UncleCrazy
UncleCrazy
Describing a disabled adult trying to show is little relatives (nephew 10 years old, neice 5 years old) the XO during a summer DC Lending Library loan period...
Writing up the XO and kids first 2 day experience..
Backdrop:
I'm an uncle, I'm not trained for: 1) creating play dates, 2) some discipline
Plus) and disabled, so not fully adult myself (i.e. job, kids myself, house, car, etc)
I say disabled is like retirement, but everyone thinks you should work, but can't...
have time [when not chasing benefits, will to live, etc] but not money
was around for baby sitting long commutes, no car
then when old enough parents got them back and grandmother says 'they are not your kids' family politics with in laws, history (my sports car totalled [low speed, high damage] accident, not go to wedding), etc
but like a grand parent I get to spoil them and give them back
And tattle on their parent(s) when they were young, they did...
on a recent group family birthday 10 yo boy says his "sister is special", I retort "yeah, all sisters are special" looking at my sister, their mother grinning, trying to keep a straight face
XO DAY 1 (Thursday afternoon, May 28, 2009):
Backdrop: had given a call about going out of country, catch before going, not sure what day...
first time drop by unannounced though communicated recently, (had 19 lending library machines to deliver updated system software and a hole in my day before delivering in evening, [since had picked up early to get before 5 pm in a local school schedule)
- Lucky to catch them**
show how to use [i.e. preflight checkout]
open machine (antennae up, then lift lid_ power on (push button near green light)
startup: dots 'like a clock' wait til all the way around
wait for circle/ activity menu
close machine
show some activities from before with my XO
used as a commuting machine / laptop replacement accessories adult size keyboard micro mouse - touchpad bad, goes into hyperspace after a while
Don't just close, as sleeps, want to shutdown [ need to make that easier to shutdown
power button, last not next to last near register]
need to close each activity (~3 limit and just bounce around fernetically)
drill and practice - show and repeat, over and over
after looking at icons playing around some
what's this?... try that...
really like the following apps
tam tam mini (drum set icon)
[had some good experience with before] other ones showed the band play cultural diffierence volume slider difficult [i'll do it]
maze
I hadn't tried showed arrow keys [wonder if game keys work?] moved to a decision - so didn't have to keep typing keys
speak
10 yo sup
DAY 1 POST PROCESS:
first day got lots of great video
as had time they were fascinated with the machines so gave me something to do
video of first trying the machine trying to dl the photos with CF card reader BUT LOST IT
photo serial numbers didn't match? 2 same camera models
earlier serial numbers
had to format the CF card to have memory to store second day
tired but excited at the reaction
had mine for years and they hadn't had any real time with it e.g. go to a restaurant and celebrating something else like Mother's Day taking over a restaurant floor to show robot after months without seeing
Tinking on OLPC reporting requirements,
try to get a project going
Maybe something to give back taking away the other machines to deliver,
saying these are for 'poor children' (cringed as I said it) and adults, but knowing they are going on a shelf for others to check out and likely have more resources than their disabled and hence poor uncle who spent about a weeks time olpc-update 802 learning sharing spreadsheet and arguing about them policy procedures access etc but learning with machines some things I hadn't tried...
going to a conference
and could have taken
heard of another conference USENIX LISA
sys admins national conference
BUT MISSING THE DEADLINE FOR A WORKSHOP WHILE DOING BELOW...
develop something
if good enough, maybe go out all over the world
the kids get to decide preferably something together
like a science fair (10 yo may know, 5 wouldn't) feels like cheating to give ideas but needs some structure? confused
threw out many [of my] ideas
USB to WowWee TriBot DON'T HAVE YET special order $20+ universal, but Windows only? I might want to build something, create an interface...
lesson learned: Chat activity could use send pictures / video/ sound for youngest in chat
who doesn't read nor write yet...
collecting and developing the ideas on an index card
XO Bag Design
I showed someone my XO as it was coming out of a plastic bag and wrapped in a shirt
so she designed a holder/ sleeve 'do I sew? have a sewing machine?' 'no but mother does...' draw out didn't want to sign (scan in) customize it make many? grand parent contribution? if figured out, make more to keep?
scarf through holes idea from Sarah
add both?
DAY 2: May 29, 2009
I bring again two borrowed machines for 2 more weeks or so... loan period that will have to go back...
"I will check next week where you are on them" {later thought show and tell would be a better analogy}
I could not get agreement from the kids in 2 hours on what that would be and seriously considered not leaving the machines with them...
The 10 year old boy went off to watch TV instead, I asked if it was too hard? After being ignored for a while "doesn't want to..." "should I take it back?"
Earlier, the educational challenge of trying to explain constructionist which means build something? as traditionally teachers tell them what to do but this way 'you get to decide'??
Some Parameters/ Guidelines/ Rules
1) No pictures without parents approval 2) No internet, a standing house rule?, mesh together is ok
And showed Chat activity but 5 yo is not reading or writing so Uncle is reading what 10 year old was typing and sending
5 yo types letters that make no sense (brother teases about it) She's just pushing buttons... and maybe getting frustrated?
Sharing Chat process is confusing, both started a program
start one then join on friends/ window (third button from top left) learning windows - neighborhood, friends, home
trying to get them chatting/ talking confusing ears - antennae with [THAT'S COMPUTER TO COMPUTER]
speaker is mouth? leaving mouse in center of speak as nose!
Speak Neat Features
5 Year Old Discovered: that the speak activity does numbers 5 yo knows some numbers speaks out
if 0first Speak will spell out the numbers
otherwise includes thousands, etc
learn letters? type is have it said h i
h e l l o
Other languages
Chinese
but two language - Cantonese Manderain where parent is currently visiting would not get it to speak not writing the characters not sure how with an English keyboard to make those
Italian
where a family member is now
Spanish
day care
TouchScreen
Touchscreen (Intel Classmate has it)
noticing 5 year old wanting to point at stuff on the screen
and 5 yo using touchpad more difficult
keys lucked out on the keyboard arrows on the bottom right WORKED
later saw the face
'what's that??' Sleeping?!!
MAZE FEATURE ADDS
MAZE NEEDS BIGGER TIMES, SETTABLE
to compete or not? how quick? but which maze? clear the first ones, as they get progressively harder mazes so the next kid on it AND IT starts too hard OR set a new record
Pippy
Pippy (snake icon learning python programming language by examples)
Pong (Pippy Example Program)
10 yo lost interest for a while, so I showed a game we had growing up AND the game keys worked! but slow to catch it/ paddle moves slow
Cat, Mouse and Adutls Pong??
I suggested a modification project cat and mouse and parents picking up/ pushing back (i.e. paddle)
10 yo got the ball in a infinite loop (diagonal edge to edge) Kid: "will run forever like that" CrazyUncle: "or until the power/battery runs out"
Then the 5 yo got it doing that too like older brother
with some pride and joy!
Turtle Art
She figured out the turtle, got it to move!
finding Activities/apps I've not explored turtle art, She got it doing something
Some activities, the small characters I could not read
quit not on activity stop design (HID violation?)
Cat Icon
cat squeak
IS VERY complicated and for older
Main Home Screen Favorites
I hid Firefox which I had installed (just in case while connected before) and browse, as not allowed out in this environment... so as not to confuse [local wireless routers locked and they don't know the keys, nor do I for that matter]
Close up
Near end of (my) day visit, having them at night but thinking they would not get sleep
but weekend so a parent decides...
Parental Concerns =
Supervising parent worried about leaving them, "is that a good idea?" would they throw the machines at each other? to 10 yo, 'you break it, you lose your Nintendo, and whatever your parents do to you'
Suggested modification: parent checks them in and out??
plugging in power at kitchen table power cords had to climb under looked risky so next day used another power strip and share the power plug as
didn't fit on the strip
Instructed the youngest, when orange/ plug in to charge green OK, give over power plug.
Second Day After Thoughts:
Unplugged/ untethered would limit the time at night too 2 hours to bed?
but losing it?
DAY 2 POST PROCESS:
Uncle gets tired around kids with energy [can I bottle it?} {they get it from us}
for too long so keep visits short
Crazy Hopes
Uncle hopes to do an informal XOCamp over the next 60 days with them and eventually introduce to other kids with XOs 'in the wild...' at DC Learning Club meeting... Maybe a show and tell, what they learned, but others have had for much longer?
[User:DancesWithCars]