[MWForum]MicroWorlds Reference Card
Jeff Knope
mwforum@lists.mathcats.com
Thu, 12 Aug 2004 11:50:18 -0700
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Hi All,
If I may chime-in on this, I'd say the idea of a Quick Reference Card is =
for "quick reference." When first learning commands, getting the syntax =
right if often the bigger part of it.=20
For example, it's easy to remember that item will give you an element of =
a list or word. What's not so easy to remember is exactly which =
arguments, in what order, it requires. It seems to me important that the =
Quick Reference entry should read: item num word-or-list.
The fact that the syntax info is available somewhere else is of little =
help. Not including required inputs reduces both the "quick" and =
"reference" aspects. I think it's a mistake to not include them.
Backing up a little further, this is what I wrote Wendy that got this =
thing started:=20
I do recall back in Apple II days, before I'd heard of LOGO or had any =
idea what programming is, I picked up a friend's "quick reference" =
fan-fold card for Apple LOGO. All the primitives were listed, arranged =
in sensible categories. It blew me away! It was instantly obvious that =
with this, you could do whatever you wanted.
It seems to me, creating this "Eureka!" experience should be the guiding =
objective.=20
I would say this Quick Reference Card should be formatted so that it can =
be printed out on a single sheet of paper (probably both sides). For =
just a buck or two, any office services place can laminate it, so it's a =
durable thing.=20
In modern MW, the complete list of primitives is a little overwhelming. =
I would give serious consideration to making a "Beginner's QRC" that's a =
subset of the complete primitive list, offering a selection of basic =
primitives from each category, adequate for building skill writing =
procedures.=20
The idea should be to get quickly to understanding the key concepts of =
"modular" and "recursive," without getting bogged down in advanced or =
more difficult primitives.
Thanks for listening...--Jeff
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Dan Stone" <dstone@epix.net>
To: <mwforum@lists.mathcats.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: [MWForum]MicroWorlds Reference Card
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com=20
> > [mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Ajoy
> > Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 11:18 AM
> > To: mwforum@lists.mathcats.com
> > Subject: RE: [MWForum]MicroWorlds Reference Card
> >=20
> >=20
> > On 12 Aug 2004 at 8:18, Dan Stone wrote:
> >=20
> > > Hi Guys,
> > >=20
> > > Should we also show the syntax of the command?
> > >=20
> > > Like Karen, when I taught I'd give the students a reference sheet=20
> > > showing the commands as we introduced them, what they did, their=20
> > > abreviation (if any) and the syntax.
> > >=20
> > > Keep the faith,
> > >=20
> > > Dan
> >=20
> > Hi Dan
> >=20
> > MIA does have such a reference material:
> >=20
> >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.
>=20
> Absolutely! - I haven't poked around much in MIA or I would have known
> that.
>=20
> >
> >Daniel
> >OpenWorld Learning (OWL)
> >http://mia.openworldlearning.org
>=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 size=3D2>Hi All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If I may chime-in on this, I'd say the =
idea of a=20
Quick Reference Card is for "quick reference." When first learning =
commands,=20
getting the syntax right if often the bigger part of it. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>For example, it's easy to remember that =
<STRONG>item</STRONG> will give you an element of a list or word. What's =
not so=20
easy to remember is exactly which arguments, in what order, it requires. =
It=20
seems to me important that the Quick Reference entry should read:=20
<STRONG>item</STRONG> <EM>num word-or-list.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The fact that the syntax info is =
available=20
somewhere else is of little help. Not including required=20
inputs reduces both the "quick" and "reference" aspects. I =
think it's=20
a mistake to not include them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Backing up a little further, this is =
what I wrote=20
Wendy that got this thing started: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000080 size=3D2>I do recall back in =
Apple II days,=20
before I'd heard of LOGO or had any idea what programming is, I =
picked up a=20
friend's "quick reference" fan-fold card for Apple LOGO. All the =
primitives were=20
listed, arranged in sensible categories. It blew me away! <EM><STRONG>It =
was=20
instantly obvious that with this, you could do whatever you=20
wanted.</STRONG></EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000080 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It seems to me, creating this "Eureka!" =
experience=20
should be the guiding objective. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I would say this Quick Reference =
Card should=20
be formatted so that it can be printed out on a single sheet of paper =
(probably=20
both sides). For just a buck or two, any office services place can =
laminate=20
it, so it's a durable thing. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In modern MW, the complete list of =
primitives is a=20
little overwhelming. I would give serious consideration to making a =
"Beginner's QRC" that's a <EM>subset </EM>of the complete =
primitive=20
list, offering a selection of basic primitives from each=20
category, adequate for building skill writing=20
procedures. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The idea should be to get quickly to =
understanding=20
the key concepts of "modular" and "recursive," without getting bogged =
down in=20
advanced or more difficult primitives.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for =
listening...--Jeff</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>From: "Dan Stone" <</FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:dstone@epix.net"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>dstone@epix.net</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: Thursday, August 12, 2004 9:47=20
AM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Subject: RE: [MWForum]MicroWorlds =
Reference=20
Card</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>> > -----Original Message-----<BR>> > From: =
</FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com"><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com</FONT></A><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>=20
<BR>> > [mailto:mwforum-admin@lists.mathcats.com] On Behalf Of =
Daniel=20
Ajoy<BR>> > Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 11:18 AM<BR>> > =
To:=20
</FONT><A 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
> Subject: RE: [MWForum]MicroWorlds Reference Card<BR>> > =
<BR>> >=20
<BR>> > On 12 Aug 2004 at 8:18, Dan Stone wrote:<BR>> > =
<BR>>=20
> > Hi Guys,<BR>> > > <BR>> > > Should we also =
show the=20
syntax of the command?<BR>> > > <BR>> > > Like Karen, =
when I=20
taught I'd give the students a reference sheet <BR>> > > =
showing the=20
commands as we introduced them, what they did, their <BR>> > >=20
abreviation (if any) and the syntax.<BR>> > > <BR>> > =
> Keep=20
the faith,<BR>> > > <BR>> > > Dan<BR>> > =
<BR>> >=20
Hi Dan<BR>> > <BR>> > MIA does have such a reference=20
material:<BR>> > <BR>>=20
>http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable.htm<BR>> ><BR>>=20
>http://mia.openworldlearning.org/voctable_p.htm<BR>> ><BR>> =
>I=20
think the Quick Reference Card should complement the material =
above,<BR>> but=20
not replace it.<BR>> <BR>> Absolutely! - I haven't poked around =
much in=20
MIA or I would have known<BR>> that.<BR>> <BR>> ><BR>>=20
>Daniel<BR>> >OpenWorld Learning (OWL)<BR>>=20
>http://mia.openworldlearning.org<BR>> <BR>>=20
_______________________________________________<BR>> MWForum mailing=20
list<BR>> </FONT><A 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
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face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>http://lists.mathcats.com/mailman/listinfo/mwforum</FONT></A><BR=
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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
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