August 05, 2011 –
Miles Tomlinson is only a toddler but he already has a virtual green thumb. He has learned that plants need water from clouds and light from the sun, and that their pollen is carried from plant to plant by bees. Miles can thank his parents for his gardening prowess; they created the iPad app that taught him the fundamentals.
Bill Tomlinson and Rebecca Black, both UCI CALIT2-affiliated researchers, searched for educational iPad apps for their son but were disappointed with the selection. “We saw a bunch of interesting apps, but not many that combine both engaging interactive elements and compelling educational content,” Tomlinson says. So the informatics associate professor and his wife, an education assistant professor, took matters into their own very capable hands. “Rebecca’s expertise in education and my background in designing and programming interactive graphics made it seem like we might be a good team,” Tomlinson muses.
Seed Cycle is a colorful and easy-to-understand app that urges children to grow beautiful flowers while learning about plant growth and pollination. Along the way, they earn badges for various tasks, enhance their science vocabulary and discover new concepts.
By following the prompts, kids can create their own gardens while learning science vocabulary and concepts.
Tomlinson, an expert at human-computer interaction, is no novice when it comes to educational platforms. His academic research projects include EcoRaft, KarunaTree and the Better Carbon website, all interactive, computer-based tools created to familiarize users with environmental issues.
Seed Cycle was an enjoyable departure, however. Instead of directing teams of students who write most of the code for lab projects, Tomlinson wrote all the Seed Cycle code himself. “It was pretty refreshing,” he says. “I spend so much of my time writing grants and papers, even though I love coding.”
He and Black are pleased with the final product. “We went through several iterations, trying to integrate feedback from our young beta-testers and their parents with accurate and fun science content,” Black says. Miles seems to approve as well. “The other day he opened up the app all on his own and started planting seeds,” says his mom.
While the two creators – they call their partnership Seed Pod Productions – don’t plan to adapt Seed Cycle for other platforms, they do have some ideas for new apps, including one covering the life cycle of butterflies and moths, and another focused on penguins.
Both of which, no doubt, will receive two (green) thumbs up from Miles.
YouTube video of Seed Cycle
–Anna Lynn Spitzer
