[IAEP] Its.an.education.project Digest, Vol 4, Issue 17

[Bryan Berry]

Great insights Antoine!

Antoine wrote:
>* The paradox of graphical programming languages (gpl) [2]  are that:
>   - a gpl which makes it easy for anyone to write simple programs is  
>difficult to use to write larger programs
>   - a gpl which makes it easy to write larger programs is difficult  
>for anyone to learn

>We encountered this same paradox when choosing a development platform for 
>the E-Paath activities. We chose Etoys because kids don't need
>awesome graphics in order to learn. Etoys graphical capabilities are
>enough.


>* Developing curricula using dynamic media is hte awesome.

We need to encapsulate technical complexity into individual activities and
keep the narrative glue as simple as possible. Moodle is the right glue and dynamism
is in the activities

>* If the institutional environment you are working with are still  
>caught up in the moodle-y [4] excitement it is likely that a  
>successful preliminary investigation will be met with looks of  
>incomprehension, nervousness and even outright hostility.

Moodle works! Let's stick w/ it and hide the technical complexity in individual
activities. It's not sexy but it does the job.

Let's not create a new monolithic environment that reinvents the wheel.
The only thing anywhere close to that is Sophie (www.sophieproject.org)
and it is very, very beta. very beta