Making cognitive connections
The Making Cognitive Connections approach teaches the fundamental technical skills necessary to operate a PDA/smartphone while simultaneously drawing a parallel to the cognitive skills that underlie the development of those technical skills.
| Cognitive skill | Todo 7 feature/function | Examples of how the cognitive skill applies to Todo 7 features/functions |
|---|---|---|
| Attention to detail | Task lists | Attention must be paid to the specific list being referenced. It is important to make sure that new tasks are assigned to the correct task list. |
| Visual similarities & differences | List views | The lists can be displayed in list view or date view. Each view has some unique visual details. |
| Categorization | Task lists | The Todo 7 app uses task lists to categorize like task items. |
| Decision making | Task lists | Decision making is required when determining the name and number of lists. |
| Sequencing | Task items | Start with first field and move sequentially down the screen field-by-field. |
| Relevant vs. irrelevant information | Task lists | An appropriate list name should be used when creating new lists. |
Real-life scenarios
Focusing on the cognitive skills required to use the device and then applying those same cognitive skills to everyday life examples makes this approach practical, concrete, relevant, and transferable.
| Cognitive skills | Todo 7 example | Example of real-life parallel |
|---|---|---|
| Attention to detail; categorization | Differentiating between the various task lists | You have bills and need to sequence them based on due dates |
| Decision making | Deciding what task list to which specific items should be assigned | Deciding whether to buy an iOS device or an Android device |
| Problem solving | Determining why a task item doesn’t appear where you think it should | Determining why your DVR didn’t record your favorite show |