LetsType

Project Description

Title

Official Typing Tutor for XO machine. Suggested name- “LetsType”

Important Survey

I conducted an on-line survey at #olpc and #sugar IRC channels about the need of a typing tutor in XO machine. Various OLPC developers and XO users participated.
Major highlights:

• Typing tutor is indeed a much needed application
• It is one of the most essential and crucial “activity” required in XO

From the feedback received, I think this application demands approval.

Synopsis/Project Goals

To develop a interactive typing tutor for XO machine. Typing is an essential skill needed for using any keyboard based device. The prime objective of this project is to provide fundamental knowledge of typing to teachers and students who come under OLPC programme all over the world, thus spreading a word about Open Source. Initially it will be built for English language and then would be translated to other significant languages with the help of other developers. This activity will be released under GNU General Public License v3.

Introduction

A typing tutor helps an individual or school in learning and teaching How to Type. The tutor must incorporate three E’s: Easy, Efficient and Effective, i.e. it should be easy to use, it should be efficient in its performance and it should satisfy its users effectively. We need to equip the children with the knowledge of using the machine for efficient learning which in my honest opinion, is the very first building block of a child's future through OLPC. This role can be easily and efficiently played by a typing tutor utility.

Features of “LetsType”

• A user-friendly GUI in accordance to the OLPC Human Interface Guidelines
• A beginner tutorial on How to Use the typing tutor documentation
• Mock lessons to identify the present typing skills of the user
• Game will include various kinds of interactive exercises like:
  • • Learning Category
      • • Alphabet test (basic exercise for beginners)
        • Finger exercise (strings like “jkl”, “asd”; provide initial training for keyboard)
    • Testing Category
      • • Long/Complex words test (like “summer”; these are complex for kids!!)
        • Speed test (fast typing)
        • Simple Sentence (important exercise that combines all the above tests)
• Every exercise/test will generate a report about the performance of the user and school server can import/work on statistics
• The typing tutor will be fully supported by Tutorials throughout its execution
• Various other possible components will be discussed and designed

Design

In my endeavor to develop such a tool, I plan to design it in the form of a game with bright images, colors and animation that will attract many children. The design will incorporate various moving and stationary components. A mascot can also be used, preferably Tux. Main asset of this activity will be its GUI. All this will help children learn typing in a fun filled and effortless manner and most importantly they will get familiar with the interface of XO machine. I'm designing the mock-ups right now. A rough idea would have something like, letters from different directions fly-in to form a word at the center of screen. User will be supposed to type the word before the letters disappear. One of the alphabet test could include balls/balloons with letters going across the screen. I believe, such a design will keep the children longing for more.