[Sugar-devel] GPA Class Notes July 22 - GS

[Gary C Martin]

On 22 Jul 2009, at 20:09, Walter Bender wrote:

> On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 2:58 PM, Greg Smith<gregsmithpm at gmail.com>  
> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I posted the full notes here:
>> http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Gardner_Pilot_Academy#Class_notes
>>
>> Three high level points:
>> - Kids have no trouble finding new activities (e.g. Write) and they
>> want to have more to use.
>> - Its still hard to task switch (we may try teaching them alt - tab
>> next week), find thing son the journal and move data from one  
>> activity
>> to another.
>
> They did readily pick up on using shortcut keys... I told them about
> F1 and F3 and they almost all started using those two keys instead of
> going to the Frame. Also, Ctrl-F is not easy to type.

Never doubt the power of 'muscle' memory, (well the mostly in the  
cerebellum if we are being honest). I would put 'muscle' memory above  
many visual memory tasks in terms of performance. With use, regular  
use of muscle motions becomes extremely natural to perform (ask any  
touch typist).

>> - Conozco Uruguay is very effective at helping kids memorize.
>>
>> Walter has given the kids a challenge to make their own game. They
>> came up with 6 examples of games they want to make:
>> 1.  Guatemala. Departments numbered and corresponding to images on  
>> the map.
>> 2. Sports team logos in the US. Then find the state or city for  
>> each team.
>> 3. Presidents. Match pictures of presidents with names.
>> 4. Presidents mashup (word used by kid!). Take a jumbled up a list of
>> pictures of presidents and put them in order.
>> 5. Countries and states in North America.
>> 6. "Find me". Start with an animation of a spinning globe. Find north
>> america and show that. Find US, find MA, Find Boston, Find Allston,
>> Find Gardner Pilot Academy. One kid yelled out then find the desk in
>> the office.
>>
>> We're not completely sure which "authoring environment" to use.  
>> Walter
>> is taking the lead on that and may use Conozco Uruguay code base or
>> something else. See notes for more details. Suggestions and help
>> customizing apps appreciated.
>
> It could be as simple as a tool that lets them associate a question
> with a multiple choice answer that corresponds to some label on an
> image or map. (e.g., the map can have letters and the questions can
> ask for the letter that corresponds to the answer; no need to do any
> coordinate system mapping in this case.)

I have a plan (as yet unfulfilled) for a picture quiz Activity.  
Initially as a selection of pre-sets (much like Memorize). But,  
basically a customisable image background + customisable drag and drop  
to 'sockets' set of text labels (think fridge magnets). Idea is part  
of the "awards" concept as it fits quite well. Hopefully have a demo  
on 0.86 time scale. It should scale quite well, and fit right in to  
constructionist ideas (kid can draw, create, import, or photographs an  
image into the Activity, label it, shares it as a quiz for others). It  
could be all text if that's the goal, (i.e. picture of Romanian words  
vs. English labels). I think I'd have the quiz only show a % of the  
questions to keep the game fresh on re-play.

Regards,
--Gary