Contributors program/March 12, 2010

[ AGENDA ]

* XO-1.5 early production machines now available/shipping:
  http://blog.laptop.org/2010/02/25/xo-1-5-early-production-laptops-free-to-contributors-worldwide/

* New projects & libraries -- teaching them Community Outreach:
  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XO_Laptop_Lending_Libraries

* Which projects might you enjoy Mentoring below?!
  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects
  http://rt.laptop.org/Search/Results.html?Query=Queue=%27contributors%27

* Fast Review of the 3 latest (greatest!) HW/Project Proposals -- please
  join us advocating for, and/or reviewing shortcomings of these proposals:

  #1 Competitive Learning within a Mesh Network - Munich, Germany
  #2 Big Sky Science Partnership for Montana Indian Reservation Schools - Bozeman, Montana
  #3 Sugar on OpenSolaris - Chicago, Illinois


[ PROJECT #1 - Competitive Learning within a Mesh Network - Munich, Germany ]

<CanoeBerry> Hi all, Contributors Program meeting will start here in 5 MIN -- very quick meeting today!
<CanoeBerry> AGENDA: http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2010-March/027725.html
...
<CanoeBerry> Late start!
<CanoeBerry> Shall we?
<dogi> hi
<CanoeBerry> Let's start reviewing Project #1 here -- everyone is encourage to critique/mentor/vote:
<CanoeBerry> Competitive Learning within a Mesh Network - Munich, Germany
<CanoeBerry>    http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Competitive_Learning
<CanoeBerry>    http://dev.laptop.org/git
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=58992
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 2 XO-1.5's and 2 XO-1's over undetermined months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    The project's aim is to develop an activity framework for competitive
<CanoeBerry>    learning/training activities over the mesh network.
<CanoeBerry> Two or more teams within a learning environment compete against each 
<CanoeBerry> other.
<CanoeBerry>    They can see the learning/training effort of their own and of the other
<CanoeBerry>    teams, compare their own achievements, gain awards for achieving teacher
<CanoeBerry>    defined learning/training goals. They see in real time which team 
<CanoeBerry> members of
<CanoeBerry>    their own or other teams are actively learning at the moment and which
<CanoeBerry>    challenges their team and the other teams are actually facing.
<CanoeBerry>    By getting immediate feedback over the learning/training effort - as well
<CanoeBerry>    over their own, as over their team's and as over the effort of the 
<CanoeBerry> competing
<CanoeBerry>    team(s), pupils can be motivated to learn in a special way.
* GrannieB  has joined #olpc-meeting
<CanoeBerry> Into the activity framework for competitive learning/training a model
<CanoeBerry>    learning/training activity will be integrated. This highly customizable
<CanoeBerry>    question/answer activity can be used to train foreign or first language
<CanoeBerry>    vocabulary, maths, or any other knowledge that can be training in a
<CanoeBerry>    sophisticated question/answer style.
<CanoeBerry>    The learning/training activity uses experience from learning research to
<CanoeBerry>    gain a maximum of learning effect within the given time dedicated to
<CanoeBerry>    learning by the pupils. As well as the pupils, the teacher(s) can see the
<CanoeBerry>    training achievements of the class and can retrieve detailed reports 
<CanoeBerry> about
<CanoeBerry>    the successes and the learning gaps of the class - via the mesh network
<CanoeBerry>    he/she can even see from home in the evening which lessons are 
<CanoeBerry> understood by
<CanoeBerry>    the pupils and which have to be deepened the next day.
<CanoeBerry>    Plan of Action
<CanoeBerry>    1. Basic development of activity framework for competive
<CanoeBerry>       learning/training over a mesh network.
<CanoeBerry>    2. Internal tests and development within the team.
<CanoeBerry>    3. Integration of a simple model activity into the framework.
<CanoeBerry>    4. Beta release to the public and pledge for public testing/bug reports.
<CanoeBerry>    5. Development and integration of a demo interface design attractive to
<CanoeBerry>       the first target group.
<CanoeBerry>    6. Intensive testing within a class of 15 pupils.
<CanoeBerry>    7. Integration of a sophisticated model training/learning activity.
<CanoeBerry>    8. RC and Pledge for public suggestions for additional interface designs.
<CanoeBerry>    9. Further development
<CanoeBerry> Sorry if the massive paste above may have been partly throttled+blocked by freenode.
<culseg> though I see mention of vocabulary cards, it is not clear what age group these 15 kids are to be for the project
<CanoeBerry> Full original here: http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=58992
<GrannieB> how old are the students?
<CanoeBerry> Hmm.
<CanoeBerry> Aside: we have a 3rd project to review quick today as well in a bit: http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=59182
<CanoeBerry> (that'll be "Sugar on OpenSolaris")
<culseg> can the project be reviewed by someone nearby with German language skills and local know-how, like Christoph
<dogi> have heard about ETS
<GrannieB> good idea
<CanoeBerry> dogi speaks Tyrolian only
<GrannieB> Greetings from Snow Valley!
<culseg> can the project bake in a plan to create an XO activity with all the programming skills that appear?
<dogi> :)
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: wherever that is, welcome!
<CanoeBerry> How shall we proceed now?
<culseg> I vote to defer until someone digs and develops answers, otherwise it is keen project idea and I would support
<CanoeBerry> This writeup's impressive but we need Dogi/Christoph to recommend a course of action..
<GrannieB> need more info... refine
<dogi> CanoeBerry, +1
<dogi> munich city moved 7 years ago into OpenSource
<dogi> it is looking like they are connected to them
<dogi> kaserf told me last week that a person found the phonenumbers of the tutors of him
<dogi> and called them
<CanoeBerry> Great
<CanoeBerry> Applicant's photo is here: http://www.johannesponader.de/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite
<GrannieB> how does this differ from clickers?
<dogi> think that is the result of the meeting which happend after ...
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: please explain "clickers" for dogi
<dogi> thx CanoeBerry
* dogi is sitting next to adam
<GrannieB> little gadgets kids hold... respond to questions... teacher gets immediate feedback
<GrannieB> some people do this with cell phones too
<CanoeBerry> Right: focus groups "Survey Says" technologies..
<dogi> I m in favor cause they was so fast ... the motiation must be really high
<GrannieB> questions about content  look for inderstanding
<dogi> and we should surf on high motivation waves ...
<CanoeBerry> +1 if Christoph or Bert or another German mentors
<CanoeBerry> (but I'll admit I haven't studied the full proposal in detail yet)
<CanoeBerry> 2min warning..
<CanoeBerry> Other votes please?
<dogi> I mentor them only if they join #treehouse at OFTC
<GrannieB> I'll abstain on this one. Not enough info for me.
<CanoeBerry> We have a possible mentor, great -- Dogi does not like to mentor over email however, so we need to confirm this group is IRC fluent.
<CanoeBerry> Final votes / Objections?
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<dogi> :)
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<CanoeBerry> Calling thrice..
<CanoeBerry> Conclusion: CLOSE! Let's get a bit more info and review with German speakers like Dogi/Christoph/Bert.


[ PROJECT #2 - Big Sky Science Partnership for Montana Indian Reservation Schools - Bozeman, Montana ]

<CanoeBerry> Onto project #2 now -- please everybody critique/mentor/vote for:
<CanoeBerry> http://www.johannesponader.de/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite
<CanoeBerry> Big Sky Science Partnership for Montana Indian Reservation Schools - 
<CanoeBerry> Bozeman, Montana
<CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=59123
<CanoeBerry>    http://www.smrc.montana.edu (coming soon?)
<CanoeBerry>    [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF 
<CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry>    Requests 10 XO's over undetermined months
<CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
<CanoeBerry>    Ten XO laptops will be used in a pilot project in the classrooms of
<CanoeBerry>    elementary teachers on and near the Crow and Northern Cheyenne
<CanoeBerry>    Reservations in Montana. The Big Sky Science Partnership (BSSP) is a
<CanoeBerry>    National Science Foundation funded project, which has allowed us to
<CanoeBerry>    work with teachers on these two reservations since 2006.
<CanoeBerry> Through our current funding BSSP is able to provide each teacher with
<CanoeBerry>    a Mac Book. This allows the teachers to share web-based resources
<CanoeBerry>    (simulations, videos, interactive media) with students. However,
<CanoeBerry>    students do not have hands-on access to computers and do not have the
<CanoeBerry>    freedom to browse and independently develop their understanding of
<CanoeBerry>    science. All BSSP teachers have less than 20 students per classroom;
<CanoeBerry>    therefore, 10 computers would allow students to work in pairs on
<CanoeBerry>    projects. Placing the XO laptops in the hands of students would
<CanoeBerry>    directly address three specific goals outlined in our BSSP project
<CanoeBerry>    description.
<CanoeBerry>    1) improve the delivery of science instruction,
<CanoeBerry>    2) improve the understanding of science content and pedagogy, and
<CanoeBerry>    3) generate school based K-8 learning communities.
<CanoeBerry>    BSSP faculty and administrative staff will attend a workshop to learn
<CanoeBerry>    XO Laptop operation system and Sugar software. In turn, they will
<CanoeBerry>    provide training for the teacher leaders, and work closely with the
<CanoeBerry>    teachers particularly during inquiry-based science lessons to bring
<CanoeBerry>    real-world data sets, models and simulations of science processes
<CanoeBerry>    directly into the classroom. With the variety of learning styles
<CanoeBerry>    that have been observed in these classrooms, the STEM (Science
<CanoeBerry>    Technology Engineering Math) lessons will be much more engaging for
<CanoeBerry>    the students with access to the XO laptops and Sugar software.
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: are you connected with this project and can you advocate for it?
<GrannieB> Scott Dowdle (Bozeman LUG/MSU) and  I have been advising this project.
<GrannieB> They have excellent support and a great team. Already involved with the Reservation schools via NSF sponsored project
<GrannieB> Scott did a presentation about the XOs for them and they took it from there
<CanoeBerry> I just viewed the 3 photos and the 1 gif timeline on-ticket here:
<CanoeBerry> http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=59123
<GrannieB> yes... teacher training sessions
<culseg> really the timeline means XO-1.5s
<CanoeBerry> Web page lacking: http://www.smrc.montana.edu
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: should we send 2 XO's for starters to acclimatize all?
<culseg> projec has strengths of people and ideas, but maybe they should test a couple of XOs for starters
<CanoeBerry> +1
<culseg> and see what can be done in emulation
<GrannieB> I was stalled. When does the timeline say they will start with teachers?
<CanoeBerry> Perhaps sending them both XO-1 and XO-1.5 (one of each).
<GrannieB> Bozeman LUG has an XO library. I don't know where they are checked out at this time.
<culseg> kids get XOs in Fall 2010, so a preview of a few XOs for teacher testing and trial makes sense now.
<CanoeBerry> http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Attachment/805895/437211/time.line.gif
<GrannieB> Teacher training probably  takes place in the summer
<CanoeBerry> June 7-18
<CanoeBerry> BSSP Teacher Summer Institute
<GrannieB> If the 10 machines would be XO-1.5s, sending a couple now and the others in fime for the training would be good
<CanoeBerry> "discussions and intructions on integrating XO Laptops into curriculum"
<GrannieB> I can attand thetraining if needed
<CanoeBerry> Wicked!
<CanoeBerry> Can we conclude?
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: which 2 XO's should I ship now, if we go with that recommendation?
<GrannieB> XO-1.5s if that is what they will be able to get for the training in June
<CanoeBerry> I don't want this group to assume they will receive 10 XO-1.5's, but I'm happy to ship them 1, along with an older XO-1, if these help.
<dogi> hmm
<dogi> sound good for me
<CanoeBerry> MOTION: ship 1 XO-1 and 1 XO-1.5 for now, as Caryl mentors
<CanoeBerry> Please vote.
<culseg> 1.5s and highlight the Physics XO Activiity fro them to test as well
<culseg> +1
<GrannieB> How long will have to wait for the other 8 and what do they have to do to get them ?
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: Depends on them & you entirely!
<GrannieB> OK   Website?
<CanoeBerry> Let's just not assume that XO-1.5's will be as freely available as XO-1's in coming months.
<GrannieB> Progress report?
<CanoeBerry> Great!
<CanoeBerry> Quasimontly Mentoring Progress Reports off of: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects
<GrannieB> June is only 3 mos away
<CanoeBerry> (standard operating procedure, thanks!)
<CanoeBerry> Let us conclude.
<CanoeBerry> Final objections to shipping 1 XO-1 and 1 XO-1.5?
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<GrannieB> +1 for 2 XO-1.5s now.  They can see Scott D for XO-1s if meeded
<CanoeBerry> Calling thrice..
<CanoeBerry> Interesting..
<GrannieB> Bozeman LUG library
<CanoeBerry> GrannieB: we'll need to see if we have enough XO-1.5's and you will have to keep this groups expectations realistic around limited XO-1.5 availability.
<CanoeBerry> Anyway: APPROVED
<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #3 -- final one of the day:
<GrannieB> OK will do


[ PROJECT #3 - Sugar on OpenSolaris - Chicago, Illinois ]

<CanoeBerry> Onto Project #3 -- final one of the day:
<GrannieB> OK will do
<CanoeBerry> Sugar on OpenSolaris - Chicago, Illinois
<CanoeBerry> 1 or 2 XO-1.5 laptops for 1 year
<CanoeBerry> Project Objectives: Making Sugar Available on OpenSolaris.
<CanoeBerry> I have already spent several weeks porting about 75% of the
<CanoeBerry> Sugar platform to OpenSolaris. You can find the dozens of
<CanoeBerry> SFEsugar* spec-files that I have already created here:
<CanoeBerry> http://pkgbuild.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/pkgbuild/spec-files-extra/trunk/
<CanoeBerry> However, many programs do not seem to work, or seem to have
<CanoeBerry> errors when running. Since the Sugar emulator is not supported
<CanoeBerry> for OpenSolaris, I cannot use it for testing the platform.
<CanoeBerry> Having 1 or 2 XO-1.5 units would assist me in this porting
<CanoeBerry> effort by allowing me to become more familiar with how the
<CanoeBerry> Sugar platform works on a system that fully supports it already.
<CanoeBerry> Two units would be most useful since it would enable me to
<CanoeBerry> learn how to use the networking features more easily.
<CanoeBerry> My goal is to make Sugar fully functional on OpenSolaris and
<CanoeBerry> to make the Sugar packages available to OpenSolaris users via
<CanoeBerry> a package repository. This will expose Sugar to new users and
<CanoeBerry> developers and will also provide needed software useful for
<CanoeBerry> children available to OpenSolaris users.
<CanoeBerry> http://blogs.sun.com/yippi
<CanoeBerry> [SPECIFIC SITE NEEDS TO BE POSTED OFF http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects ]
<CanoeBerry> +1 -- I've talked to this individual and so far he seems to have great outreach leads too.
<culseg> if this project can stir the interest any new Sugar developers ( because their  dev envir is OpenSolaris) then more power to this project,,,, 'ship em'
<dogi> +0.5 ...
<CanoeBerry> Criticism or Lobbying for all please ;)
<CanoeBerry> Please vote and/or express your final objections!
<culseg> XO 1-1.5 needs more developers, GNOME connections great, +1
<dogi> +1 if nexenta
<GrannieB> +1
<dogi> -> http://www.nexenta.org/
<dogi> if they are to run opensolaris on a XO then nexenta is possible too ..
<CanoeBerry> Calling once..
<CanoeBerry> Calling twice..
<CanoeBerry> Calling thricce..
<CanoeBerry> APPROVED-- Thanks all for a quick meeting!
<CanoeBerry> Off to lunch, many thanks everybody :)
<GrannieB> bye... gotta go watch family ski.
<culseg> chao