Minds In Play

[mwforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Gary McCallister)]

Based upon some survey that was done a couple of years ago, it seems to me 
that the majority of MW users are actually adults.  (I am defining user as 
someone who actually explores it for fun or use it for something.)  Of course, 
the collective number of students in the world who are assigned to work in MW 
may be greater.   I suppose you are most interested in how adult teachers use 
it, which might be different from the way children learn with it.  There is a 
starting subject.=20
    I personally teach mostly college age learners.  We explore relationships 
between biology and computers, artificial life and intelligence, modeling, 
cellular automata, robotics, codes (genetic, morse, UPC etc.), and such.  But 
I dabble in teaching children MW proper.  I also use it as a tool for teaching 
constructivism and constructionism. =20
     I know Logo in general has been popular recently in a lot of the old 
Soviet Union as they looked for new teaching models after the central 
curriculum was done away with.  MW is less used as it cost money.  I look 
forward to your posts. =20

>>> yagerc7@xxxxxxx 08/21/02 03:09AM >>>
Thanks for your responses. School starts tomorrow, so I'll be quite busy for a 
bit, but then I'd like to begin using this list to explore some specific 
aspect of MicroWorlds to which those interested could agree. Any suggestions? 
Within our individual settings, we have the potential for fielding information 
about how people use MicroWorlds. I will be going to Armenia at the end of 
September to help a group of teachers who want to "democratize" their 
classrooms. MicroWorlds fits within my definition of a democratic vehicle. 
Perhaps this is an opening for exploration. Thoughts?

Craig in Boulder