Re: [school-discuss] Open-source alternatives

[Hilaire Fernandes <hilaire@ext.cri74.org>]

On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 13:38:15 -0600 (MDT)
troy@banther-trx.homeunix.com wrote:

  > I was thinking along the lines of an open-source equivalent to PLATO 
  > Pathways, TABE-PC, and Web CT.
  > 
  > Major programs that could be used in Adult Basic Education programs to 
  > reduce the cost to the redmond curse.

Related to e-learning in math (but also sciences and other subjects), we
have this really innovative and terrific free software that is WIMS
(http://wims.unice.fr).

With WIMS you can set up virtual classroom for your students. 

In this classroom you can set up 
	- document
	- sheet work.

Hey, one will say nothing special here.

Where WIMS is really special is that, underneath, it uses
TeX/Octave/Pari/Maxima and a lot of other math oriented software to do
computation and nice rendering of mathematic expression.

Therefore the sheet work are composed of high quality and not-stupid-mcq
exercises.

WIMS already comes with hundred of math exercises but you can also
create your own. For example, look at there http://wims.ofset.org, one
French high school teacher has written a lot of exercises for her
students. 

If you look at the details of her web site, you can look at the
design of each exercises then use it (link after 'Lien:') 

If you want to try off-line WIMS, you can test it with Freeduc (you can
also install it from it)


Hilaire