[Edu-sig] Entering Squeakland

[Anna Ravenscroft]

On 3/10/06, Arthur <ajsiegel at optonline.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: edu-sig-bounces at python.org
> > >[mailto:edu-sig-bounces at python.org] On Behalf Of kirby urner
> > >
> > >OK, Teds Ocean comes up, I beckon my wife, and she comes
> > >over to watch.  "What about the car?"  That's what Tara's
> > >been up to, programming a car (one of the eToys exercises).
> > >We check another canned example:  Stair.
>
> Girl. Car.  ??
>
> Probably more fuel efficient, or something, than the kind of car a *boy*
> might be interested in ;)



As the only girl in  shop class and electronics class etc, I would have
*loved* to have a chance to build and program cars back then. My daughter
does it now in school (Lego Mindstorms) and has a blast. Some of us,
sometimes, just like to tinker. It's nice to see other girls out there with
the same interests...

> >
> > >Quite fun then, not just an applet as plugin, but I guess
> > >the whole Squeak development environment, which is the 6.5
> > >meg I downloaded.
>
> I think you owe it to yourself, and perhaps to us, to understand  and
> express why Squeak does not represent the perfect environment for pursuing
> the kind of educational ideas that you tend to express. If it in fact does
> not.
>
> My own concerns start exactly there - with the word "environment".
>
> My understanding is that many conclude that too much "environment" is what
> doomed Smalltalk to a  minor role in today's software world.
>
> And respect for children starts, I think, with not considering them any
> different from oneself on these kinds of issues.  I am actually very
> disappointed that - according to what you are saying - Canonical sees
> Squeak
> as having a central role to play in education for children.
>
> Python is glue, a citizen of the larger software world, and proficiency in
> it helps make one a better, more productive and potentially creative
> citizen
> of the world. Squeak is too much its own world.  If Canonical mission is
> to
> educate better world citizens, I think it is going off in the wrong
> direction here.



Great point, Art.

Anna
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