Newsletter 1

July, 17: the website was launched: http://edu.kde.org
New IRC channel: #kde-edu, server irc.openprojects.net

Aim of the project: to provide KDE eduware that could be used in schools or at home for children aged 3 to 18. If the project goes well, a new kde-edu package could be released with the official KDE.

Each project will have a webpage http://edu.kde.org/my_project
There are currently 2 projects: KHangMan and KMessedWords
CVS module where you can check out the projects: kdeedu
(export CVSROOT=:pserver:anonymous@anoncvs.kde.org:/home/kde
cvs login (press enter when prompted for password)
cvs -z4 co edu.kde.org)

contacts: annma: annma@kde.org
eva: eva@kde.org
webmaster: howells@kde.org

Ideas that were suggested so far

• have a newsletter sent to people who are interested in the project to keep them informed and to build a network of contacts (I (annma) intend to establish relations with schools that way).
  Have a form on the website to subscribe to that letter. Tink agreed to be in charge.
  Maybe ask the Authors of KDE Kernel cousin for a few lines about it.
• design a shared interface for all the applications (or for each age groups applications) and then to code small programs having all the same look and feel (the way to evaluate the child work would be the same in each program for example). (annma) writing a generic piece of software (or the infrastructure to implement it), which could perhaps load a database or similair so that it could teach any language (which could then translated by the il8n team), would be the best (chris)

  Phillipe Fremy tells us that gCompris uses GnomeCanvas which provides exactly the same features as QCAnvas. In gCompris, you have two canvasses. The bottom one where you control the software: a background image, 3 items for the three pictures : level (dice), hand, and door (for exits). The second Canvas is the board where you have the small games. It shows objects moving around, sometimes animated. What we need to program is a shell, just like gCompris with a few standard actions in a bottom Canvas (exit, level-up, help). Then everyone can design easily a board. It might even be possible, with some hassle, to have the gCompris boards working inside Kde.

  If he finds the time, he'll try to write an exemple of that. Regarding the score, we can show an image.
  One star -> normal score, two stars -> medium scores, five stars -> good scores. I think child can understand this. Many stars -> good score.

• I think a good idea would be to have a review group. Not to review the code but to review the ideas within the program. Also, age rating should be made by this review group. Members should have an educational background, like, teachers or parents.
• about the applications names and classification:
  annma suggested names like Knumbers-6 but the kde-games team offer their advice:
  Having numbers in names makes them look ugly. I think the best way would be to mimic the directory structure kdegames uses. (have different directories for different age ranges)
• cvs module kdeedu and its organization
  We can have in kdeedu cvs several sub-modules for example
  kdeedu/math/
  for applications that help to learn math
  kdeedu/history/
  for applications centred on history
  kdeedu/history/uk/
  learning about British history
• School ages in different countries
  We could ask on the mailing list, the newsletter and the website (form) for details about school system in different countries like the age when you start school, when you learn to read, when you move to secondary school.....
• Use of speech synthesis which was set up for konqueror...
• Design of the application: it would be good to have a some kind of 'living' character always running around pointing, showing, laughing, talking and making jokes to and with the child.
• for youngest children 3/4: it would be great to have some app. that will train the coordination between moving the mouse and the move of a 'bigger' mouse pointer.

Waldo sent a very interesting e-mail to the list thoughts on education. You can find it there.

Here you can find information about existing projects that we might use.

Newsletter #1 by annma.
4 August 2001