Learning with Squeak Etoys
Cathleen Galas, Rita Freudenberg, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg · 2010
This paper serves as introduction and overview of Squeak Etoys, an engaging computer mediaauthoring environment, and describes how it aids in the constructionist approach to learning, thinking, and education. Etoys development was inspired by LOGO, the constructionist ideas of Seymour Papert, and Piaget, Bruner, and Montessori. It was developed to help student exploration and discovery in learning and thinking deeply about powerful ideas in math and science. The design of Etoys includes a powerful user interface that will run on all platforms and allow users to author in multiple dimensions. Etoys is an object-oriented system that is built in Squeak, an open-source implementation of Smalltalk. The learning environment is an open world, a sandbox, ready for the creative visions of the user, and undisturbed by buttons and toolbars. Resources are readily available, a click away, stored in flaps, hidden windows that open to many new possibilities. Beginning activities involve creating and scripting objects, building collaboration between objects, and building, exploring, and sharing projects. The user interface includes modeless editing, so that users can edit anything and at any time in project work.