[IAEP] [support-gang] FW: [OLPC Bolivia] No logro aprender Sugar / I cannot learn Sugar

[Sameer Verma]

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Nicholas Doiron <ndoiron at mapmeld.com> wrote:
> Caryl, Mikus et al:
>
> These attitudes toward Sugar should not surprise us, especially anyone who
> has worked with XOs in Uruguay or the USA. When teachers find Linux programs
> such as TuxPaint, they cannot interact with the Journal and cannot save at
> all on Uruguay's unrooted Sugar.  This was one thing we heard loud and clear
> from Flor de Ceibo and other volunteers.
>
> Plan Ceibal is becoming more and more open to different platforms, including
> (less innovative) Intel Classmates and Kindles. For Sugar and OLPC to
> continue our education ideals and open technology in South America, we need
> to meet 'realness' needs, too.  When the majority of classes are using the
> Browse activity (did we hear something like 70-80% ? ) it sounds like it
> would be wise to discuss ChromeOS and browser-based applications, possibly
> using a modern browser such a Webkit.
>
> The more we identify Sugar as an entirely different way of schooling and
> technology, the harder it gets to incorporate it in conventional schools,
> using the programs that teachers want to use.  If your response is, "but
> teachers don't understand real education!!! " then stop making Sugar for
> schools and give it to likeminded parents.
>
> Regards,
>
> Nick Doiron
>
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>
>

Good to have this conversation going once again. It shows that we all
haven't lost the will to question our own efforts. However, remember
that it is more important to see the children's point of view and
their workflow as opposed to Carlos' or Paolo's. True that there is
room for improvement, but what are the kids saying. Not just Uruguayan
kids, but others as well. I actually like the concept of a Journal so
much that I'd like for it to replace the file manager concept
altogether in GNOME :-)

The thing about incompatibility with other platforms is a matter of
scope. For instance, back when I used Windows (mid 90's), I didn't
care much about scope. I used to develop apps in Asymetrix Toolbook
and Visual Basic, but the moment I hit Linux and FOSS, I realized the
importance of scope and switched over to HTML and PHP etc. Someday
bulk of the apps will be based on HTML5 or some such thing and we
won't have to worry about Wine. We are getting there, but in the mean
time we have Wine and other solutions.

Whining is good, as long as it is followed by fixing :-) Its a
characteristic I truly appreciate of this project and its peoples.

cheers,
Sameer
-- 
Dr. Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Information Systems
Director, Campus Business Solutions
San Francisco State University
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://opensource.sfsu.edu/
http://cbs.sfsu.edu/
http://is.sfsu.edu/