virtual environment via a cartoon-avatar controlled by a gesture-based natural user interface. "En Plein" relies on the Microsoft Kinect™ motion sensor. In the pilot study, the system has been placed in a classroom of an Italian kindergarten for 5 weeks of training. A test for assessing the phonological skills in Italian language for kindergarten (Valutazione delle Competenze Metafonologiche [CMF]) has been administered before and after training. Children who worked with the platform showed improvements in their phonological awareness (mean increase of CMF scores of 9%), while their peers who received only the traditional education had a mean increase of CMF scores of 1%. Results from this preliminary study show that children who used the system were more confident in manipulating structural phonological units, increased their awareness of words sound structures and generalized these skills by applying them to different tasks. The performance of "En Plein" is particularly encouraging for future large-scale applications in kindergartens and possible tests with children at risk of developing specific learning disabilities. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01