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| The Toolkids series is designed to bring about an understanding of the underlying principles of digital media, and their creative possibilities, acknowledging that digital tools (used in computers, or as embedded in various other digital creation equipment) will be the main tools of the new generation. |
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Overview |
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Toolkids aims to excite the child’s imagination about the possibilities which exist when using digital tools, as compared to physical tools. For example, a digital pen can transform itself instantly to write in any colour, can change its strokes and have special effects; possibilities which don’t exist in the physical world.
With Digital Tools possibilities never exhaust. All Toolkids CDs have been designed so that they begin by showing examples; to inspire, explain and excite the young mind. The examples are followed by providing easy-to-use tools, for everyone to be creative, imaginative and innovative. All the tools provide open-ended exploration, limited only by the child’s imagination. The examples are arranged in an increasing order of complexity, so that the child can go on to progressively higher levels, without finding any stage too difficult to understand or handle. |
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Target Audience and Market |
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The series is designed keeping the learning needs of 3 to 6 years old children, while the individual tools can be used long after, even as the child grows older.
The target markets include direct sales to children through their schools, where Toolkids can be used both for collective activities in the class room; as well as for individual working by kids. The universal interface of the series makes it ideal for use as content in community development programs and government schemes for primary and pre-primary education, where the modules can become part of the content for kiosks and computers installed for children. Another major area of Toolkids use is at home as a fun, play activity; through retail purchase at outlets such as toy-stores, children’s section in bookshops etc. |
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Interface |
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All Toolkids CDs share a common easy-to-use, language-independent interface; so as to reduce the learning time for a new module, and allow the child to start playing with a new module immediately.
The language independent interfaces have been specially developed for kids in the pre-language reading age to help minimize incomprehensible content on the screen. Toolkids interfaces rely heavily on well-crafted icons developing a strong visual vocabulary at an early age.
The universal interface also allows Toolkids to be marketed in various countries, without any language issue. |
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Additional Advantages |
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Toolkids can very easily substitute for many steps in early computer learning, as children would
learn and master with ease many computer operations such as pointing, clicking, double-clicking, selecting, dragging, mouse controls etc. naturally and without any extra effort when playing with Toolkids. Fine motor control and hand-eye coordination are positive side-effects of using Toolkids. |
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