Sheepdog

Help Bonzo the sheepdog get the sheep into the pen in this absorbing program which teaches young children keyboard skills and how to solve problems. Older children can use the points of the compass to direct Bonzo.

Longman Software - the new generation of learning materials. Each program is based on well-tried educational theories, brought alive by the cretive wizardry of modern technology. Your children will be spellbound.

At home, 4 to 8 year olds can discover, by themselves and for themselves, an adventure wonderland of early skills and abilities.

The colour and movement on the screen will fire their imagination. They will be stimulated and encouraged to enjoy addition and subtraction, spelling and word recognition and other early skills.

Introduction

Sheepdog is a game where the aim is to round up sheep giving commands to Bonzo the dog. It is great fun and involves children using a range of language and number skills. The experience of using the program is most valuable when shared with other children or adults. These notes are to help you get the best out of the program.

Longman Software

Sheepdog is part of the Early Learning range from Longman Software - home computer programs from one of the world's most successful educational publishers. Longman have drawn together experts in the field of every learning and professional computer programmers to make the most of the advantages of micro computer learning.

1. Computers provide endless and patient individual attention
2. Computers present early learning materials in an immediate and compelling format, full of colour and movement
3. Children can work at their own pace and in their own home
4. Learning with computers is fun
5. Computer familiarity and confidence are vital skills for the modern world - particularly now that there is a micro computer in most schools.

Sheepdog - What Is It All About?

'Rounding up sheep' is the short answer! Initially, the program may seem like a simple arcade game. However, by varying the conditions it is possible to make Sheepdog a stimulating and exacting program for all ages - even adults! (See note 3)

The program is designed to provide a context for children to develop and practise concepts of space, direction, estimation, number and points of the compass. This happens best when children are encouraged to discuss their thinking, to make decisions and then justify them.

Commands of where and how to move are given to the sheepdog. As in real life, the sheep run away when Bonzo gets near and your aim is to get the sheep into the pen. There are two ways of giving commands: using the computer arrow keys or typing in points of the compass. (See below for commands.)

The Program In Action

Superficially, Sheepdog is a simple simulation, an example of an interactive video game. However, the program was designed to promote reasoning and shared problem solving through discussion. Its potential is realised more fully when children plan and predict what will be the consequences of a set of moves.

Two conventions you will meet in this program:

1. a small rectangle in the left-hand corner of the screen is a signal for you to press the Space Bar when you are ready to continue;
2. (Y/N) means press Y for Yes or N for No.

A. You can opt to have 1 or 2 sheep, give commands using the computer arrow keys or by typing points of the compass. Select which you want. After typing in your name, press RETURN. You are asked to help Bonzo. Press SPACE to move to the next page which shows Bonzo and sheep in a field surrounded by a fence with a gap leading to a pen.

Here are the commands and what they mean:

Arrows Left, Right, Up, Down, C - Crouch, S - Stand

Compass

Note: You must press RETURN after each command using compass directions. Bonzo can move when crouched and, like this, is able to get closer to the sheep. However he does not move as far each time, nor do the sheep run as far.

B. Try running the sheep (or Bonzo) into the fence that surrounds the field. You will be asked if you want to try again. (Press Y for Yes or N for No in reply to these questions.)

C. The options include repeating the same starting positions or making changes. If you opt to change, you will have a new problem with the positions of Bonzo, sheep and pen altered. Repeating the same problem has advantages especially when you are following some of the problems suggested (See below).

Notes

1. Especially with younger children, it is important that they understand what the program simulates. Talk about how sheepdogs work, the kinds of commands they are taught to obey, why they crouch and where they have to be to drive the sheep forwards. You may see some dogs at work in fields or on televised competitions.
2. Let children experiment. There are no 'right' answers. The program provides opportunities for sharing ideas and discussing possible solutions.
3. The program can be used in many ways and the tasks tailored to the age and experience of the child.
   
   3(i) Younger children can gain experience in using positional language - up, down, left, right, near to, etc. Get them to predict what will happen before they enter a command. Discuss all the time what they think will happen and why: this will help develop language used in problem solving.
   
   3(ii) More experienced children will be able to set themselves more demanding tasks by entering sequences of moves. For example, try writing down a set of four different commands that will help towards getting the sheep into the pen. Enter these commands, watching carefully to see what happens. Now try another set of four commands. Obviously the more commands ahead that you try and predict, the harder the task. (The ultimate task might be to give a complete set of instructions to enable Bonzo to drive the sheep into the pen.)
   
   Keeping a written record of moves is an important skill to acquire. A record of moves is essential if a problem is to be repeated in search of refinement of strategy. You may have worked out a sequence of commands that achieves success; could you use fewer commands?
4. Using the compass option offers a wider range of commands and diagonal movements for Bonzo. It may be useful for children practising using compass directions to have a written compass to refer to.
5. Younger children may have difficulty in understanding that they can control only the dog's movements; they want to tell the sheep what to do! They may be best ignoring the sheep to begin with and try instead to get Bonzo in the pen.
6. To help with making accurate estimates of where Bonzo or the sheep will be after a certain move, it is helpful for children to use a piece of Blu-tak. For example, stick a piece onto the screen to mark where you would like Bonzo to move.

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