[Edu-sig] Now I went and did it!

[Steve Litt]

At 02:50 PM 10/4/00 -0400, David Scherer wrote:
>> So now I need to put on a dog and pony show. It must be so interesting to
>> kids that they don't get bored or fidgit. I think that calls for some sort
>> of action game. And it must clearly demonstrate that it fills an
>> educational need to the parents.
>>
>> It seems to me that Python + Idle + some of the ideas I've seen expressed
>> on this list would do the trick. Whaddya all think? Kirby -- any ideas?
>
><shamelessplug>
>
>If you haven't already, why don't you take a look at the 'visual' module?
>(part of VPython)
>
>http://cil.andrew.cmu.edu/projects/visual
>
>I didn't design it for writing action games, but it can do the kind of 3D
>stuff Kirby has been doing with Povray, and do it in real-time so that you
>can rotate around an animation, interact with it, etc.  For some reason
>there aren't any great screenshots online, but please download it and play
>with the demos.
>
>I think it will help you put something both flashy and educational together.
>
></shamelessplug>

vPython looks like a great tool for at least part of the job, assuming it
runs under Linux (I couldn't tell from the website). I'd need to have
something kewl from a kid point of view, but educational from a parent
point of view.

>
>Also, are there any particular subjects that you want to get involved?  i.e.
>is the objective to teach about computers, or to teach arithmetic, or is
>*any* application of technology in the classroom okay?
>
>Dave

The objective is to present an alternative to the Microsoft propaganda.
That's all.

Once the alternative has been presented, I'll get back with edu-sig to
create something that *actually facilitates child learning*. But this first
one is just propaganda, just like Microsoft's dog and pony show.

Thanks

STeve

Steve Litt
Webmaster, Troubleshooters.Com
http://www.troubleshooters.com
slitt@troubleshooters.com