[OLPC-Philippines] Fwd: An Opportunity to bring vital content to the Sugar/XO world - Needs technical help.

Caroline Meeks solutiongrove at gmail.com
Sun Jul 19 09:32:27 EDT 2009


Hi Ray!

Thanks for taking on this challenge!

I agree that not everyone thinks that Basals or the methods of instruction
in these learning objects are the best approach.  However, many people also
don't think the constructionist activities are a pragmatic approach because
they are so difficult for the teacher to learn to use.

A while back there was a huge argument between teaching reading with Phonics
vs Whole Word.  Now using both is the accepted best practice.

So as learning platform providers I want us to provide lots of options.  I
think if we do the teachers will use both types of programs.

For porting the ClassroomManagement Software, I suggest collaborating with
the server-devel at lists.laptop.org and with Ham and Deds who work with
Solution Grove and live in the Philippines.

We have a big problem now that we don't have many people who know both the
server side and the Sugar client side.  This will be a good learing
experience and I'm sure the Sugar people will help.

Thanks!
Caroline

On Sat, Jul 18, 2009 at 11:44 PM, <rayb at apc.edu.ph> wrote:

> Hi, Caroline,
>
> ----- Caroline Meeks <caroline at solutiongrove.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I know you guys are aware of the need for content when you deploy.
>  Please
> > take a look at this content and see if you think it will be useful in the
> > Philippines.  If so, I'd appreciate a +1 on the IAEP to let them know you
> > need it.
> I was wondering what "basals" where, and in googling for the term found out
> that not everyone thinks they are a good thing:
> http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/15_03/Bas153.shtml
> But of course it's the teachers "in the trenches" who can really say.
>
> > I know you guys also have a lot of technical talent if someone wants to
> work
> > on this directly.
> Here, I take it that you are referring to porting the TeacherMate Classroom
> Management System, as you say in your forwarded message:
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > From: Caroline Meeks <caroline at solutiongrove.com>
> > Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 3:27 PM
> > Subject: An Opportunity to bring vital content to the Sugar/XO world -
> Needs
> > technical help.
> > To: iaep <iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org>, XS Devel <
> server-devel at lists.laptop.org>,
> > Community Support Volunteers -- who help respond t <
> > support-gang at lists.laptop.org>
> >
> >
> > We have an opportunity to bring a program of K-2 English Reading and Math
> > content to our Sugar users for free.
> >
> > http://www.innovationsforlearning.org/software_demo.php
> >
> > Ignore the teachermate hardware and the $100 a machine price tag. The
> > concept is we make this available for Sugar for free.  So if you have XOs
> or
> > a machines you can use with Sugar on a Stick, you can use it for free.
> >
> > If you watch the Classroom management video you'll see they have aligned
> it
> > to major Basal Curriculum programs or it can be used without. It can
> > differentiate instruction for groups and students.  This is vital
> > functionality.  We need to port this to the Sugar world, probably by
> putting
> > it on the XS, maybe as a module in Moodle.
> I agree that functionality like this (which is quite close to what's
> provided by Moodle) is useful whatever the instructional content.  So, APC
> accepts the challenge 8^).  I was looking at browser-based content
> development as something we at APC would be comfortable with and propose to
> work on under the Contributors Program, and this looks like it would fit
> right in.  Integration with the XO would have to wait until we have people
> up to speed on the technology involved.
>
> I'll get together with some of our people and work up a proposal.
>
> Servus,
>
> Ray
> _______________________________________________
> OLPC-Philippines mailing list
> OLPC-Philippines at lists.laptop.org
> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/olpc-philippines
>



-- 
Caroline Meeks
Solution Grove
Caroline at SolutionGrove.com

617-500-3488 - Office
505-213-3268 - Fax
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