Re: Open Book

[Robert Hopcroft <hopcroft@uswest.net>]

Doug wrote:
> Since we aren't one year old yet and have somewhat limited resources,
it
> seemed like a good idea to concentrate on an area that's been quite
> neglected rather than try to cover everything.  I'd like to see us get

> into home use "edutainment" software, but that's also for the future.
> So, I agree with you that we shouldn't restrict our purview to just
> pre-college education, but I think that for now that's a good place to

> use our limited resources.

Doug, Do you want me to collect what information there is in the
archives on "edutainment" software and put it on an edutainment web
page. I noticed Oregon Trail and Carmen SanDiego memtioned. I'm not
familiar with these programs. What exactly do they do? Do they come on a
CD? What about a nature walk. I can remember when I was a kid and going
on a walk and having various things in nature pointed out. Several weeks
ago, I did an experiment. I have been thinking about shooting short
video clips, editing them and adding sound. I wanted to know how close I
could get birds to come to a window behind which I could set up a
camera. I set out a half meter bucket full of dirt about two meters from
a window and put bird seed in it over the next 10 days. I was amazed at
what I learned. The first birds to find it were four crows. I didn't
understand. They were full grown crows but one of them was being fed.
Then I realized that three of them were being fed. I guess I would
thought that they would be smaller than the parent. After thinking about
it, I concluded that it must be that if they were much different in size
they wouldn't be able to fly. This was followed by a variety of birds
including one specie I've never seen. A squirrel got into the act as
well. Anyway would something like this fit into the edutainment picture.
One could do sound tracks in any language and perhaps, people would send
clips from around the world.Anyway another thought.

Bob