Hi Ron,
Thank you for your message. It's an important discussion to have.
FWIW, Sugar Labs has been doing some gen-AI projects, which I
highlighted in
https://www.sugarlabs.org/community/2024/12/03/help-SL-continue-to-transform-education/
and you can read the reports from the students who developed them on
https://medium.com/@sugarlabs/list/artificial-intelligence-cea7b9e71d17
As for whether or not coding is worth learning, I must push back. I
think that people learn a lot from creating programs that utilize
computation, which is categorically different than all other subjects.
Our primary goal as an organization is education, and a child's primary
learning goal is to learn about themselves and the world around them
(not /yet/ to get a job and not /yet/ to learn about how marketable
their skills may be). Exploring computation still serves that goal for
the learner, and it will serve this goal for the learner for years to come.
Whether it's computation, gen-AI, music, or writing, the unique goal of
Sugar Labs as a community focused on Constructionist learning is to make
an environment where learners can create a portfolio of work that they
build upon. This portfolio helps them build, among other things such as
skills, the confidence needed to face new, unforeseen challenges that
their future may hold. (And building a portfolio is categorically
different than memorizing information from an instructional tool,
whether that tool be utilizing "AI" or not.) We all work together
towards these goals, creating Constructionist tools for learning and
mentoring youth in our community.
Devin
P.S. It just happens that I'm in the midst of sketching out a series of
approximately four online events after the new year where we explore
more in-depth our unique approach to gen-AI in education. Each event
will focus on a particular set of questions. If anyone reading this
would like to be involved, please let me know.
Ron Feigenblatt:
I think wide syndication in the highly fractured online social
media world in which we live today is a good idea.
But there is now one overwhelming issue facing Sugar Labs (SL), as
much as it does other endeavors. SL was launched in the era before the
AI Revolution of the last decade or so. How is, and should be, SL
pivoting in the face of this turning point of history? I NEVER bought
into the OLPC-originated idea that student coding would prove an
important aspect of that initiative. And today, Google tells us that
AI now writes about 25% of its new code.
I would dare guess that the dominant impact of software on human child
learning for now will prove to be AI tutors, like the
US$4/month Khanmigo facility launched by Khan Academy.
I don't have the answers, but these are urgent questions to ponder.
Finally, here is what ChatGPT tells one when ordered to "Describe
Sugar Labs"
"Sugar Labs is a nonprofit organization that develops and promotes
*Sugar*, a free, open-source software environment designed
specifically for education. It focuses on providing children,
especially in underserved areas, with an engaging and collaborative
learning platform. The software is based on the idea of "learning by
doing," encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and exploration.
Key Features of Sugar Labs and the Sugar Platform:
1.
*Interactive Learning Environment*:
* Sugar replaces the traditional desktop environment with a set
of activity-focused interfaces.
* Activities (apps) include tools for writing, coding, drawing,
and exploring, rather than standard software like word
processors or spreadsheets.
2.
*Child-Centric Design*:
* Created to be intuitive and easy for children to use,
regardless of literacy level or technical knowledge.
* Features a bright, colorful interface that is simple yet
functional.
3.
*Collaboration and Sharing*:
* Supports peer-to-peer collaboration, allowing children to
share their work and learn together.
* Emphasizes a "constructivist" approach to education, inspired
by educational theorists like Jean Piaget and Seymour Papert.
4.
*Cross-Platform Compatibility*:
* While originally developed for the *One Laptop Per Child
(OLPC)* initiative, Sugar can run on a variety of platforms,
including Linux, Windows, and macOS.
5.
*Global Reach*:
* Sugar Labs has been involved in projects worldwide,
particularly in developing countries, where access to
traditional educational resources is limited.
* The software is translated into multiple languages to cater to
diverse user groups.
6.
*Community-Driven*:
* Relies on contributions from educators, developers, and
volunteers from around the globe.
* Open-source nature allows for continuous improvement and
customization.
Vision:
Sugar Labs aims to empower children through technology by enabling
them to become thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers. It strives to
bridge the educational gap and foster equitable access to quality
education using digital tools."
- Dr. Ron Feigenblatt
On Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 1:53 PM Devin Ulibarri <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi all,
Sugar Labs is now on Bluesky and WhatsApp. This is our profile on
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sugarlabs.bsky.social and WhatsApp:
https://wa.me/16177024088
We are also on:
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@sugar_labs
Twitter: @sugar_labs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SugarLabsforall
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarlabsforall/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SugarlabsOrg-EN
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sugar-labs
Mailing lists: https://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Mailing_Lists
Medium: https://medium.com/@sugarlabs
Github (where the code's at): https://github.com/sugarlabs
and of course, here, on Matrix:
https://matrix.to/#/#sugar:matrix.org
<https://matrix.to/#/%23sugar:matrix.org>
And if anyone wants to volunteer to assist with marketing, I'd be
happy
to bring someone into this role. Just let me know more about your
interest and about how many hours per week you'd be interested in
helping out. Writing posts, creating videos, and creating images
are all
things that we could use help with.
Cheers!
Devin
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Learn more: https://sugarlabs.org
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