Re: A renewed request

[Malonowa <malonowa@wanadoo.fr>]

rnd@sampo.karelia.ru wrote:

> Hello!
>
> On Thu, 1 Jul 1999, Doug Loss wrote:
>
> >I sent this message out to the mailing list over a month ago:
> >
> >Roger Dingledine wrote:
> >>
> >> This gives me an idea -- why don't we set up a table, with proprietary
> >> software that schools typically use on one side, and free alternatives
> >> (the more the merrier, plus pages describing how to configure them well)
> >> on the other side.
> >
> >> We're not going to be able to make this list without the help of the people
> >> who are actually *in* the schools using the software, so they can list
> >> real programs that we should list alternatives for.
> >>
> >> We should actually get some resources out there and useful to schools,
> >> else we're just going to stay a discussion list.
> >>
> >Roger's exactly right on this.  This is a great idea and I'd like to ask
> >_all_ educators on this mailing list to write up lists of the software
> >their schools are using.  Please list the name of the software, the
> >publisher, its general type (word processor, drill-and-practice
> >arithmetic, etc.), the environment it's used in (MacOS, Windows),
> >whether it's installed locally (on every machine) or run from the
> >network, and what its grade-level applicability is.  If there are lesson
>
> Doug, probably more exact form will simplify the process
> of gathering such data. My suggestion for a blank:
>

Seems OK on the face of it if you don't mind getting a reputation for "copying
commerce".

> Name:                (name and release)
> Vendor:              (publisher)
> Type:
> Ages:                (grades are different everywhere, ages are universal)
> OS:
> Networking:          (need for network, type of it)
> Purpose:             (what this software is used for)
>
> *
>

I think you could have a better database than this that would facilitate more
useful statistics.

This should really be a web-form (database) based on CGI. Part of data collection
and analysis section of your overall internet strategy. You could then do a
back-end and produce more important and credible research.

I'll put notes on the working examples to demonstrate...

> Working examples:
>
> Name: ClarisWorks 2.1
> Vendor: Claris
> Type: office
> Ages: all
> OS: MacOS 7.5
> Networking: no
> Purpose: general

Subject area - Literacy & communication, data handling, maths - all subject
areas?What does Networking mean?
Purpose - general, don't you mean cross-curricular - open.

> Name: KidPix
> Vendor: ?
> Type: graph. editor
> Ages: 6-12
> OS: MacOS 7.5
> Networking: no
> Purpose: mouse skills, fun
>

Subject: All subjects. - Literacy and communication, art.ages: 6-12+
OS: MacOS, Windoze, Acorn RiscPC
Purpose: Communication and presentation, mouse skills, Maths?

Does this art package have symetry features - I've only seen it once so I don't
know - art packages if written properly can be good for maths.



So if you had a backend, you could use Java to produce graphs and such things to
identify weaknesses in the worlds current educational IT policy. Then you could
start projects which had more meaning than "copying commerce" and it'd all be more
newsworthy.

That said, the good usage of IT in schools is all very well researched and
documented. You just need to know where to go to get the info. Remeber that
probably most teachers in the world don't really know what to do with IT properly
and are probably using the wrong software anyway.

Roman.