Star Bears
Star Bears is an interactive digital learning tool for English Language Learners. It teaches students to identify their feelings and build confidence through storytelling and short interactive activities.
It seems like...
A lack of confidence constrains English Language Learners from expressing themselves.
There is a lack of digital learning tools for ELLs due to the complexities of teaching them.
“How might we give English Language Learners the opportunity to express themselves and help them build on their strengths and confidence?”
Digital + Social-Emotional Learning
Digital tools can give students the ability to work at their own pace, gain independence and get them talking without the pressure of an audience. Social-Emotional Learning promotes student development to recognize and manage emotions and build relationships. Each chapter in Star Bears focuses on three of the five core social-emotional competencies students could use to gain confidence in school.
Self-Awareness
Chapter One is focused on learning to label and recognize emotions. Sunny, the main character, discovers he is moving to Ice Planet. He is sad to leave his friend in Sun Planet.
Social Awareness
Chapter Two is focused on identifying social cues to determine how others feel. Sunny needs to figure out how to catch fish in the fishing pond. Danny sees Sunny struggling and offers to help.
Relationship Management
Chapter Three is focused on demonstrating the capacity to make friends and build confidence. Sunny goes ice rock climbing, but quickly becomes scared to climb. But his freinds help him build the confidence to climb to the top.
Prototyping
During the prototyping stage, I tested the digital tool on a tablet with an Elementary student. It provided me with the opportunity to get user feedback on the usability and interactivity throughout the story.