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May 18, 2014

Programming (2): The Setting (Context)

Hardware: We had recently upgraded the computer lab at Isai Ambalam School with 7 new desktops (with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS) and used the money we saved (from not buying Windows, Office, Kaspersky) to buy another machine and a half.

Software: We then tried to set up the latest scratch this is non-trivial. Ubuntu software center could install scratch 1.4, but not Scratch 2.0. But, given this is what the projects available online are in and that I wanted to upload some of the work of kids we went ahead. Scratch 2.0  requires Adobe Air. (Adobe Air is no longer supported for linux, but since Scratch is into open source, if things go bad, I hope they figure this out).
This post worked more or less. 
You will need to download:
1) Adobe Air http://airdownload.adobe.com/air/lin/download/2.6/AdobeAIRInstaller.bin 
2) Scratch2 to install after Adobe Air: http://download.scratch.mit.edu/Scratch.air
3) Scratch starter projects http://cdn.scratch.mit.edu/scratchr2/static/__18d68025b0cbb09d8a447f8438a0bc57__/sa/Scratch2StarterProjects.zip

What I needed to do:
1) You need to use a login that has a password set so you can use sudo correctly.
2) Start a terminal
3) Go to the directory where you have made the downloads and change the permission to executable
chmod +x *
4) I used
sudo LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu ./AdobeAIRInstaller.bin
as running without sudo got stuck at password phase and didn't respond to the correct password.
5) Install Scratch.air through the Adobe\ AIR\ Application\ Installer
sudo Adobe\ AIR\ Application\ Installer /Scratch.air
You need to give the full path for Scratch.air above.

Time Frame: The summer camp was meant for children with learning difficulties to have a refresher so they do not come back fresh at the end of the break with reading, writing and math. Only 15-20 kids were coming and most of the teachers were out of station for the holidays (hence my opening :)). Of the 4 hrs they were here I got two batches of around 7 kids for an hour each. The attendance was not perfect, as it was the puja season and most kids had some festival at home/temple and took one or more days off. In all, I got 6-7 hrs with around 13 kids.

Grades: I had mixed age group children. 
7th Grade complete - 3 children
5th Grade complete - 3 children
4th Grade complete - 4 children
3rd Grade complete - 3 children
2nd Grade complete - 1 child

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