We use Microworlds to teach 9-12 year olds how to make some pretty fun video games. Microworlds is built on top of Logo, which I still think is one of the best ways to learn programing.
But at a younger age just teaching kids how to mouse and click it pretty important. The same company that makes Microworlds also makes My Make Beleive Castle which is a great little pre-programing introduction to controlable actions.
Many Scince and Technology Centers/Museums have rich well supported youth programs that already work with the audience you might be interested in. They have the experitise to directly target youth while also dealing with the complexities of working with youth.
In the same way you wouldn't trust someone to configure your servers as a pet project, don't assume you know how to work with youth as a pet project. Your expertise will be invaluable and very helpful to people with already running programs. You could rally around the work they already have going.
I think the most interesting thing here is the wide range of projects of their class page and how they have come up with inventive ways of using microcontrollers (sure some of them aren't new but that doesn't mean they aren't cool work for a class of students).
But if you think this is cool then you should check out the work of Bruce Shapiro. He's got a stepper motor controlled Etch a Sketch, but that's only the begining. How about a home built two axis plasma cutter, or a an old dental mill that turns 2d pictures into 3d sculptures.
i currently subscribe to emusic (it's the best: flat fees with no download limits and no DRM) and guess who owns this very popular online music distribution network....?
vivendi!
so instead of apple re-inventing the wheel maybe they just might buy emusic since they are rumored to be putting out their own music service on the net soon.
this would make sense if these rumors are even remotely true.
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I work for a group called the Learning Technology Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota.
We use Microworlds to teach 9-12 year olds how to make some pretty fun video games. Microworlds is built on top of Logo, which I still think is one of the best ways to learn programing.
But at a younger age just teaching kids how to mouse and click it pretty important. The same company that makes Microworlds also makes My Make Beleive Castle which is a great little pre-programing introduction to controlable actions.
Many Scince and Technology Centers/Museums have rich well supported youth programs that already work with the audience you might be interested in. They have the experitise to directly target youth while also dealing with the complexities of working with youth.
In the same way you wouldn't trust someone to configure your servers as a pet project, don't assume you know how to work with youth as a pet project. Your expertise will be invaluable and very helpful to people with already running programs. You could rally around the work they already have going.
So check your local science museum.
I think the most interesting thing here is the wide range of projects of their class page and how they have come up with inventive ways of using microcontrollers (sure some of them aren't new but that doesn't mean they aren't cool work for a class of students).
But if you think this is cool then you should check out the work of Bruce Shapiro. He's got a stepper motor controlled Etch a Sketch, but that's only the begining. How about a home built two axis plasma cutter, or a an old dental mill that turns 2d pictures into 3d sculptures.
i currently subscribe to emusic (it's the best: flat fees with no download limits and no DRM) and guess who owns this very popular online music distribution network....? vivendi!
so instead of apple re-inventing the wheel maybe they just might buy emusic since they are rumored to be putting out their own music service on the net soon.
this would make sense if these rumors are even remotely true.