Southold, New York — December 13, 2010

Unlike educational programs that proscribe the next step or activity for a student based on their response, I Can Do That! Kids helps students discern and decide for themselves what to do as they work on a challenge and learn. ICDT! Kids learn to ask themselves, “What do I need to do next?” to Outsmart OBST, an annoying character created to represent learning obstacles.

I Can Do That! Kids was a finalist in the Innovation Incubator Program at the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) Ed Tech Business Forum in New York City in late November. There was an enthusiastic response from attendees, many of whom are former educators who recognize the need for I Can Do That! Kids.

Angelo Truglio, Founder, remarked, “I was a public school teacher for over 30 years. There is a gap in the process. Children are expected to learn but often do not know how to learn. I Can Do That! Kids is designed to provide strategies to close that gap. I Can Do That! Kids is a kid-friendly “How I learn” program for students ages 6-11. With I Can Do That! Kids students learn how to learn.”

In 2007 Angelo Truglio, a recipient of the US DOE Christa McAuliffe award, began creating a kid-friendly way for young students to build self-efficacy – a belief that “I can do that!” When students learn to overcome obstacles, they feel capable, motivated and less distracted. Teaching becomes more effective which results in improved learning outcomes.

I Can Do That! Kids is introduced in the early grades, when students are most enthusiastic and receptive to learning. It is the optimum time to instill strategies and build a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning.
I Can Do That! Kids is not subject specific. I Can Do That! Kids is readily integrated into any lesson, it is not another add-on program. It provides easy, real-time feedback to teachers; enables individualized instruction and helps to meet the students’ personal needs.

I Can Do That! Kids utilizes blended learning – face-to-face and online instruction. It does not rely on extrinsic rewards but on the sense of accomplishment from completing a challenge and doing it well. I Can Do That! Kids can be used whenever students face a challenge. If a computer is not available, the I Can Do That! Kids Action Cards and printed materials allow students to use the program anywhere.

When a student is working on a challenge, OBST makes things difficult. The obstacle is not the teacher or the parent – instead the protagonist is OBST, and the student works to Outsmart OBST. Teachers and Parents like this because tension and conflict are reduced.

The ICDT! Kids Action Star characters are ready to help Outsmart OBST. Students choose their strategies through the Action Stars and have ways to plan and track their progress. Every time a student uses an Action Star, OBST gets weaker! This encourages personalized learning. Teachers observe the student’s learning strategies and can individualize instruction. The goal is for students to apply the strategies independently of the teacher or parent.

At the November Forum Angelo Truglio also remarked, “Teachers have told me… and I have experienced it myself… there’s nothing that replaces the sly grin that appears on a child’s face when they read OBST’s comments and immediately connect to what they are thinking, and how they are behaving when faced with a challenge.”

When students come home talking about how they’re becoming I Can Do That! Kids at school, and teachers talk about the program at Parent-Teacher conferences, parents can support their child through a home subscription to the website.

At the website teachers and students can see how other ICDT! Kids are Outsmarting OBST and can look at the Action Stars that other students have created. In addition, teachers and parents can exchange ideas, share comments, and access the I Can Do That! Kids HOW TO Guides and Tips of the Week.

I Can Do That! Kids has been piloted in the classroom, in small groups and with individual students. Comments from teachers who have been using the program can be found at: http://icandothatkids.com/blog/2010/03/i-can-do-that-kids-in-the-classroom/#comments

ICDT! Kids meets many of the criteria for Personalized Learning that are outlined in “Innovate to Educate: System ReDesign for Personalized Learning” a report from the August 2010 SIIA Symposium. http://siia.net/pli/presentations/PerLearnPaper.pdf

For more information contact Angelo Truglio at angelotruglio@icandothatkids.com
or 1-631-765-8033.

www.icandothatkids.com