[olpc-nz] Testing summary - Auckland New Zealand, 19 June 2010

[Nevyn]

On Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 8:37 PM, Tabitha Roder <tabitha at tabitha.net.nz> wrote:
>
> Changed build - tested os180py.img
>
> Had 6 XO-1.0s in Write 63 using a network created by an XO. We worked out we
> all had different colours.  Could add a table and change font size. Could
> not change font colour.
>
> Tried Record 66 but could not take photos or record audio.
>
> Tried Memorize 34. Made own activity (counting in two languages with 6 pairs
> making 12 cards). Had 5 players in total, but first two to join had a
> conflict of whose turn, so one had to leave and rejoin then all 5 could play
> successfully. Played game through to conclusion successfully and then other
> players made new cards to learn other topics. This was a good opportunity
> for the testers to step more deeply into a learner role as they became the
> content creators and they decided the curriculum. One person wanted four
> cards the same, not two cards matching (he wanted to teach us math
> equivalents: 1/4, quarter, .25, 25/100) so he made four cards that all
> equalled the same but then when the others tried to play they felt that it
> was not fair, as they could see matching pairs on their screen but not win
> (e.g.  match 1/4 and quarter or match .25 and 25/100, but that means 1/4 and
> 25/100 don't match) - after a conversation between participants, we took a
> moment to talk about the learning opportunity created.  The other learners
> could give feedback to the "game maker" which helped them all learn. Another
> player "cheated" (his word, you could also call it a strategy) by using 2
> XOs so he could learn the card places and win on one laptop. Interesting
> moments to observe, and not what I usually write in the testing feedback,
> but I felt it worth noting this today as it connects the tester and the
> learner, so I think makes for better testers.
>
> Tried Distance test but too much noise interference in the cafe.
>
> Had issues with disconnecting from the networks that we made but eventually
> we managed to get connected on just one. Sorry we didn't test this as I did
> not want to stop the learning and conversations that were happening at the
> time.

*gasp* Well okay.. I did cheat in memorize... still. Anyway, you
forgot the amount of time spent in write in this build.

My own experience from it was:
a) Was LOADS of fun resulting with interesting artifacts such as
"rivers of poison opportunities" and "Spaghetti Monster Kids" and
vampires with over bites thus unable to aim properly (and as a result
being "ankle biters").
b) Application was responsive while we had.... 6 people? within the activity.

Had also heard from John that attempts to open Capture while running
this activity failed.

Tabitha at one stage had asked everyone to stop making edits while she
tried to insert a picture. I'm not sure if her attempts to do so
failed due to capture not working (and thus not having an image to
insert) or whether it was something wrong within the activity.

Add this to my list of favourite activities (along with Turtle Art,
Abacus and Physics). Something VERY fun about being able to interact
with others within the activities (this was my first time doing so as
my own machine uses a wireless connector whose drivers aren't yet
within the kernel - I'll get around to learning how to install a
compiler within sugar one of these days - and the previous build I'd
helped test didn't work with sharing). I can see my life disappearing
in shrill screams of joy while playing with a laptop that probably
should belong to an amphibian who sings about it being hard being
green.

Regards,
Nevyn.