<div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Message: 7 Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 23:24:16 -0400 From: Eric Grace <<a href="mailto:ericmgrace@gmail.com">ericmgrace@gmail.com</a>> Subject: [math4] 7. XOs or Sugar? (Caroline Meeks) To: <a href="mailto:fourthgrademath@lists.sugarlabs.org">fourthgrademath@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> Message-ID: <<a href="mailto:623054230904022024p6dff30c6j49bb3e3c9d109145@mail.gmail.com">623054230904022024p6dff30c6j49bb3e3c9d109145@mail.gmail.com</a>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" </blockquote><div> Hi Eric, I definitely agree with you. The goal is to create a flexible system so that schools can use Sugar regardless of existing local conditions. In the US existing local conditions can include available existing hardware, cost of hardware (including sometimes complex color of money and existing contracts issues), people's pre-existing biases, IT department rules, etc. etc. Our job is to create options and help people find the ones that will get Sugar computing into kids hands quickly. Our job is not to decide "The Best Way" and then spend our time arguing with local implementers that we know more about what is best for them then they do. As you talk to schools, stay in touch if I can help. Thanks! Caroline </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Hello Caroline, Nice to meet you too.. Yes, Sugar on a Stick definitely has its advantages and should be deployed for student access and testing grounds for new developments. Individual student Sugar Sticks is a great option. I wouldn't argue one over the other. Any use of either for access, feedback, and development is good. I think some of the barriers to the Sugar on a Stick approach is the personnel in charge of facilitation. The concept of using an XO is a much easier sell to teachers and administrators because it is radically different than the hardware schools already have. I've dealt with a lot of resistance when dealing with school districts hardware and networks, so showing up with your own can be a much quicker solution... The mobility of the XO makes the potential for new experiential classroom curriculum integrated into applications/games an exciting possibility. My comments were not geared at getting school districts to completely change their hardware & software, curriculum, and teaching methods, but rather a quick method for us to test new development ideas locally and get feedback from the education community. Regards, Eric -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/fourthgrademath/attachments/20090402/72a52005/attachment.htm" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/fourthgrademath/attachments/20090402/72a52005/attachment.htm</a> ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ FourthGradeMath mailing list <a href="mailto:FourthGradeMath@lists.sugarlabs.org">FourthGradeMath@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/fourthgrademath" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/fourthgrademath</a> End of FourthGradeMath Digest, Vol 3, Issue 4 ********************************************* </blockquote></div> -- Caroline Meeks Solution Grove Caroline@SolutionGrove.com 617-500-3488 - Office 505-213-3268 - Fax