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-de...@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, <r...@apc.edu.ph> wrote: > Hi, Caroline, > > ----- Caroline Meeks <carol...@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 <carol...@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 <i...@lists.sugarlabs.org>, XS Devel < > server-de...@lists.laptop.org>, > > Community Support Volunteers -- who help respond t < > > support-g...@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@lists.laptop.org > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/olpc-philippines > -- Caroline Meeks Solution Grove carol...@solutiongrove.com 617-500-3488 - Office 505-213-3268 - Fax
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