This program helps the student learn to generalize: to understand
that “horse,” for instance, can mean any one of the category
of horses, and not necessarily one particular horse.
This program uses some basic item names
and pictures to help the student to learn to generalize.
There are 20 items listed in this program.
They are airplane, apple, ball, banana, bicycle, bread,
camera, car, cat, cup, dog, grapes, hat, horse, lion, motorcycle,
orange, shoes, snake, and tiger.
The program opens with a “Settings” box.
It offers items from five categories of choices. The categories
are items for generalization; distracters; method; mode;
and training mode settings such as label, prompt, and congratulatory
animation. |
Note: In most of our matching and activity programs,
the student must wait until the command voice has finished
before he/she clicks on the object. For instance, the voice
must finish “Show me an airplane” before the student clicks
on the airplane. (If the student clicks on the airplane
before the voice command is finished, nothing will happen.)
Therefore the teacher/parent needs to instruct the student
to wait for the voice command to finish. |
Help
|
Click on the “Help” button to view
the help file. The help file opens in a separate window. |
About |
Click on the “About” button to view
the profile of this company. |
Setting
Box |
Items |
Items
for Generalization |
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Twenty items are listed
in alphabetical order. Any of these items can be selected
for generalization. The first item (airplane) is selected
by default. If an item is selected for generalization, it
cannot be selected as a distracter. |
Items
for Distracter |
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A distracter here means
any item that is not the correct answer. (The distracter
is used so that the student can learn by comparing the items.)
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The second item, apple,
is chosen by default.
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There are two methods employed
in this program.
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Method
1 |
This is the default selection.
There are three levels under this method. You are asked
to show the pictures of the generalized item.
When the student clicks the “Enter” button
on the “Settings” screen, he/she enters the activity screen.
The item to identify (generalized item) is shown on the
left side of the screen with a green blinking frame around
it. When the blinking stops (after a few seconds) some pictures
of other items (generalized and distracter items) show up
on the right side. The program voice says (for instance)
“Show me an Airplane” and the student clicks on the picture
of the generalized item, the airplane. When the correct
item is clicked, it disappears. Once all the generalized
items on the screen are clicked, a congratulatory animation
appears and the next set of pictures comes up. |
Level
1 |
|
This is the default for method
1. When this option is selected two pictures show up on
the left side of the screen. One is the item for generalization
and the other is a distracter. When the correct picture
is clicked, a congratulatory animation and the next set
of items appear. This happens four times. Then, the items
on the right appear with two of the generalized item and
no distracters. This time both pictures should be clicked.
Next, two pictures (one generalized and the other a distracter)
are shown. This cycle (two generalized items and then one
generalized item and a distracter) will continue until the
“Done” button is clicked.
On the first four screens in Level 1, the
picture on the left and the picture on the right of the
generalized item will be the same picture. After the first
four screens, the generalized item will be a different picture
of a similar item. Here the student is beginning to learn
to generalize. |
Level
2 |
|
If Level 2 is selected, there
will be three pictures on the right side of the screen.
At least one of these pictures will be of the generalized
item. The picture may be the same as the one in the green
frame, or it may be similar but not identical. The student
should click on the correct picture(s) |
Level 3 |
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If Level 3 is selected, there will be four pictures
on the right side of the screen. At least one of these pictures
will be of the generalized item. The picture may be the same
as the one in the green frame, or it may be similar but not
identical. The student should click on the correct picture(s). |
Method
2 |
|
Unlike Method 1, Method 2
includes no example (Model) picture in a flashing green
frame. The student is asked to click on the correct (named)
picture.
This method passes through 7 stages. Stage
1 shows one picture of the named item, Stage 2 shows two
pictures, Stage 3 shows three, and Stage 4 shows four. Stage
5 shows a picture of the generalized item with a distracter.
Stage 6 shows two pictures of the generalized item with
two distracters. Stage 7 shows three pictures of the generalized
item with three distracters.
Click on the “>>” button to move
to the next stage. If the “>>” button is clicked at
Stage 7, the program returns to Stage 1. |
Mode |
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There are two modes of
program.
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Training |
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This option is selected by
default. When this is selected, the program can be used
to train the student. |
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Select this option to measure
the student's progress. The “Report” button under “Test”
mode is enabled. The “Prompt (Animation)” option is disabled. |
Report |
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Only under “Test” mode
is “Report” enabled. After doing any number of test problems,
you can click on “Done” to see the report. When you click
on “Done” the settings screen appears. Now click on the
“Report” button under “Test” to see test results. First
the current test result will be shown with the date, starting
time, end time, and level of the test. It also shows the
percentage of correct answers. There are also buttons for
showing test results in different forms. “Report” allows
the teacher/parent to measure the student's progress. The
following are available:
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Detailed
Report
This screen shows test results including the grade, object
identified, distracters, and time taken to finish the test.
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View Old Records
If there are old test results, they will be shown on this
screen. The current test result is always on top.
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Bar
Chart
If you wish to see test results on a bar chart, click this
button.
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Overalls
This button appears on the Bar Chart Screen. Here, the student
can see the average of all test results of up to the last
ten attempts. Written vertically on the bar are: overall
percentage of correct answers, and date and starting time
of the tests. When there are any old results, they will
be shown, left to right, from oldest to latest.
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Right Arrow
This changes the display to the next more recent set of
test results. When the current test result is on the screen,
this button is grayed.
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Left Arrow
This changes the display to the previous set of
test results. When this button is grayed, there is no earlier
test to see.
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On the top left corner,
the display indicates which record is being shown out of
total records.
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Print
When this button is clicked, the
printer prints the current screen.
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Delete
All existing records will be erased if this button
is clicked. (But a warning message box pops up and asks
for confirmation.)
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Done
Click on this button to close the screen and return
to the previous screen.
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There are three more settings
(Label, Prompt (Blink), and Congratulatory Animation) that
occur only in the training mode. |
Label |
|
This option is selected
by default. When this box is checked, the name of the item
appears just below the picture. When unchecked, the word
doesn't appear.
|
Prompt
(Blink) |
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This option is selected
by default. All the correct pictures will blink when this
is checked.
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Congratulatory
Animation |
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This box is checked by
default. When this is checked, clicking the correct item(s)
invites a congratulatory animation. This animation runs
for ten seconds. Click anywhere on the screen or press the
space bar to stop the congratulatory animation.
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Uncheck the box if the
student doesn't need congratulatory animation.
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Command
Text |
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This option is selected
by default. When this is checked, a short text appears at
the bottom of the screen. It tells the student which items
to identify. If unchecked, the text won't be visible.
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Enter |
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After selecting settings,
click on the “Enter” button to open the
program.
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Exit |
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To close this “Generalization
of Objects” program, click on the “Exit”
button.
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