Abstract:

The digital age in early care enviroments at ages 0-6 facilitates both, the evaluation process and the intervention process. For this reason, the design of a desktop application has been developed from the use of widely spread technologies such as JavaFX or .NET. These technologies allow data inset and processing, with only few machine requirements, with the subsequent objective in later phases of a product migration to web or mobile platforms. These technologies also allow the generation of graphics or reports. These graphics improve the visualizations and interactivity obtained with classic tools, such as the use of spreadsheets. Regarding the storage of the data, these applications can save them in a relational database (e.g. SQLite or PostgreSQL), offering the possibility to storage the datasets in flat files like JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) or Comma Separated Values (CSV) easing the Data integration with other tools. Also, for security reasons, Google Drive & Google Docs functionalities can be used as cloud storage. These platforms provide authentication mechanisms and private access, which ensure privacy and protection of data and facilitate interaction with developed applications too. Finally, a dissociated data extraction application will be used, taking advantage of cloud storage and the existence of APIs that allow bidirectional communication between applications. Thereby, the user can see and extract the data for own analysis. All this development uses agile methodologies, preferably Scrum (Schwaber & Beedle 2001), with short iteration and fast functional product deliveries. The final result provides a real-time Learning Analytics interface with functionality on the degree of development of every student in each of the assessment areas. It also allows comparative among-students in general profile and by areas. This development is proposed as an evaluation tool and design of early intervention programs in 11 students enrolled in a specific special education center diagnosed of severe and medium intellectual disability.

Keywords:

Early care, app, skill assessment, training problem, technological.