Educational Software

Introduction

This page is intended to organize the thinking on software that could be used in some fasshion by the OLPC project. Please use the discussion tab to add your own suggestions.

Programming for Kids

Programming for Kids refers to the constructionist practice of teaching kids thinking skills and mathematical skills by using a programming language environment such as LOGO or Squeak.

Software to Support Education

This refers to software that does not teach anything directly but is available to facilitate learning. Examples include wireless chat and dictionaries.

Dictionary software

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, English/Spanish (or other language) translations, pronunciation

There are lots of dictionary programs available, defined file formats, and dictionaries. One of the formats is SDICT which is used by various client programs including various types of mobile phone. Because they have already done the work to make a small compressed format we should leverage that and use their dictionary files. Alexey Semenoff has a page discussing the work of the sdictionary project.

Software to enable Participatory Simulations

Participatory Simulations

http://ccl.northwestern.edu/ps/ps.shtml

Tools for Writing and Organizing

This includes any kind of software tool that helps a child organize their thoughts and produce written material. It is important to the OLPC project since the units will be deployed in areas where there is a shortage of content because it leverages the kids as developers of educational content themselves.

Concept Mapping Tools

Something like Inspiration/Kidspiration but with better networkability for collaborative editing. I like the concept of CMapTools, but its a a big java app.

View Your Mind

(http://www.insilmaril.de/vym/) is an open source Linux mindmapping program which runs in a small memory space.

Free Mind

(http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page) is another open source mind mapping program; it may have a larger memory footprint, however.

The Connectors package in Squeak allows easy creation of concept maps, flow charts, and directed graphs, with boxes and connecting links.

Teaching Software

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.

Ebook Reader

This is teaching software that takes the rich and detailed content of textbooks and encyclopedias into the OLPC.

Virtual Manipulatives (for math learning)

One argument for the design of virtual manipulatives has been saving money (physical manipulatives can be expensive, can be lost, can come in limited quantities). There is a library of virtual manipulatives available online http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html that provides a variety of activities and manipulatives for learning different math concepts.

(Shameless plug) I am also working on creating a new kind of virtual manipulative - one that attempts to build a bridge between artistic design efforts and mathematical learning. My desire to do this partially stems form the fact that I think some learners are more comfortable in either art or math, and that through this bridge they can step a little bit outside their comfort zones into the realm with which they are less comfortable (but still in a context they like). So, if you are very excited about art, you can try some math through your design activities, and if you like math but don't feel like you are very good at art, you can create some neat patterns that solve challenges posed from the mathematical perspective. I am interested in working with this laptop project.

I think that whatever (virtual) math manipulatives are available should be considered for this project. I would also like to see more of these virtual manipulatives developed for general use, but it seems like instances where money matters so much, this solution does not add any cost and would be useful.

K.K. Lamberty

5 April 2006

Please, let's not forget that the OLPC is for the delivery of content as well as applications. It is not a tech toy. I agree that physical objects that can be manipulated will make it easer to teach maths. But they don't need to be virtual. Include material to teach the children how to make manipulatives out of scrap wood or palm leaves. Include measuring tools so the kids can check their dimensions by holding the objects up to the screen. Integrate the construction of manipulatives into the learning process.

Processing

I have searched many websites during the last hours. I believe children love quick results and graphical results. I find this one is worth having a look at it. It seems to be free and available for Linux: http://processing.org/

Although it looks complicated. Haven't tried it, just providing the link.

Nelements

Nelements is a generic 3d knowledge representation system that can be used to represent knowledge in a language of thought.

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I believe children love quick results and graphical results.

This sound to me like #Logo. Anyway I don't think this should turn into a language-war. I guess the laptops could come bundled with language1 and language2 and language3 if they all fit in. But to be useful, the laptops need come be accompanied with something else. The language interpreter/compiler is, of course, not enough. What do we need to put in there to make the use of the language educational?