[IAEP] Suggestions Needed!

[Caryl Bigenho]

Hi Tabitha...
Thanks for the great suggestions.  I think I will steal some of your words!  Actually, CUE is for "Computer Using Educators," but that doesn't mean they are computer "saavy."  Basically they are all looking for a "magic bullet" that will make their lives easier and help their students get better test scores.
I think I will leave out Moodle entirely... there is usually someone who will cover that.  Last year when they did, they portrayed it as an inexpensive alternative to BlackBoard. No mention was made of constructionist pedagogy.  In fact... no one is really mentioning that much.  Getting students to do better on the standardized tests is what the teachers are interested in... their jobs may depend on it!  You have to sneak it in... and "Sugar"-coat it!  
I think I will revise my Abstract to show how using Sugar, and other portable software, can be tied to preparing students for the tests... alas! That is what folks seem to need right now.  We have to be stealth advocates of constructionist ideas. 
Too bad the focus is on prepping for tests, not prepping for life!
Caryl
BTW Teachers are definitely not in favor of "teaching to the test", but it has become a scary fact of life whether they like it or not:
http://projects.latimes.com/value-added/
http://www.neontommy.com/news/2010/09/los-angeles-teachers-protest-against-los-angeles-times

http://projects.latimes.com/value-added/faq/

Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 19:38:59 +1300
Subject: Re: [IAEP] Suggestions Needed!
From: tabitha at tabitha.net.nz
To: cbigenho at hotmail.com
CC: iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org; support-gang at laptop.org

Hi Caryl

The abstract does not paint a picture of "it's an education project". This applies to the whole abstract. You can even use these words "it's an education project" if it helps you clarify that Sugar is all about the learning.


e.g. "A. Moodle: similar to BlackBoard, but free.  You do pay for support if needed"
Moodle is not similar to Blackboard - Moodle is based on a social constructionist pedagogy, you would find some similar theories to those floating around the education research office at MIT Media Labs.

Try writing: Moodle: a learning management system designed with a social constructionist pedagogy as a guide. It is distributed under GPL so is free to use and has a community of support available as well as paid support.


So now lets take the opening:
This presentation will focus on free educational software that can be run on most computers from a usb thumb-drive or live CD: Sugar on a Stick (SoaS).  This software is helpful when no internet is available, you do not wish students to have access to the web, or you do not wish to permanently install something new on the computer.  


This presentation will focus on the education tool known as Sugar on a Stick (SoaS); a learning platform that can run from a USB thumb drive or live CD, without need for installing anything onto a schools computers. 

Then perhaps quote Sugar Labs website: 
"The award-winning Sugar Learning
 Platform promotes collaborative learning through Sugar Activities that 
encourage critical thinking, the heart of a quality education. Designed 
from the ground up especially for children, Sugar offers an alternative 
to traditional “office-desktop” software."
As far as I know CUE2011 is a conference for educators who use computers, so try to appeal more to the educators. 

Hope this helps. Good luck!


Kind regards
Tabitha Roder
eLearning specialist and olpc volunteer
tabitha at tabitha.net.nz
Cell +64 21 482229

http://tabitharoder.wordpress.com/     http://tabitharoder.blogspot.com/   




On 9 October 2010 12:14, Caryl Bigenho <cbigenho at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks...
> I'm working on the abstract for my proposed presentation at CUE 2011 in Palm Springs in March.  The filing deadline is Monday, but I was hoping to put it in tomorrow morning since we will be traveling Sunday.  They asked for an outline of the presentation in the abstract, that is why it is in that form.  I want to focus mainly on Sugar and SoaS for this talk but still put in stuff about OLPC and volunteering.  

> If you have a few minutes to look over my attached abstract and give me suggestions for additions or corrections, I would really appreciated it!
> Thanks,
> Caryl
> _______________________________________________

> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
> IAEP at lists.sugarlabs.org
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep


 		 	   		  
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