Teaching software

This page was created because I suspect that there will be a long list of such software.

Introduction

Teaching Software refers to applications whose primary goal is to deliver educational content. In the western world this is often very poorly implemented in CBT (Computer Based Training) modules or tedious drill and practice software. These approaches will not work in the OLPC environment. Drill and practice would demotivate the kids and CBT does not have the depth of information needed.

CBT and D&P are not educational software. They are for "being taught". See also the concept of "learned helplessness" researched by Martin Seligman and many others

Teaching software needs to fit into the constructionist model of learning by doing. This is equally true whether the tool is a drawing program, a programming language interpreter or compiler, a program for creating documents or Web pages, a Voice over Internet communications program, a program for composing music, a robot or fabrication tool control program, an accounting program, or a pure math program. However, just plain tools often are not suitable for learning because they are too complex and targetted towards adults.

External Developers will produce the bulk of this software.

General

Software that does not fit into a single subject area, for instance an application that teaches children how to solve detective mysteries.

Programming languages and tools

The OLPC includes Python, Javascript, CSound and LOGO. We still need applications that support and simplify learning with these tools. For instance, LOGOWiki is a set of web pages that guides children through using LOGO. Another example is Livewires which is a Python module and some course material that guides children through its use.

Music

The primary musical tool to be included is TamTam however some more guided explorations of music will also be useful. Squeak also includes musical capabilities.

Finances

Children in the third world live in an environment where finance and business is more important to their daily lives than in the developed world. They do not have a lot of money but the family needs to wisely manage and invest the money that they do have. This means that the family is often more like a business than a Western family. Software targeted towards helping teach children the basics of finance and investment will be very useful to both the children and their families.

Ideally we would see something that teaches double-entry bookkeeping in a way that children can understand. Also simulations of investment, interest, profit, etc. The focus must be on using language that a child can understand in order to communicate the fundamental concepts. Most current texts and software does not meet this need because it is filled with confusing jargon and targetted at adult learners.

On [1] there is a list of financial IQ games. A good place to get ideas if someone like to write a computer game.

Mathematics

The ideal software in this category will not use any language at all, and therefore will instantly be usable in all countries. The application should allow a specific font to be configured so that countries with non-arabic numeral glyphs can change the font to be instantly compatible. Numerals should be non-kerned in a monospace font.

Science

Data Collection and Analysis

The OLPC audio input port can be used with sensors that provide inputs in the range from 0 to 1 VDC. We need software that supports calibration of sensors, data collection, and graphing. In addition, software that guides children through a progressive series of experiments that they can do will be useful. You need to think like George Washington Carver in order to create software that is useful in the developing world.

Geography

In addition to any DJVU maps that country teams will assemble, it will be good to include some basic world and regional maps. Ideally this would be in the form of a GIS application that allows selection of various overlays, i.e. demographic, economic, etc.

Since the OLPC could be used with a USB GPS (or Bluetooth GPS using a USB-Bluetooth module), we need an application that supports map creation using SVG format and the SQLite database for data storage.

Language Skills

Programs to promote language skills must be adaptable to multiple languages with varying scripts. They must also have easily adaptable graphical material. For instance, an image of an apple is meaningless to children in tropical countries and the word apple will never be used in conversation there. However, fruit as a topic is relevant everywhere. If an application shows pictures of fruits with the names under them it must allow local people to easily change the images and names. Ideally, this information will be held in an XML file with all the words and names of SVG and PNG image files.

Foreign Languages

Learning a foreign language can be made easier with support of well-designed application software.

One application would display written text synchronised with audio. There are many websites that offer audio and accompanying text such as Deutsche Welle's Nachrichten, on their Audio on Demand page, accessible from http://www.dw-world.de/dw/. They provide versions in 30 languages.

Online dictionaries are not only useful standalone but can be integrated into other applications. To that end an application that usessdictionary format and integrates with D-BUS will enable other applications to do lookups.

More generally, helping students learn foreign languages through the use of technology has been explored, and web searches on keywords like CALL (computer assisted language learning) will yield interesting results.