FAQ’S MY WAY – Animal Planet

You can search for and download the application from the Apple App Store (for iOS devices) or from Google Play (for Android devices). You will find it under the name Animal Planet by Kids&Us. My Way can be used on a tablet or in its desktop version on a laptop or desktop computer. We recommend primarily using it on a tablet, mobile phone, or touchscreen computer, as students in this age group are often more comfortable with touchscreens than with a mouse. The application will always be displayed in English, as this is your child’s instructional language.

The requirements are as follows: - For Android devices: the device must have the latest update released by the device manufacturer. Huawei devices are the only models that do not allow installation of My Way because they are not compatible with Android applications. - For iOS devices: the device is required to have iOS 15 installed, as specified in the Apple App Store.

We recommend initially checking the credentials, as there may have been a manual error when entering them. If the issue persists, you can request a reset of the login credentials through the My Kids application.

Yes, you can install the application on different devices, but it cannot be used on more than one device simultaneously. In other words, although the application can be installed on a mobile device and on a tablet, the same user cannot use My Way on both devices at the same time. For example, the user can listen to the audios on a mobile phone in the morning and use a tablet to do the activities in the afternoon.

My Way is available for desktop. A desktop application is an application that is installed on the computer and is run directly on the Microsoft Windows operating system.

My Way can only be used with an internet connection, i.e. in online mode. This is because we need to record the activity results in real time so that the system knows, based on these results, which activity to present next. Additionally, the answers that the student gives when interacting with the Ki-bot (a ‘voicebot’ that represents the My Way teachers) must also be recorded in real time to understand the student’s level of motivation and recommend appropriate action.

The My Way application is available in countries where Kids&Us operates. If you encounter issues with availability, consider the following solutions: • Update your Google or Apple account information to ensure it reflects your current region. This may resolve the availability issue. • Check your device’s compatibility. If the device is outdated and its operating system does not support the application, we recommend trying to install it on a newer device or using the desktop version instead.

For installation and optimal performance, My Way needs: - A stable internet connection. - The device’s operating system to be: • Android 10 or later • iOS 15.0 or later • Windows 10 or later • MacOS 12. This permission is requested when installing the application or when starting it for the first time and can be changed at any time using the device settings. The application uses this permission to provide a personalised and interactive learning experience that adapts to the context and choices of each learner.

To log out of the application, go to the main screen and, from the Settings or student profile section, you will find the option to exit My Way (LOG OUT) on the top left-hand side.

The student has to drag the avatar icon and place it on the task and/or challenge in the My Way learning activities that they want to access. This is deliberate, because the way or the speed with which each student moves the avatar on the screen gives us information about their mood and their motivation when using the application.

When accessing My Way, each student must select an avatar that will represent them in the digital world. This avatar will represent the student throughout the course.

The common thread of the learning experience on My Way is a digital explorer’s expedition, guided by the teacher who acts as an expedition guide. This journey is structured into missions and challenges that must be solved either individually or in collaboration with the whole class. The ultimate goal is to discover new, imaginary, or real animal species. The Main Map provides access to each mission, which will be activated automatically as the course calendar progresses. • Mission: from the mission screens, students can access the main sections where they will be exposed to the language, practice and consolidate course content, and thus advance their English learning. • Challenges: these are various learning pathways featuring digital activities in game format to practice the course content. • Audio Zone: this is where students can access different audio tracks that will be activated throughout the course. • My Place: this is a space includes games, audios, and songs, offering students additional exposure to the language. • Backpack: this is the students’ virtual backpack where they collect rewards earned from listening to the audio track or completing challenges and missions. It also contains the digital water bottle, representing the group’s joint task to complete the complementary activities in My Place. • Market: this is where students can exchange avatar accessories at designated times each week. • The Ki-bot: this small floating robot will accompany students in the digital world of My Way. The KI-bot is a conversational agent operated by artificial intelligence that represents the extension of the teacher in the digital space. As such, its objective is to accompany the student, interact with him/her and provide him/her with information or recommendations that optimize his/her performance and improve the overall learning experience.

Each Animal Planet course features a total of four missions, each featuring ten challenges. Each challenge consists of eighteen activities: The first mission includes one challenge and is designed to be completed over three to four weeks, with five to six activities (games) assigned each week. The remaining three missions each consist of three challenges and are designed to last approximately three months.

On the initial map, missions are categorised by colour: green missions are active and can be accessed, while red missions are blocked and not yet available. Missions will be activated automatically throughout the course. From Mission 2 onwards, each mission will include three challenges. Students can explore these challenges at their own pace and choose their starting point and progression. However, in class, teachers will guide the group on the optimal number of items to explore each week. The recommendation is to complete about five or six games from the challenge section per week.

The activities and games are diverse and feature different dynamics, including dragging objects, matching, filling in blanks, writing, voice recording, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. Each activity includes introductory instructions provided in both oral and written formats.

In each challenge, students will complete a total of eighteen activities or games by exploring different elements on the screen. The activities are designed to be adapted to each student’s level and needs, aiming to reinforce, consolidate, and enhance their English language learning: • The first six activities in each challenge are the same for all students and serve as a diagnostic tool to determine the starting level for the subsequent activities. • The following twelve activities will be tailored to each student. Based on the results from the initial activities, the system will present new activities that offer a challenge but are also attainable, helping to maintain motivation. To cater to individual needs, we have developed over 400 activities for each course. Throughout the year, students will complete approximately 200 of these activities.

Yes, there are different levels of difficulty. To advance through the challenge, students must pass each activity. Although the results of individual activities are not visible, an activity is considered passed if the student achieves a score of six or higher. If a student does not meet this threshold, they may need to repeat some elements. This will be indicated on the screen because the item will keep flashing. This situation typically occurs when the activity corresponds to the minimum difficulty level established for the course. Each course has three levels of difficulty, designed to ensure that students can progress at an appropriate pace.

Each mission includes an Audio area, represented by a headset icon, where students can access the course audio tracks, similar to how they did in My Locker. The audio tracks will update automatically throughout the course. However, students can always find previous audio tracks in My Place if they wish to listen to them again.

Rewards are designed to recognise perseverance and effort, both individually and as part of a group. There are several types of rewards: 1. Avatar Accessories: Regularly listening to the audio tracks can earn students accessories for their avatars. The more frequently they listen to the audio – up to seven times a week, with one listening per day – the more likely they are to receive a reward. It’s important to complete the audio for it to count, incomplete audios will not be considered listened to. 2. Travel Journal or Photo Album: For Mission 1, students will earn the Travel Journal (Animal Planet 1) or the Photo Album (Animal Planet 2). These are significant rewards because they are where clues collected in subsequent challenges and missions are compiled. 3. Hints for Challenges: At the end of each challenge, students receive hints that will aid in achieving the mission’s objective of discovering imaginary or real animal species. 4. Physical Rewards: At the end of each mission, students will receive a physical reward in class as a recognition of their work. 5. Group Rewards: When the class collectively fills the virtual water bottle in the backpack, based on the activities completed individually in My Place, the group will earn a special activity or game to be carried out in class.

All accessories earned are stored in the left pocket of the digital backpack. To expand their collection, students can exchange or trade these accessories for pieces of fruit in the Market by double-clicking on the item. Additionally, these accessories will be used in class activities to support oral practice and motivate students in their work on My Way.

The Market is not a fixed section in the application. It will appear from Mission 2 onwards and only on random days. If the Market is not visible on the main map, it means it has not yet been activated, and students will need to wait for it to appear.

Yes, you can turn off the sound in the application. At the top left of most screens, you’ll find the Settings section where you activate or deactivate the secondary sounds of the application. This will mute background sounds and effects but will not affect the essential audios required for activities or the introductory audios provided throughout the missions, which offer important context for the students.

To complete the activities effectively, it is crucial to listen to all the audio instructions first. Although the activity statements and presentations are brief, attempting the activity before the presentation is fully completed may result in errors. Repeated clicks or premature attempts might cause the activity to malfunction.

We recommend checking the following device settings to resolve the issue: 1. Ensure that the device is not in silent mode and that the volume is turned up. 2. Verify if any Bluetooth devices are connected and disconnect them to test the audio directly from the device. 3. Confirm that your device is running iOS 15 or the latest version of Android. 4. Reboot the device to resolve any temporary software issues. This should typically resolve the problem without the need to reinstall the application.

Activities that display the speaker icon on the screen require an action from the learner. To hear the audio, click once on the corresponding icon. This design allows each student to proceed with the activity at their own pace.

To use the microphone, click once on the corresponding icon to start recording. Click the icon again, or wait for a pre-determined number of seconds, to stop recording. In some activities, the word “Start” may appear next to the icon, changing to “Stop” while recording is in progress. Ensure that microphone access is enabled for the My Way application. The first time you use the microphone, you may need to grant permission if prompted by your device. Depending on your device’s settings, you might need to manually enable microphone access in the device’s settings.

The microphone should be activated with a single click. Clicking multiple times may cause the screen to lock, requiring you to restart the activity.

Students will engage in a variety of activities and games with different dynamics, including dragging objects, matching, filling in blanks, writing, voice recording, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. Each activity includes introductory instructions provided in both oral and written formats.

To progress in the challenge, you need to achieve a score of 6 or higher for each activity. Although the score is not displayed in the application, if the flashing item does not change, it indicates that the activity has not met the minimum score required (if you are on the initial level). You will need to repeat the activity or try again to meet the required score. If no elements are flashing, this may indicate an issue with the lighting of the item or the activation of the activity. In either case, this problem should be reported to the technical support team to ensure that the subsequent elements of the mission are properly activated.

The Ki-bot greets the learner each time they access My Way. The messages from the Ki-bot, including action suggestions or course-related questions, are based on preset and programmed variables. These messages are delivered both verbally and in written form. Typically, the Ki-bot will offer choices of responses, with follow-up comments based on the selected option. For instance, if a student hasn’t listened to the audio that day, the Ki-bot might suggest they do so. Conversely, if the student has already listened the Ki-bot might ask if they want to visit the Market to exchange an accessory. There are no right or wrong answers in these cases; students can choose the option they prefer and decide whether or not to act on the suggestion. In instances related to course content, the Ki-bot provides feedback based on the student’s answer. Additionally, the Ki-bot may appear to congratulate or encourage students, in which case no response is required from them.

My Way leverages technology to enhance and personalise English language learning. By incorporating advanced technology, we aim to tailor the learning experience to individual needs and provide precise data to support students and families throughout the educational process. This approach allows for well-informed decisions and more accurate academic guidance. Firstly, technology enables us to create personalised learning pathways for each student. By using objective data from digital tools, we can tailor content, timing, types of activities to suit individual learning styles. This personalisation helps guide students towards their goals in a natural, respectful, and effective manner, ensuring their success. Secondly, technology enhances the student experience through pedagogical gamification. This approach integrates educational games that motivate students, encourage improvement, and make learning engaging and enjoyable.

My Way leverages artificial intelligence along with Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speech-to-Text (STT) technologies to enhance English language learning: • Microsoft OpenAI's Chat GPT is used to train the assessment and behavioural analysis systems of My Way students. This allows us to personalise the learning experience as much as possible, through the different interactions the student has with the application (activities they carry out, answers they give to the Ki-bot, time of use, sections they visit most frequently, etc.) Not only can we adapt the activity level based on the score obtained, but we can also take advantage of the times when the student is most motivated, to provide tasks that are the most difficult to solve. Conversely, we can identify if the student feels the level of difficulty of a task is too high and are feeling frustrated. In this case we can vary the type of activity to refocus the experience and ensure that it is both effective in terms of results and offers optimal motivation. • Text-to-Speech (TTS): This technology converts written texts into natural spoken language, providing students with exposure to a range of voices and accents. It enriches both the learning activities and interactions with the Ki-bot. • Speech-to-Text (STT): My Way integrates voice recognition using STT technology, which transcribes students’ spoken input during voice recording activities. This is combined with AI analysis to evaluate the language used, all under strict human supervision and following expert criteria in language learning.

My Way is an educational platform, developed by Kids&Us with full security measures and content, user interaction and optimal exposure time controls. It is not a video game or a social network and, therefore, its objective is not just to get through screens, reach levels or achieve a lot of points or rewards. There is a degree of game playing, but this is not ‘playing for the sake of gaming’. The game and its rewards are a means of learning stimulation to provide language recognition and a sense of achievement and progress. In short, the essential motivational factors for successful learning. It also, on many occasions, fosters empathy and collaborative learning, rewarding both individual effort and teamwork to achieve a common goal. On the other hand, the use of technology comes from the desire to provide Kids&Us students with an experience adapted to each student’s needs. Technology makes it possible to progress by personalising learning and giving each student the best individual formula for their development. Last but not least, My Way is a safe and controlled space. On the one hand, there is a weekly time limit of one hour within the complementary play space section, My Place. On the other, the student cannot interact openly or in an uncontrolled manner. They can see the progress of their peers and exchange avatar accessories, and, again, we do this to encourage healthy competition linked to the achievements that come from perseverance and dedication to learning. Ultimately, My Way has been created from and for Kids&Us in close collaboration with a team of professionals linked to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). In addition, ethics leaders from Harvard and Northeastern University in the United States as well as ethics advisors from Interpol and Microsoft have provided guidance.

In the My Kids application, the application for communication between the school and families, you will have access to dashboards that collect data related to the activity in My Way to quickly and easily follow your child's learning process. The application provides dashboards with three key views: 1. Weekly Summary Overview • Progress on the current mission and it's completion date. • Activity Progress compared activities to the six recommended activities. • Days on which the audio has been listened to. • Insight into the progress of the ongoing mission, including an average qualitative assessment of the learning objectives for each challenge and/or mission. 2. Weekly (last seven days) or Monthly Active time. • Total time spent on My Way (in minutes) over the past week or month. • Breakdown of time spent listening to audio, completing activities, or exploring My Place. • Comparison with the recommended time for each activity. • An evolution graph showing trends in usage over time.

You will receive regular push notifications to keep you updated on your child’s progress. These notifications will inform you when your child completes a mission and earns a reward or remind you to encourage them to log in to My Way if they have been inactive for two weeks.

There are three categories to rate the task learning objectives. These ratings are the result of the average of the activities the students carry out, based on which they work on the specific objective in each challenge. :-D Excellent :-) Good :-| Working towards target Will the school also have this information? Yes, the school’s team will also have access to this information, but in a more detailed form. Teachers and school management will use expanded dashboards to view students’ activity in My Way, including detailed information on progress towards objectives and performance across various skills. This allows them to monitor each student more personally and provide tailored support based on comprehensive insights.

Animal Planet’s quarterly reports will feature a new section dedicated to each student’s performance and activities on My Way. These reports will include qualitative comments from teachers on the most significant aspects of the student’s work on the platform. Additionally, individualised parent-teacher meetings are always available so that you can discuss your child’s progress in a more personalised way. During these meetings, you can review more specific information about your child’s development, supported the objective data from the My Way dashboards.

If you can't remember your password, you can reset it on the My Kids application, the family application. If you enter an incorrect password in My Way, an information screen will appear telling you to reset it in My Kids.

If you encounter any technical issues with the application, you can contact the dedicated My Way support team directly for assistance. In the My Kids application, you will find either a contact telephone number for support or a form to submit your issue. To help us identify and resolve the problem quickly, please provide the following information: • Device Details: The model and operating system (Android or iOS) of the device you were using when the issue occurred. • Issue Description: A description of the action you were performing or the activity you were engaged in. If possible, attach a screenshot or image to illustrate the problem. • Location in the Application: The specific area of the application where the issue occurred (e.g., inside the caravan, during the fridge activity).

• iOS: 15 or later • iPadOS: 15 or later • Android: 10 or higher • MacOS: 12 or later • Windows: 10 or later