Hello,
We are trying to create a web site and virtual community that helps
stimulate the production of high quality Java-based educational applets.
We call our effort an Educational Object Economy (EOE), because we are
interested in the efficient production and distribution of educational
applets. To get a sense of the diversity of educational applets that
exist on the Web, check out our Object Database at
http://trp.research.apple.com/EdEconomy/.
You are invited to participate in the community, and we welcome your
ideas. Below you are invited to participate in a short-term URL
collection project (with prize winners picked on June 15th), as well as
to participate in some longer-term projects. If you know others who
might be interested, we welcome their ideas as well.
Thanks,
-Jim Spohrer
408-974-1421
http://trp.research.apple.com/EdEconomy/people/spohrer.html
This work is part of an industry/university/government effort:
http://trp.research.apple.com/TRP/
Should also be accessible from the CAETI center at some point
http://www.dmso.mil/CAETI/
========================
SHORT-TERM PROJECT
If you've worked to create educational software, you're probably getting
pretty tired of seeing the same old educational objects coded again and
again. So are we. So...
We'd like to invite you to participate in a short term project that will
benefit our community (of educational software producers, including
educators, developers, and business people). Simply enter URLs to Java
applets for education into our object database (it takes about 2-3
minutes per applet once you know what the applet does). Over the next 3
weeks (until June 15, 1997), we'll be collecting, categorizing, and
reflecting what you send us (in addition to the 500 we've already logged
at our site). Prizes are available for quantity and quality of
submissions.
LONG-TERM PROJECTS
Further projects of the EOE become readily apparent after you have
entered your 10th URL:
1. Quality and reliability of the objects spans a wide range
2. Sources are often available, but under a wide variety of confusing
licenses
3. Design principles used in building the objects/web pages spans a wide
range
4. Pedagogical diversity is wide, but primarily traditional
(lecture/quiz, etc.)
5. Content diversity is wide, but not well organized or navigable
6. Meta-content if available at all is not consistent
7. Building from scratch is far more common than enhancing the work of
others
8. Attribution of derivative work is occasional, incomplete
9. Enormous duplication of efforts (many similar projects, especially
quiz tools)
10. Pointers to users of the site is rare (hit counts common)
11. Comments from users (peer review) of the site is rare
12. Aids (such as meta-data) for searching & indexing almost non-existent
13. Design for reuse/extensibility is rare
14. Sites with multiple linked applets rare (grapher applet connected to
simulation applet)
15. Mostly incomplete works of individuals, rather than team efforts with
programming, graphic design, document and curriculum instruction, etc.
handled by team specialists
16. Tools used to build applet and systems tested only occassionally
mentioned
17. Possible extensions, customizations, next steps rarely mentioned
18. Needs for future evolution rarely mentioned
19. Assessment, evaluation of educational effectiveness usually absent
20. Ties to traditional media (textbooks) rare
21. Ties to state/national curriculum standards rare
Of course depending on your perspective not all of these are problems.
However, someone in the community will view these as problems. What are
your ideas for projects? We'll try to help if it leads to a generally
raising of the bar on quality, efficiency of production, and improved
dissemination into practice.