Exploring XO: Tab 1

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Tab 1: Welcome

Welcome to the Teachers Center! The World Wide Workshop Foundation has partnered with OLPC to create the MaMaMedia Activity CenterItalic text, a set of original Constructionist learning activities that children can use to learn and play together using their XO Laptops.

These activities empower children to “learn by doing” – they will be able to make and share their own polls, puzzles, stories, cartoons, quizzes and more. They also provide opportunities for sharing knowledge within the school and local community, and for connecting with other OLPC communities of learners and teachers around the world.

These activities can easily be integrated with subjects you are teaching at school (or at home.) Even if you have little or no experience with computers and the Internet -- there is no need to feel intimidated; it is fun and easy and we are here to help you!

Start your own learning by exploring this Teacher Center. Here you will find a set of starter activities for exploring the XO, a list of all the MaMaMedia acitvities and what each does, a glossary of useful terms, and some more background about the Educational philosophy and design principles.

Each activity also contains a set of customized Lesson Plans. From any activity, click on the “Lesson Plans” button and you will find a set of lesson ideas for using that activity in your classroom.

Our lesson plans invite teachers and students to learn the following skills:

• Become familiar with the XO laptop, its features, and programs.
• Figure out on your own (and with friends) how parts of the laptop work.
• Practice problem solving and building strategies, as individual learners and as groups.
• Learn how to help others understand an idea.
• Learn from classmates.
• Practice discussing thought processes around problem solving strategies.
• Learn to record observations and discoveries using the laptop.
• Learn to create original projects using the laptop.
• Learn to share knowledge with other community members using the laptop.
• Learn to integrate the laptop as a learning tool while studying a variety of topics.
• Learn to share knowledge with other community members by creating a guide for the laptop (to hang in the classroom and in other parts of the school building.)