This is the text Walter wrote for it. --- The Sugar Learning Platform promotes collaborative learning through Sugar Activities that encourage critical thinking, the heart of a quality education. Designed from the ground up especially for children, Sugar offers an alternative to traditional “office-desktop” software. Grounded in over 30 years of research in technology and learning, the Sugar Learning Platform increases the likelihood that computation will be used as a critical-thinking tool in the context of open-ended exploration and discovery, going beyond the use of the computer as a tool of instruction.
Originally developed for the One Laptop per Child XO-1 netbook, Sugar now runs on most computers. Sugar is free and open-source software. It is the core component of a worldwide effort to provide every child with equal opportunity for a quality education. Sugar’s Activities are used every school day by almost one-million children in more than forty countries. Three experiences characterize the Sugar Learning Platform: (1) Sharing: Collaboration is a first-order experience. The interface shows the presence of other learners who are available for collaboration. Sugar users dialog with each other, support each other, critique each other, and share ideas. (2) Reflecting: A “Journal” records each learner's activity. It is a place for reflection and assessment of progress. (3) Discovering: Sugar accommodates a wide variety of users with different levels of skill in terms of reading and language and different levels of experience with computing. Sugar is easy to approach, yet it does not put an upper bound on personal growth or expression. The learner peels away layers to go deeper, with no restrictions. This allows the direct appropriation of ideas in whatever realm the learner is exploring: music, browsing, reading, writing, programming, or graphics. The Sugar community developed Sugar on a Stick (SoaS), a LiveUSB image of the Sugar Learning Platform that enables almost any computer to run Sugar as a “live” session without making any modifications to the files on the host computer—everything, including all programs and user data are stored on a USB storage device. A small USB device can boot different computers at home, at school, at an after-school program, library, or museum, bypassing the existing operating system. The computer need not even have a hard-drive. The learner experiences the same interface and accesses the same data on every computer. SoaS technology promises a consistent experience and convenient portability while being affordable. Sugar offers numerous economic and pedagogical advantages to schools. It is free software—schools can upgrade to the latest in educational software without paying any license fees; the platform is easy for teachers to learn, which minimizes initial training costs and reduces recurring training costs; it runs "everywhere", so schools can be opportunistic about used and new computers; it offers baseline support in word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and web browsing as well as advanced features, such as multimedia, programming, portfolios, etc. The Sugar software is maintained by a community of volunteers working with the non-profit Sugar Labs foundation, a member project of the Software Freedom Conservancy. -walter On Tue, Oct 6, 2009 at 10:11 AM, Caroline Meeks <cme...@sugarlabs.org>wrote: > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Tasiyiwa Mapondera <tmapond...@siia.net> > Date: Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 6:42 PM > Subject: SIIA Innov. Inc Prog: Uploading Your Materials/Submitting Your $50 > Application Fee > To: Tasiyiwa Mapondera <tmapond...@siia.net> > Cc: Karen Billings <kbilli...@siia.net>, Stephanie Fisher < > sfis...@siia.net> > > > Dear SIIA Innovation Incubator Program Applicant. > > Thank you for being patient as we finalized the virtual innovation showcase > where you will post the requested materials for our judges. The online > platform is now ready for use and it is time to move forward with the > uploading process. Please complete the following two steps to complete your > application to the program: > > 1. Scroll down to the link and instructions provided below to create your > user login for the virtual showcase and begin uploading your materials. The > deadline to upload all materials has been moved to* October 10th*. > > 2. You must submit your $50.00 Innovation Incubator Program Application fee > by end of day Thursday* October 8th* at * > https://www.siia.net/events/prereg.asp?eventid=1233*<https://www.siia.net/events/prereg.asp?eventid=1233>to > be considered. This fee helps to defray costs associated with processing > your submission and other related activities. > > I have attached my recent communications for your reference but do contact > me with questions about completing these steps via email or at the telephone > number provided below. > > Best, > > *Tasiyiwa Mapondera* > Education Division Manager, SIIA > Tel: 202.289.7442 ext. 1335 > Fax: 202.289.7097 > > <<SIIA Innovation Incubator Program Application Process>> <<SIIA > Innovation Incubator Program: Preparing Files for Upload>> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > The SIIA Incubator Showcase is ready to receive your materials. > To begin go to: > *http://home.learningtimes.net/siia?invitation_key=994-124257273B4*<http://home.learningtimes.net/siia?invitation_key=994-124257273B4> > > Next, press the "Join" button to set up your user login. Once you have > joined, you will be permitted to login and upload your materials. > > If the link provided cannot be clicked, simply cut and paste it into the > address bar of your browser (include all parts if > the address is split over multiple lines). > > You will need: > a. Innovation Name > b. Company / Entity Name > c. Primary Contact Name > d. 500 character (i.e. 80 to 100 words) innovation summary description –as > provided in your initial application > e. Information about the innovation (user, uses, etc) > f. Graphic/logo > g. Entity URL > h. One PowerPoint presentation of no more than 10 slides > i. One (1) PDF. or Word document – detailed description of no more than > two pages in length. > Once you are logged in, click on the link to the Innovation Showcase. > Select "Add Record" at the top of the page. > Follow the instructions to build your entry. > Submit your audio introduction by calling 1-800-609-9006 x8055 and > recording your message. > To save your changes click the 'Done' button located at the top and bottom > of your record editing page. > SIIA has included a 'test' record as an example listing. > Should your require technical support, click on "Feedback" in the left > navigation menu, select "Request technical support" and then "Send > Feedback". Your inquiry will be answered within 24 hours. > > For non-technical questions related to the uploading process contact > Tasiyiwa Mapondera at tmapond...@siia.net or 202-789-4467. > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: "Tasiyiwa Mapondera" <tmapond...@siia.net> > To: "Tasiyiwa Mapondera" <tmapond...@siia.net> > Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:01:46 -0400 > Subject: SIIA Innovation Incubator Program Application Process > > Thank you for applying to SIIA’s third annual Ed Tech Business Forum > Innovation Incubator Program. This email serves to confirm that we have > received your submission and will be in touch with you on Monday with next > steps, in preparation for the innovation judging process. > > We are finalizing the Virtual Platform on which you will post more detailed > information about your innovation for our judges to review and decide which > 10 innovators will be selected to the program. To provide some sense of what > to expect, the following is a general overview of the process (with*tentative > *** dates), now through the selection of our 10 finalists and two > alternates: > > > 1) Monday, September 28: Applicants Receive Detailed Instructions > for Uploading Selected Documents to the Virtual Innovation Showcase for > SIIA > Judging. Uploading Period Opens. > > 2) October 6th: Uploading Period Closes. > > 3) October 8th: SIIA Judging Process Begins. > > 4) October 21: Judging Process Ends. > > 5) October 28: 10 Innovation Incubator Program Finalists and Two > Alternates are Notified. Finalists Selected to the Program Must: > > · Confirm their intention to participate and register for the Forum > > 1. Post Additional Information to the Virtual Innovation Showcase > Which Will be Opened to Conference Attendees and the Public. > > 2. Receive a Mentor to Provide Guidance and Make Business > Introductions During the Forum > 3. Sign-Up for One-to-One Business Connections Meetings > 4. Prepare for the In-Person Presentation and Reception > Showcase at the Forum > > 6) All Approved Applicants Receive a Discount Code for Attendance > to the Forum. > > I will be your primary contact for any questions related to the Innovation > Incubator Program so please reach out to me at any time at the number below. > > > Until Monday! > > *Tasiyiwa Mapondera* > Education Division Manager > Software & Information Industry Association > 1090 Vermont Avenue NW, Sixth Floor > Washington, DC 20005 > Tel: 202.289.7442 ext. 1335 > Fax: 202.289.7097 > > *2010 CODiE AWARDS* > *WHAT'S YOUR CLAIM TO FAME?* > *www.siia.net/codies* <http://www.siia.net/codies> > *Now accepting nominations...* > Software & Education until Oct. 16, 2009 > Content until Sept. 30, 2009 > > Find us on Facebook: > *http://turl.ca/siiafacebook*<http://turl.ca/siiafacebook> > Follow us on Twitter: > *http://turl.ca/siiaeducationtwitter*<http://turl.ca/siiaeducationtwitter> > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: "Tasiyiwa Mapondera" <tmapond...@siia.net> > To: "Tasiyiwa Mapondera" <tmapond...@siia.net> > Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:49:42 -0400 > Subject: SIIA Innovation Incubator Program: Preparing Files for Upload > > Dear Innovation Incubator Applicant: > > As summarized in my previous note, you will soon be directed to upload the > following items to our virtual innovation showcase to offer judges a > comprehensive understanding of your innovation during the selection process. > While we work to finalize the virtual platform, please take the next three > days to prepare these items according to the specifications provided: > > 1. Image/Graphic – e.g. logo (if available) – Please ensure that it is > high-resolution of at least 300dpi (350dpi preferred), color graphic file in > .EPS format > > 2. A one-minute voice recording (you will be provided with call-in > instructions to complete the recording process – please prepare a script for > a one-minute oral description of your innovation). > > 3.One PowerPoint presentation of no more than 10 slides describing your > innovation. (You may include full color graphics and text, however, you may > not embed video or audio files). > > 4. One (1) PDF. or Word document offering a detailed description of your > innovation, no more than two pages in length. > > We anticipate that the upload process will be swift and easy once you have > created and finalized your files - allowing us to meet our October 6th > target completion date. > > Note that the Innovation Incubator Virtual Showcase will have two levels: > > 1.) A landing page listing all applicants, alpha by entity name – to > include: > a. Innovation Name (linked to your entity page) > b. Company/ Entity Name > > 2.) A detail page for each innovator. It will to include > a. Innovation Name > b. Company / Entity Name > c. Primary Contact Name > d. 500 character innovation summary description – as provided in your > initial application > e. Information about the innovation (user, uses, etc) > f. Graphic/photo – e.g. for logo > g. Entity URL > h. One (1) one-minute voice recording > i. One PowerPoint presentation of no more than 10 slides > j. One (1) PDF. or Word document – detailed description of no more than two > pages in length. > > Please contact me if you have any questions about the preparation of the > documents listed above. > > All the best, > > Tasiyiwa Mapondera > Education Division Manager, SIIA > +202.789.4467 > tmapond...@siia.net > > > > > > -- > Caroline Meeks > Solution Grove > carol...@solutiongrove.com > > 617-500-3488 - Office > 505-213-3268 - Fax > -- Caroline Meeks Solution Grove carol...@solutiongrove.com 617-500-3488 - Office 505-213-3268 - Fax
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