[IAEP] Computer ClubHouse at the Boston Museum of Science

[Caroline Meeks]

http://www.computerclubhouse.org/
The Computer Clubhouse is
an international network of computer centers for youth.  Their
"flagship" clubhouse is housed in the Museum of Science in Boston
and they were kind enough to host us for two days this week.

Keith has also mentioned that he would be able to host evening Geek
meetups/hack sessions at the clubhouse.  I am copying OLPC Boston to see if
there would be interest in moving from our meetup location from the coffee
shop to this computer heaven in the coolest museum in Boston. :) (Sorry, I
literately grew up at the Boston Museum of Science and the Berkeley Lawrence
Hall of Science and just love science museums)

Today we worked with 8 kids from Cambridge that had been coming to the
clubhouse one day a week over the summer.

The computer clubhouse provides professional level software for the kids to
create with. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent on proprietary software
and the kids do great things. Their favorite when I asked at the beginning
of class seemed to be Garage Band.

I asked these students if any of them had a computer at home.  They all did.
In fact, some had a mac and a PC in their house.  I asked them if any of
them had taken anything they had done at the clubhouse and continued to work
on it at home. NONE of them had.

The club
houses are doing great things but the impact on the students lives and
learning is limited to the time they are spending there.  One
potential of Sugar on a Stick is to
allow students to keep working and exploring beyond their few hours in
computer paradise and have them not lose access
when their program ends.

Walter has met with the Auckland Clubhouse people and they were also
interested in Sugar.  They might be a great partner.

-- 
Caroline Meeks
Solution Grove
Caroline at SolutionGrove.com

617-500-3488 - Office
505-213-3268 - Fax
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