Re: [school-discuss] Project suggestions for 10-12 y.o. kids?

[ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>]

On Wed, 2004-03-10 at 07:20, Karsten M. Self wrote:
> As someone who's worked largely in tech for the past decade (though some
> say I _was_ a kid once myself), I'm now faced with the prospect of
> creating an activity for a computer lab (~10 systems) for an equal
> number of 10-12 y.o. kids.
> 
> The goal is educational.  The setting is an after-school program (not
> a school program itself).  Initially, the systems are largely legacy MS
> Windows, though the plan is to change this over time.  There are some
> prepared materials for this sort of thing I'll have a chance to look
> over tomorrow, though I haven't yet seen them.

Few ideas.

Use the INGOTs to provide an assessment scheme for their basic ICT
skills. This is becoming very popular in the UK. You can download the
assessment criteria and guides for Bronze and Silver free from
www.theINGOTs.org and use them unrestricted. There is oly a cost
involved if you want to become an official assessor or award official
certificates and then the idea is to use any profit as an income stream
for FLOSS development for schools.

Join the OpenOffice.org Quality Assurance Project. Get the kids to try
and replicate bugs and issues filed, teach them about systematic quality
assurance for a real project and motivate them by showing them that what
they do is of real benefit to others around the world, not just an
exercise. (Users list also could do with help)

More details on www.OpenOffice.org. Also then gives a reason to have
Windows and Linux machines to work on.

> What I'd like to focus on rather than specific technologies is the sort
> of things other people do in a similar setting.  I haven't worked with
> kids of this age since lifeguarding years back, absent a few spells with
> neighbors kids and such (mostly roughhousing and horsing around).
> 
> Any tips greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> Peace.
-- 
ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>