The POCO Project
Cor G.J. Nagtegaal · Journal of Research on Computing in Education · 1990
The Dutch POCO project for the production of educational software seems to have diametrically opposed goals. Its main mission is to meet local needs, but an important additional goal is that the software being developed should also have a broader potential for other target groups in other markets. This is a clear example of the portability dilemma. POCO tries to develop strategies to meet the problem; these strategies are the subject of this article. In the article, the context of POCO is described. Four main types of educational applications and their portability potential are analyzed. The POCO production process is designed to increase chances for portability. A summary of this process is given, together with specific examples of such “chances” and the corresponding POCO solutions. Some examples of products with a high portability potential are analyzed. One of the final conclusions is that, in the end, the quality and richness of the educational design determine the portability potential; that is, if the production process is well-organized.