Smart tangible toys, designed for hand manipulation, can transform fine motor skills assessment into enjoyable activities which are engaging for children to play (partially) unsupervised. Such toys can support school teachers and parents for early detection of deficiencies in motor skills development of children, as well as objectively monitor the progress of skills development over time. To make a game enjoyable for children with different skills level, these smart toys could offer an adaptive game play. In this paper we describe the design and deployment of a digital board game, equipped with sensors, which we use to explore the potential of using smart toys for fine motor skills assessment in children.
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Computational thinking (CT) skills are crucial for every modern profession in which large amounts of data are processed. In K-12 curricula, CT skills are often taught in separate programming courses. However, without specific instructions, CT skills are not automatically transferred to other domains in the curriculum when they are developed while learning to program in a separate programming course. In modern professions, CT is often applied in the context of a specific domain. Therefore, learning CT skills in other domains, as opposed to computer science, could be of great value. CT and domain-specific subjects can be combined in different ways. In the CT literature, a distinction can be made among CT applications that substitute, augment, modify or redefine the original subject. On the substitute level, CT replaces exercises but CT is not necessary for reaching the learning outcomes. On the redefining level, CT changes the questions that can be posed within the subject, and learning objectives and assessment are integrated. In this short paper, we present examples of how CT and history, mathematics, biology and language subjects can be combined at all four levels. These examples and the framework on which they are based provide a guideline for design-based research on CT and subject integration.
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ABSTRACT This study investigates how perceptions of radicalisation and co-occurring mental health issues differ between mental health care and the security domain, and how these perceptions affect intersectoral collaboration. It is generally thought that intersectoral collaboration is a useful strategy for preventing radicalisation and terrorism, especially when it concerns radicalised persons with mental health issues. It is not clear, however, what perceptions professionals have of radicalisation and collaboration with other disciplines. Data was obtained from focus groups and individual interviews with practitioners and trainers from mental health care and the security domain in the Netherlands. The results show a lack of knowledge about radicalisation in mental health care, whereas in the security domain, there is little understanding of mental health issues. This leads to a mad-bad dichotomy which has a negative effect on collaboration and risk management. Improvement of the intersectoral collaboration by cross-domain familiarization, and strengthening of trust and mutual understanding, should begin with the basic training of professionals in both domains. The Care and Safety Houses in the Netherlands offer a sound base for intersectoral collaboration. Future professionals from different domains ought to be familiarized with each other’s possibilities, limitations, tasks, and roles.
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Can computers talk like humans? Look like humans? Behave like humans? Project Virtual Humans in the Brabant Economy (VIBE) focuses on developing and testing virtual humans to make this happen. The virtual humans developed by VIBE will be able to communicate with normal people in a natural way, both verbal and non-verbal, and deliver a valuable contribution to the training of healthcare professionals. The agents developed by VIBE can be used in any training simulation in various instances, including virtual, mixed and augmented reality.VIBE agents are designed to also allow customization for other domains to enhance training and education programs even beyond the healthcare domain.Funding:EU EFRO, Province of Noord Brabant, municipalities.