[Edu-sig] OLPC (was FYI: PataPata postmortem link)

[Winston Wolff]

On Nov 29, 2006, at 10:41 AM, Arthur wrote:

> Over the years, what I have discovered about "educational software" is
> that most of it is junk, and the really useful things to connect kids
> with are the open-ended packages which provide an avenue for their
> creativity and sense of mastery over aspects of the real or digital
> world -- so, for example, learning to write with a word processor is
> much better than playing some silly flash-words game, and using
> Photoshop or the GIMP is probably much better than using some silly
> math-blaster game or even the award winning Oregon Trail (which is
> pretty good as those things go).
> """

I definitely have to agree with Arthur on this point.  I'm working on  
some "educational software" at the moment, but it's really a simple  
development environment for people learning Python.  I.e. an open- 
ended tool, not a product that teaches.  I've been pondering the  
question of what is good educational software full time for half a  
dozen years now, and I still don't know how to answer it.

Furthermore, Bert's question about why aren't people writing for OLPC  
right now when it is open software, I might ask the same about my  
tools, which are freely available with an MIT license at http:// 
stratotools.python-hosting.com.  I'm giving it away for free, why  
isn't anybody using it?  But that's not a fair question.  There's so  
much free stuff out there now, it is really up to the developer to  
sell their platform.  But I presume your question was rhetorical, and  
for the purpose of selling your platform?

-Winston

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