Re: EDUML (Dr. Geo)

[Bruno Vernier <vernier@vc.bc.ca>]

On Wed, Mar 17, 1999 at 11:29:28AM +0800, Hilaire Fernandes wrote:
> Could your work or XML be used in anyway with Dr Geo ?
> To keep record of progress by student, or as a data base exercise for Dr
> Geo. Or anything else as open file format...

First of all, I think that Dr. Geo is a work of art. What a pleasure :-)
thanks, Hilaire.

I notice two sorts of data files:  *.geo and *.mac corresponding to binary 
files which are probably very efficient way of doing graphics.  Correct me if 
I am wrong, but it looks like *.geo files could be assignments or problem sets
and *.mac are macro files which could be tool sets to use to solve problems.

Students can save their work into *.geo which could be reviewed and compared 
with a correct answer in *.geo format by a teacher.

How does XML or EDUML fit in?

idea1:

If it is true that *.geo and *.mac files are simply a series of api calls to 
drgeo, they could also be saved in text format like thus:
  <drgeo>
   <point label="A" x="2" y="4">
   <point label="B" x="3" y="7">
   <segment label "AB">
   </drgeo>

If we wanted to create randomized problem sets (a different problem for each 
student), we could write a function to randomize between 1 and 40 the x 
coordinate of point A for example and produce personalized problems and 
answer keys for each student in a class on the fly.

This requires either rewriting Dr Geo to save (optionally) in XML format like 
GNUMERIC and/or a  drgeo2eduml and eduml2drgeo conversion function to allow 
EDUML problem sets to be used automatically by Dr Geo and problem set to be 
made by drGeo and stored in EDUML database.

idea2:

The *.geo and *.mac files themselves can be stored either by reference or by 
content into a big EDUML content database like thus:

<drgeo id="geo8.perpendicular.construction" by="HF">
 <![CDATA[  binary gobbledygook goes here ]]>
 </drgeo>

The CDATA element is an XML trick to store anything that might otherwise 
confuse an XML parser

idea3:

If a student spends some time doing some Dr. Geo work, his work can be saved 
as in idea 2 or in a portfolio area and referenced in the school's EDUML 
database so that his work can be printed on his report card or portfolio when 
and if needed.

idea4:

A log recording each time a student has worked on Dr. Geo  and for how long, 
together with an anecdote from the student about how the DrGeo session went, 
might be considered a useful indicator by some teachers and can be stored in 
EDUML format as well ... though this can be done by a the sript that launches 
Dr Geo requiring no change to Dr Geo itself).


Bruno