[MWForum]Re:MicroWorlds Reference Card #2
Jeff Knope
mwforum@lists.mathcats.com
Sun, 15 Aug 2004 21:16:38 -0700
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Thank you, Kate, for keeping this subject alive. I strikes me that =
something far better could be had.
With all due respect to whoever is responsible for it, I find the EX =
Help system much less accessible than the Pro Help system. But I think =
neither are all they might be. The Pro system's inclusion of Help Topics =
makes finding something much easier. With the EX system, it seems like I =
have to already know what I'm looking for to find it. I'm always having =
to guess from among the vague choices (usually wrong) what area to look =
in to find what I want.
Seems to me, the commands on the Reference Card should be "clickable," =
so you can go directly to a discussion of purpose, uses and syntax.
Beyond that, it seems to me this is a perfect application for =
"searches." You should be able to "Google" what you're trying to find, =
using descriptive terms. Seems to me we're still sorta' stuck in the =
paper document paradigm here.
Thanks for listening, --Jeff
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Mikula Family" <kate@mikula.org>
To: <mwforum@lists.mathcats.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 8:15 PM
Subject: [MWForum]Re:MicroWorlds Reference Card #2
> It has been fun reading all your posts about reference cards. You =
folks
> are way beyond me but I'd like to add a few comments. The arrangement
> on Daniel's card #2 is easy to follow. On card one I saw the command
> glide so I looked for it on card 2. Is it considered an advanced
> command and not included? How many more commands are on the more
> advanced reference card than are on the beginners card?
>=20
> About the discussion of which category to use for various commands ---
> our minds organize info in different ways. Kids don't always build the
> ladder we supposed so sometimes I put a command under more than one
> heading with a simple note to see some other category.,
>=20
> One thing that has concerned me is teaching the tool bar on the left. =
Is
> there a good guide to explain the various tools? I used to take a =
screen
> shot of the tools and make a reference card. Should this be separate =
or
> a part of the command reference card?
>=20
> And with all this said and done, is it a goal of the teacher to also
> teach students to use the help from the menu bar? I found this to be a
> useful skill for students to practice as it had transfer to many other
> computer situations.
>=20
> My students always cheered when they realized we were going to work on
> the "turtle." When I retired., the teacher who followed me knew =
nothing
> about MicroWorlds and now the teaching position has been cut
> drastically. So much for teaching kids to THINK. (But I am passing =
the
> torch on to 7 grandchildren.)
>=20
> Keep up the good work.
>=20
> Kate Mikula
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Daniel Ajoy wrote:
>=20
> > On 12 Aug 2004 at 8:18, Dan Stone wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Guys,
> > >
> > > Should we also show the syntax of the command?
> > >
> > > Like Karen, when I taught I'd give the students a reference sheet
> > > showing the commands as we introduced them, what they did, their
> > > abreviation (if any) and the syntax.
> > >
> > > Keep the faith,
> > >
> > > Dan
> >
> > Hi Dan
> >
> > MIA does have such a reference material:
> >
> > http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable.htm
> >
> > http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable_p.htm
> >
> > I think the Quick Reference Card should complement the material
> > above, but not replace it.
> >
> > Daniel
> > OpenWorld Learning (OWL)
> > http://mia.openworldlearning.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > MWForum mailing list
> > MWForum@lists.mathcats.com
> > http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum
> > Attachments archived at:
> > http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html
> > To unsubscribe or for administrative questions contact
> > mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> MWForum mailing list
> MWForum@lists.mathcats.com
> http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum
> Attachments archived at:
> http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html
> To unsubscribe or for administrative questions contact=20
> mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com
>=20
>
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Thank you, Kate, for =
keeping this=20
subject alive. I strikes me that something far better could be =
had.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2>With all due respect to =
whoever is=20
responsible for it, I find the EX Help system much less accessible than =
the Pro=20
Help system. But I think neither are all they might be. The Pro=20
system's inclusion of Help Topics makes finding something much =
easier. With=20
the EX system, it seems like I have to already know what I'm =
looking=20
for to find it. I'm always having to guess from among the vague choices =
(usually=20
wrong) what area to look in to find what I want.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Seems to me, the =
commands on the=20
Reference Card should be "clickable," so you can go directly to=20
a discussion of purpose, uses and syntax.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Beyond that, it seems =
to me this is a=20
perfect application for "searches." You should be able to "Google" what =
you're=20
trying to find, using descriptive terms. Seems to me we're still sorta' =
stuck in=20
the paper document paradigm here.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Thanks for listening,=20
--Jeff</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>From: "Mikula Family" <</FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:kate@mikula.org"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>kate@mikula.org</FONT></A><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To: <</FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:mwforum@lists.mathcats.com"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>mwforum@lists.mathcats.com</FONT></A><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 8:15 =
PM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Subject: [MWForum]Re:MicroWorlds =
Reference Card=20
#2</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>> It has been fun reading all your posts about reference =
cards. You=20
folks<BR>> are way beyond me but I'd like to add a few comments. The=20
arrangement<BR>> on Daniel's card #2 is easy to follow. On card one I =
saw the=20
command<BR>> glide so I looked for it on card 2. Is it =
considered an=20
advanced<BR>> command and not included? How many more commands are on =
the=20
more<BR>> advanced reference card than are on the beginners =
card?<BR>>=20
<BR>> About the discussion of which category to use for various =
commands=20
---<BR>> our minds organize info in different ways. Kids don't always =
build=20
the<BR>> ladder we supposed so sometimes I put a command under more =
than=20
one<BR>> heading with a simple note to see some other =
category.,<BR>>=20
<BR>> One thing that has concerned me is teaching the tool bar on the =
left.=20
Is<BR>> there a good guide to explain the various tools? I used to =
take a=20
screen<BR>> shot of the tools and make a reference card. Should this =
be=20
separate or<BR>> a part of the command reference card?<BR>> =
<BR>> And=20
with all this said and done, is it a goal of the teacher to also<BR>> =
teach=20
students to use the help from the menu bar? I found this to be a<BR>> =
useful=20
skill for students to practice as it had transfer to many other<BR>> =
computer=20
situations.<BR>> <BR>> My students always cheered when they =
realized we=20
were going to work on<BR>> the "turtle." When I retired., the =
teacher=20
who followed me knew nothing<BR>> about MicroWorlds and now the =
teaching=20
position has been cut<BR>> drastically. So much for teaching =
kids to=20
THINK. (But I am passing the<BR>> torch on to 7 =
grandchildren.)<BR>>=20
<BR>> Keep up the good work.<BR>> <BR>> Kate Mikula<BR>> =
<BR>>=20
<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Daniel Ajoy wrote:<BR>> =
<BR>>=20
> On 12 Aug 2004 at 8:18, Dan Stone wrote:<BR>> ><BR>> > =
> Hi=20
Guys,<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Should we also show the syntax =
of the=20
command?<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Like Karen, when I taught =
I'd give=20
the students a reference sheet<BR>> > > showing the commands as =
we=20
introduced them, what they did, their<BR>> > > abreviation (if =
any) and=20
the syntax.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Keep the faith,<BR>> =
>=20
><BR>> > > Dan<BR>> ><BR>> > Hi Dan<BR>> =
><BR>>=20
> MIA does have such a reference material:<BR>> ><BR>> >=20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable.htm"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable.htm</FONT></A><BR><FON=
T=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> ><BR>> > </FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable_p.htm"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable_p.htm</FONT></A><BR><F=
ONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> ><BR>> > I think the Quick Reference =
Card should=20
complement the material<BR>> > above, but not replace it.<BR>>=20
><BR>> > Daniel<BR>> > OpenWorld Learning (OWL)<BR>> =
>=20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://mia.openworldlearning.org"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://mia.openworldlearning.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>> ><BR>> >=20
_______________________________________________<BR>> > MWForum =
mailing=20
list<BR>> > </FONT><A =
href=3D"mailto:MWForum@lists.mathcats.com"><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>MWForum@lists.mathcats.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>> > </FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum</FONT></A><BR=
><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> > Attachments archived at:<BR>> > =
</FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html</FONT></A><BR><=
FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> > To unsubscribe or for administrative =
questions=20
contact<BR>> > </FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>> <BR>> =
_______________________________________________<BR>>=20
MWForum mailing list<BR>> </FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:MWForum@lists.mathcats.com"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>MWForum@lists.mathcats.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>>=20
</FONT><A =
href=3D"http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum"><FONT=20
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum</FONT></A><BR=
><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> Attachments archived at:<BR>> </FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html"><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://www.mathcats.com/mwforum/attachments.html</FONT></A><BR><=
FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>> To unsubscribe or for administrative =
questions contact=20
<BR>> </FONT><A =
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