Scratch’ando com o SAPO” Guardians: designing the mediators for play-work-study for kids.sapo.pt

Abstract

The Post-Industrial era in which we live reveals how the media institutions have changed in regard to children. The number of software applications directed and vehiculated towards them, essentially by new media, createan impact on educators who interact with children and with parents who respond to a child’s decision-making capacities and influential abilities. It is fascinating to verify how adults are pleased and willing to learn from children. It should be noted that in Portugal 61% of households with children have two or more computers, 39% of Portuguese children between the ages 4 and 5 use the internet regularly, 67% of children between the ages 6 and 7 use computers on a daily basis and 78% of children ages 8 or 9 and up, use the computer on a regular basis. One of these software applications, available for free, is called Scratch, created by Mitchel Resnick, Professor at MIT, who recognizes the new children’s status, regarding the process of communicative, reflective, creative and playful child co-participation. This application was translated into Portuguese and made available in Portugal by Portal SAPO Kids, which belongs to the company Portugal Telecom. In the sphere of action of the project "Scratch'ando com o Sapo", from the Sapo Laboratory at the University of Aveiro, tutorials were built – action guides to promote and develop play, work and study activities for various segments of Scratch users. The "Scratch'ando com o Sapo" guardians are the characters that guide the children through the choices available. In terms of design, the creation of these characters were based on a set of data collected from the observation of participants and the gathering of guidelines of children from different project groups. Separated into three age groups – 3-6 years, 7-9 years and 10-12 years – the guardians represent the child’s visual universe and can therefore be easily identified by each of the referring age groups to which they belong. This equally applies to the accessories that characterize each of the characters, contributing to the understanding of both their visual and verbal recognition. Thus Pópia and Pópio guide the actions of children between the ages of 3 and 6 and have as attire a doll, a ball, a book and tools. Argus and Sylla with ages between 7 and 9 years are attired with super hero costumes, stars, an ipod, hair adornment and a karaoke microphone. Bicuda and Bilóca, between the ages of 10 and 12, show off a wallet, rings, a gardener’s apron, tools for nature care and a fruit basket. Also in regard to illustration options that were taken, is important to note the use of strong and bright flat colours, simple strokes with little texture and minimal visual noise, not exaggerating with details, not only due to the fact that the guardians are to be viewed primarily in small format on the computer screen, but, also, to be able to maintain the user’s focus of attention towards what is essential.