TASK 5 - “Splash Math Game”.

Hi everyone!! It’s Noemí and today I’m going to analyze “Splash Math Game” as a tool for education, which is a free website where students can play grade-level appropriate math games. To analyze it, I will use two tools: a Privacy common sense Program to evaluate privacy policies and also, a rubric for eLearning Tool Evaluation which is a formative element intended to offer insight into the relative strengths and weaknesses of the app.

Firstly, I am going to analyze it following the Rubric for eLearning Tool Evaluation.

Regarding functionality, it is important to mention that this tool is only for a single player as it is focused on the progress of a student; their intuitive manner of instruction and their user-friendly interface makes the app easy to use. What is more, it has campus-based technical support to aid users in solving problems experienced and in terms of the communication channels employed is restrictive.

Concerning accessibility, the tool meets accessibility guidelines; it has some limited capacity to address the need of diverse users because although it allows you to choose what grade you come from, there isn’t an option which takes into account the needs of diverse users and capabilities. Talking about the required equipment, it does not require equipment beyond what is typically available (internet connection and a device); however, limited aspects of the tool can be used for free with other elements requiring payment of a fee, although it lets you have a free week to prove it.

Moving to the technical part, the tool can be embedded as an object via HTML; the users can effectively utilize the app with any standard, up-to-date operating system, and browser, and users do not need to download additional software or browser extension.

Moreover, mobile design should not be forgotten. This tool is designed especially for mobile phones or tablets and it does not need a connection to work as it has an offline mode.

In terms of privacy, it works suitably, simply because you only have to provide a nickname and your email to receive your child's progress. Moreover, users maintain ownership and copyright of their intellectual data which the user can keep or share.

If we examine the presence, we have to deal with three domains: Social, teaching, and cognitive. Socially speaking, this tool does not allow you to interact between users; instructors can control learner anonymity and the tool is widely known. On the other hand, teaching presence has a minor concern, as the tool has limited functionality to effectively support an instructor’s ability to be present with learners via active engagement and limited aspects of the tool can be customized to suit the classroom context and learning outcomes. Focus on cognitive presence, the tool enhances engagement in targeted cognitive tasks that were once overly complex or inconceivable through other means, and through the tool and learners can regularly receive formative feedback on learning.

On the other hand, taking into account the common sense privacy program, it says that this app is used by more than 20 Million children for fun math practice. The program gives a Pass for it with a score of 93%. Attending more detailing to the different marks that the tool deserves in different areas are:

• Data collection 75%, because personally identifiable information is collected.

• Data security 83%, as the terms state they do not offer students chat rooms or community features that would allow the sharing or posting of children's personal information publicly. Besides, the terms specify the service neither rents nor sell a user's personal information or children's personal information to anyone.

• Data rights 100%, because users cannot create or upload content; processes to access and review user data are available; processes to modify inaccurate data are available and processes for the school, parents, or students to delete data are available.

• Data sold 75%, as user information can be transferred to a third party.

• Data safety 88%, because user-created content is not filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.

• Ads and Tracking 100%.

• Parental consent 100%.

• School purpose 100%.
  

To conclude, I would like to say that I decided to analyze this tool as I tend to use it with my little cousins to teach math dynamically and appealingly, as I’m fond of game-based learning; so it sounds interesting to evaluate how it is deeply.