[Grassroots-l] OLPC/XO event for Cambridge Science Festival

[Samuel Klein]

Edward,

Having both technical and creative tracks sounds like a good idea to
me.  But I don't konw that a tech track needs to be for so long; can
you describe a 6-hour agenda from a similar track?  Unless it is for
people who want to really hack on their XOs.   As for shorter sessions
for children : good idea, and even 3 hrs can be long; but as long as
someone is there from each group working on a complete storyboard over
the timeframe given, it should work out.

The grassroots list are all people interested in local OLPC
communities; including organizing events, starting local trials with
XOs, and working with existing teachers and with ideas such as yours.
 This includes a number of local Bostonians.   The support-gang are a
core of active volunteers handling support and G1G1 inquiries,
overhauling our wiki and public-facing information, and dealing with
current XO users.

SJ


On Feb 7, 2008 3:02 PM, Edward Freedman <edward.freedman at acm.org> wrote:
> Wow!  Frankly I'd begun to despair of being able to pull this off, but
> your collective response is great!
> I'm sure with the experience that you folks have at Jam type activities
> and our GBC/ACM volunteers' experience running weekend seminars we can
> make this a successful and valuable event.
>
> Our immediate need is to commit (or NOT) to the CSF organizers so they
> can finalize the schedule for the website and printed program guide
> (over 30 pages last year!).
> This means that we need to define approximately what the event will
> encompass, so that we can:
> 1)  create a paragraph of description for the CSF program guide (about
> to go to printer)
> 2)  identify and lock in an appropriate venue (needed for printer)
> 3)  decide on the data and time (and duration) of the event (also needed
> for printer)
>
> If we can't nail these down ASAP, it won't be part of the CSF program.
> To help me do this, I'd your like feedback on the following:
>
> Does splitting into two tracks (technical track for sw development
> workshop, creative story-boarding track for kids and non-technical
> adults) sound like a good and workable plan?
> This affects choice of venue for breakout room and appropriate space.
>
> It also affects duration: Technical track could go all day.  (Our ACM
> Professional Development Seminars typically are 9am-4:30pm).  Kids may
> not have stamina for all day of creative/story-board track.  Should our
> schedule try to accommodate this?
> (Suggestion: Two sessions for kids, perhaps 10-1 & 1-4, or just say come
> in the afternoon and join activities already in progress.)  Sorry to be
> fuzzy on this, but I don't work with kids.  Also should we limit it to
> older kids or require an adult to accompany them?
>
> Candidate days are either Sunday April 27 or Saturday May 3.  We have
> some preference for April 27 but can be flexible.  Sounds like Mel is
> not available then, only for May 3 -- right?
>
> Also, I'm considering asking attendees to pre-register (at zero cost) so
> we can anticipate attendance (and cap it if need be).  We can set up a
> web registration mechanism for this.
>
> If you want to get a feel for some of what was done at CSF 2007, the CSF
> website lists the events from last year in a browsable and searchable
> format.
> Go to
>     http://www.cambridgesciencefestival.org/2007/search.php
> and select
>    Theme: "Innovations"
>    Event Type: "Activities"
> You can also look at other Themes (Themes: "Any"), and lots of other
> Event Types as well.  There was quite a rich variety.  (Last year Jim
> Gettys presented an evening talk on OLPC as part of the CSF -- see
> Thursday April 26 7pm.)
>
> Thanks much,
> Edward
>
> p.s.  Who are the grassroots and support-gang lists?  Should I be
> including them in these emails?  (forward if you see fit).
>
>