[MWForum]Cosmic Thinkers, web games, getting schools enthused

[mwforum@lists.mathcats.com]

Wendy: 
Thank you for the positive comments about Cosmic Thinkers.  Your own site is quite phenomenal. I enjoyed it immensely..particularly the variety and depth of what you cover.  Your accolades are clearly warranted.  

Dale: 
Yes, my games can hang up the computer. I appreciate your disgust.  I'll add a comment to my web page warning viewers that with a dial-up (or 56K) connection, patience will be of the essence.   (I've recently switched to a cable modem, and the projects run within seconds. I am aware, however, that high-speed connections are not the majority.) As Wendy mentioned, there is a trade off between beauty and practicality (isn't there always?). My games are not geared toward the general public;  I have them out there as examples to my students (or potential students) and therefore wanted to show them the full range of possibilities.  And to me, a project without music is one terribly lacking. 

Wendy:
As for converting parents, I find that nothing sells like genuine enthusiasm.  I have it, my students have it, and when I invite the parents in on the last day of class for a special presentation and hands-on look at what we do and WHAT THEIR CHILDREN have accomplished, they all buy a copy of MicroWorlds on the spot. As for convincing educators, I can't imagine that if a hands-on MW workshop were offered locally at a convenient time and at an acceptable cost (i.e., free) that many wouldn't jump to incorporate it, assuming of course that their curiosities were engaged beforehand.
What are your thoughts?  How have you met with success?  

Thanks --
Lisa Richter