Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions & Educational Support Center
Learning & Pedagogy
🎮 How do I use Practice Mode?
Tap 'Practice Mode'. A target time will appear—simply drag the clock hands to match it! When you match the time correctly, the clock will celebrate your success delightfully.
🧭 What is Discovery?
Discovery is an open-ended area designed for self-directed learning. There are no questions or right/wrong answers—children simply drag the hands, watch the digital time react, and discover the mathematical relationships between hours and minutes at their own pace.
📈 What do the 3 Difficulty Levels teach?
Level 1 focuses on exact 'O'clock' and 'Half-past'. Level 2 introduces 5-minute intervals and 'Past/To' vocabulary. Level 3 unlocks exact 1-minute intervals and the 24-hour digital clock format.
🧠 How does Bilingual mode work?
It presents English phrasing alongside Traditional Chinese. This dual-language cognitive presentation helps students acquire vocabulary in both languages concurrently without frustrating interface shifts.
⏱️ How can I help my child understand 'Past and To'?
We recommend starting with Bilingual mode so they can map the English words 'Past' and 'To' to the Chinese concepts they already understand. Use the 'Magic Clues' feature for hints when practicing.
🎯 How does the app reward correct answers?
When a child sets the hands to the exact right time, confettis spring from the clock with a delightful sound effect, reinforcing their self-confidence in a gentle, non-stressful way.
⏳ How does the Elapsed Time learning work?
Students are presented with contextual real-world scenarios (like school bells, bus schedules, or baking timers) and must calculate the final or starting time. Accessible by selecting 'Elapsed Time' in Level 3, or via Challenge Mode in Level 2+.
🔓 What is the 'Free-Moving' (Teacher Sandbox) mode?
By default, the clock is 'Geared', meaning the hour hand automatically adjusts based on the minute hand. In settings, you can select 'Free-Moving' under Clock Physics. This uncouples the hands so you can test if your student truly understands the proportional relationship without the app doing it for them.
Licensing & Usage
👥 Who are the different user tiers for?
The Public tier is for families, NGOs, and state-funded schools (Free). If your school, learning center, or business charges tuition to students, it falls under the Institutional/Commercial tier. Individual Practitioner is for independent private tutors.
🚫 Are there any ads or hidden in-app purchases?
No. We believe educational tools for children must be safe environments. TimeLearner is 100% ad-free, has no predatory 'freemium' microtransactions, and requires no account registrations.
💳 Do I need a subscription for my child to use this?
Not at all. If you are a parent teaching your own child, or a state school teacher, you may use the platform entirely for free without any subscription.
🏫 Can our school buy bulk licenses for our teachers?
Yes! Institutional Resource licenses cover an entire school or tutoring center, allowing all your staff to legally use the app in commercial classes and print unbranded worksheets.
🌍 If I am outside Hong Kong, can I still use the app for my tutoring business?
Yes, the licensing terms apply internationally. If your educational service (school, center, or agency) involves charging tuition, you should acquire the proper license regardless of your geographic location.
Privacy & SEN
🔒 How do you protect children's privacy?
This app operates on a strict 'Zero-Data Policy'. To comply meticulously with HK PDPO, COPPA, and GDPR, we intentionally do not track your child's personal usage or deploy tracking cookies.
🧩 Is this suitable for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
Yes. TimeLearner is crafted with neuro-inclusivity at its core. The interface uses WCAG-compliant high-contrast colors, avoids over-stimulating animations, and features an intuitive dual-drag system.
🎨 Can I change the interface to be less distracting?
Yes, tap the 'Eye' icon in the top navigation to activate 'Focus Mode'. This changes the background to a calmer, dark theme which reduces eye strain and visual clutter for children with ADHD or autism.
📊 Do you collect test scores or analytics from the worksheets?
No, absolutely zero test scores, user inputs, or learning analytics are transmitted to our servers. Every interaction happens locally on your device to ensure maximum privacy.
🛡️ Is it safe for my child to use the app unsupervised?
Completely safe. Because there are no social features, no external links, no advertisements, and no data collection, parents can confidently leave children to practice time-reading alone.
Technical Support
📱 Can I use this on a tablet or interactive whiteboard?
Absolutely! The interface is engineered with a 'Mobile-First' and 'Touch-First' philosophy. It scales wonderfully on iPads, Android tablets, and large classroom interactive flat panels.
🖨️ Is the Worksheet Generator reliable for school use?
The Worksheet Generator uses a dynamic algorithm to instantly create exercises matching the chosen syllabus. We do recommend teachers quickly review the generated layout before mass-printing for a classroom.
🌐 Do I need an internet connection to use the Worksheet Generator and App?
An internet connection is required initially to load the app. Once loaded, the core clock functions and worksheet generation scripts run locally in your browser, consuming minimal bandwidth.
🕒 Why is the clock showing the wrong current time?
The 'Current Time' mode relies entirely on the internal clock system of your device (iPad, PC, or phone). If the time is wrong, please check your device's timezone and system clock settings.
🖥️ Can I install this app directly on my desktop or mobile device?
Yes! TimeLearner is built as a web application. You can use 'Add to Home Screen' on iPads or the 'Install' icon in Chrome to use it like a native, fullscreen app without browser menus.