[FM Discuss] XO 1.5 loans

[Lachlan Musicman]

James, you seem to have done an excellent job on the Sugar Activities
manual - I think you should put your hand up if you want/have
time/etc...

cheers
L.

On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 04:50, Edward Cherlin <echerlin at gmail.com> wrote:
> Adam is away until March 11. Who can discuss this with me?
>
> This list does not allow attachments this large, so I have omitted
> them. You can download the Gravity lesson file from
> http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/images/0/0e/Gravity.odt
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Edward Cherlin <echerlin at gmail.com>
> Date: Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 11:59
> Subject: XO 1.5 loans
> To: Adam Hyde <adam at flossmanuals.net>
>
> A call has gone out for proposals requesting loans of OLPC XO-1.5
> laptops from One Laptop Per Child. The XO-1.5 has significant
> enhancements over the original XO-1. If you or others in your
> organizations are interested in joining in a project to teach math and
> physics using a variety of laptop-connected instruments and Free Sugar
> Software, I will write up the proposal to include you. I am going to
> suggest two laptops at each location so that we can test collaboration
> functions, such as using one laptop to acquire data, and a second to
> control the instruments or the experimental apparatus, or shared
> visualization. We can use the Measure (digital oscilloscope), Record
> (still and video camera), Etoys (Smalltalk), Physics, Turtle Art,
> SocialCalc, and other Sugar activities to acquire, analyze, and
> visualize data in various ways.
>
> As a concrete example, I have attached a description and discussion of
> a third-grade lesson plan due originally to Alan Kay, in both Open
> Office and Microsoft Word formats. Alan used Smalltalk for his models.
> I use Turtle Art. There are other tools for this purpose, and the
> choice of tools will be part of our study.
>
> The process would include
>
> 1. Testing and documenting a variety of input (data acquisition) and
> output (control) devices with the relevant activities. Available input
> channels include the camera, the sound input port, and USB ports.
>
> 2. Working out data flows for input, storage of data sets, analysis,
> visualization, and control, including collaboration by multiple
> students on multiple laptops.
>
> 3. Proposing enhancements to Sugar to make data acquisition, analysis,
> collaboration, and visualization more effective.
>
> 4. Designing and testing lesson plans on a range of topics in physics,
> including mechanics, optics, electromagnetism, and acoustics. The math
> and programming needed for each topic would also be included, and the
> topics laid out in an order that respects dependencies on prior
> knowledge.
>
> All of this would feed into projects for creating museum exhibits,
> school lesson plans, and whatever other uses become apparent. I have
> suggested 12 months as the time for the initial project. This is long
> enough to do meaningful work and do meaningful testing in the
> classroom.
>
> We will need to bring in another partner for the classroom
> evaluations, some school with enough XOs and a connection with an
> education school to do the test design, execution, and evaluation. We
> also need to talk with an education school about the impact this will
> have on teacher training. We will want feedback from students and
> their families, and from teachers. I have identified a number of other
> possible partners, including children's and other museums, school
> systems using XOs, Ed schools, and state education departments.
>
> There are significant possibilities for grant funding for this project
> through foundations and through the US Dept. of Education.
>
> Please let me know if you have any questions about this proposal. I
> will wait to hear from all of you before submitting my request for XO
> 1.5s for us, and will of course only include those who agree that they
> want to participate. You can call me at 812 764 0552 in Indiana (EST).
>
> When the next model after the XO-1.5 comes out, I will naturally
> suggest something similar but on a higher level, to take advantage of
> its enhancements. Perhaps by that time we will be ready to discuss
> replacing an existing textbook with Free electronic learning
> materials, and after that replacing all printed textbooks. The notion
> that free textbooks plus netbook computers cost less in total than
> printed textbooks (including all support and maintenance) has gotten
> into the air, and is spreading.
>
> --
> Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin
> Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation.
> The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination.
> http://www.earthtreasury.org/
>
>
>
> --
> Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin
> Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation.
> The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination.
> http://www.earthtreasury.org/
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>



-- 
The French have an expression for this: L'esprit de l'escalier -
staircase wit - or the frustrating experience of thinking of a clever
comeback too late, when one has already left and is half-way down the
stairs.
- Nina Funnell