“It is not about the technology; it’s about sharing knowledge and information, communicating efficiently, building learning communities and creating a culture of professionalism in schools. These are the key responsibilities of all educational leaders”. – Marion Ginapolis
Implementing a new technological tool or service within a classroom setting can become a waste of money if it isn’t done right. To implement new technology, schools must consider carefully the cost of bringing in that technology, the potential gains that the technology can bring, and the anticipated reactions not only of the members of the school, but also from each child and his or her parents.
At one point online speech or occupational therapy was an act of science fiction, grouped together with teleportation, hover cars, and molecular food generators. TinyEYE Therapy Services began developing the software to deliver speech therapy online in 2005, and started therapy services in 2007. At the time, it was unheard of and looked upon with skepticism. Online therapy is now considered a valid service offering with proven effectiveness.
To anyone who has watched a child confronted with new technology, this shouldn’t come as any surprise. Children are naturally drawn to and adapt to technological advances, recognizing them as more effective, efficient and fun than their traditional counterparts. Before they are able to walk, most children are able to turn on and off their favorite toys. School-age children know instinctively that searching for information online will be more effective than using books in the library. By the time they reach Kindergarten, most children have used some form of Face Time or video messaging application to communicate with their family or friends.
It is with this in mind that TinyEYE is launching the next generation of speech and occupational therapy – telepresent robots. Until now, online therapy has been restricted to pull-out methods, meaning the child was forced to leave his or her classroom to attend therapy. TinyEYE has officially partnered with Double Robotics to implement revolutionary collaborative therapy via telepresence. Collaborative therapy is very beneficial because it allows the therapist to view the child using his or her skills in ‘every day’ situations, in addition to being able to work closely with the child’s teacher to ensure that their skills and lessons are receiving positive reinforcement in the classroom.
The therapist has the capability of maneuvering the robot remotely, requiring no additional personnel or supervision by the school. The therapist can hear what is going on around him or her, and has multiple camera views and heights to allow maximum versatility.
To learn more, visit us at www.TinyEYE.com/RobotsInSchools or call us at 1-877-846-9393.
Want more robot? This is part of a 12-week blog series on Robotics and Online Therapy by TinyEYE Therapy Services. Posts will be published every Wednesday at 10am PT. Subscribe to automatically recieve posts by email.
Last week's post: When Worlds Collide: TInyEYE Therapy Services Brings Robots into the Classroom
