STEM Buddies

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CertifiedEducation quality

10/2019

Sindyan Educational Media

STEM

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STEM Buddies is an app for learning about STEM in a fun way

Interactive fun app for kids between 5-9 years in Arabic and in English. The app introduced STEM topics through short animated videos and interactives such as questions, fun facts, coloring pages and more. The app is based on an interesting story and characters, which explain the concepts such as gravity in an age appropriate manner.

Age groups

Preschool

Elementary

Languages

English

Arabic

Platform

Mobile Android

Mobile iOS

Registration

Not required

Offline play

Internet required

Pictures

Videos

STEM Buddies explains several key concepts of STEM education.

The app includes interactives

The coloring book offers plenty of images to explore

The characters and story lead the exploration.

The app is available both in English and Arabic.

Pedagogy

Educational Quality

Learning Goals

The pedagogical analysis covers how the product supports learning of the identified skills. The student’s role is assessed by four contrary pair parameters, which are selected to cover the most essential aspects on the use of the product.

Passive

Active

STEM Buddies offers content for learning about different topics related to science and nature. The app is build around a narrative and characters. The characters have recognizable personalities, and their different opinions and attitudes on STEM -topics create a capturing story. After the videos, there's quizzes and more activities to test the student's learning, as well as "Fun facts".

Rehearse

Construct

The solution has fixed and well defined learning goals for STEM topics. New content unlocks as the progresses through the modules. The solution aims to keep up the user's interest during the progress by offering engaging videos and small tasks to activate the learner and help them remember what was said on the videos. The solution starts from the same baseline with all users, but the content is easy to absorb and works for a relatively broad target age.

Linear

Non-linear/Creative

The solution follows linear, predetermined user progression. The solution provides accurately predictable learning outcomes. The solution has equal learning paths for all users and a clear start and finish, which is ideal for young learners.

Individual

Collaborative

STEM Buddies is an app used independently by the child. The content and navigation is easy enough for the child to go through on their own. In a classroom context, it is possible to work in pairs on the same device if instructed so. This approach is justified, as it allows the child to act and progress autonomously. Sharing of diplomas and coloring book images is possible since they can be saved to your device, but the app doesn't let the child to eg. send email.

The following are the high educational quality aspects in this product.

STEM Buddies is a safe choice for a teacher, teaching assistant or a parent to give to a child. The content is accurate and safe and the child can use it independently.

Short, informative and capturing animation clips offer a nice introduction to chosen stem topics.

Topics are covered age-appropriately and thoroughly, and they teach scientific phenomenons in a concrete, easy to understand way.

The supported learning goals are identified by matching the product with several relevant curricula descriptions on this subject area. The soft skills are definitions of learning goals most relevant for the 21st century. They are formed by taking a reference from different definitions of 21st century skills and Finnish curriculum.

Subject based learning goals

The student will be able to identify simple patterns in daily and seasonal cycles.

The student will be able to describe observable changes (including changes of state) that occur in materials.

Identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating.

Recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear.

The student will be able to recognize that water exists in the air in different forms.

The student will be able to observe and describe the characteristics of living and non-living things.

Find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it.

Recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases.

Explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object.

The student will be able toexamine how people use air in their everyday lives (for example, transportation, recreation).

The student will be able to recognize that imagination contributes to scientific developments.

The student will be able to recognize the ways in which plants and animals have adapted over time.

The student will be able to assess the impact that changes in environmental conditions can have on living things.

Soft skills learning goals

Practising visual recognition

Using technology as a part of explorative process

Learning to build information on top of previously learned

Using technology as a part of explorative and creative process

Practicing persistent working

Encouraging the growth of positive self-image

Practicing to evaluate one's own learning

Learning to find the joy of learning and new challenges

Enabling the growth of positive self-image

Learning to combine information to find new innovations

Learning to notice causal connections

Encouraging to build new information and visions

Supporting the growth of environmental awareness

Using technology resources for problem solving

Practicing to use information independently and interactively

Practicing logical reasoning to understand and interpret information in different forms

Practising to understand visual concepts and shapes and observe their qualities

Learning to understand and interpret diverse types of texts

Developing problem solving skills

Practicing to notice causal connections

Practicing to use imagination and to be innovative

Practicing letters, alphabets and written language

Practicing fine motor skills

Practicing categorization and classification

Practicing to observe spoken and written language

Learning to understand people, surroundings and phenomenons around us

STEM Buddies

STEM Buddies