Computer Clubhouse

Computer Clubhouse

The Computer Clubhouse is a worldwide network of after-school learning settings, founded by Mitchel Resnick and Natalie Rusk of the MIT Media Lab in Boston, USA. The first Computer Clubhouse was established at The Computer Museum.[1]

The stated goal of the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network is “to proliferate the highly successful Clubhouse learning approach and establish it as a replicable model for technology learning.”[2] The network, which includes over 100 clubhouses as of 2007, began with the so-called Flagship Computer Clubhouse, founded in 1993 at The Computer Museum, now part of the Museum of Science, Boston.[3][4] The first non-US community-based Computer Clubhouse opened in Esslingen, Germany.[1] The network is particularly focused on economically disadvantaged communities.[4][5]

Clubhouses have been the proving ground for a number of projects of the MIT Media Lab's "Lifelong Kindergarten" research group. Notable examples are

  • Scratch, an early 21st century multimedia programming language for young people[6]
  • Lego Mindstorms programmable bricks, a late 20th century robotic construction toy[4]
  • PICO programmable Crickets, early 21st century programmable toys for art construction projects[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b Welcome to the Hundredth Computer Clubhouse at computerclubhouse.org, retrieved on February 1, 2009.
  2. ^ Computer Clubhouse at computerclubhouse.org, retrieved on February 1, 2009.
  3. ^ About the Clubhouse at computerclubhouse.org, retrieved on October 18, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c 1998, Resnick, M., Rusk, N., Cooke, S. "The Computer Clubhouse: Technological Fluency in the Inner City", published in: High Technology and Low-Income Communities edited by D. Schon, B. Sanyal, and W. Mitchell, MIT Press. Online version [1], retrieved on October 18, 2007.
  5. ^ New York Times, July 18, 2002. "Not Just Closing a Divide, but Leaping It" by Michel Marriott. Online edition retrieved on October 18, 2007.
  6. ^ 2004, Maloney, J., Burd, L., Kafai, Y., Rusk, N., Silverman, B. and Resnick, M., "Scratch: A Sneak Preview. Second International Conference on Creating, Connecting, and Collaborating through Computing, Kyoto, Japan, pp. 104-109. Online version retrieved on October 18, 2007.
  7. ^ Business Week, Sep 7, 2006 "Invasion of the DIY Robots" by Jessie Scanlon. Online edition retrieved on October 18, 2007.
  8. ^ MIT Spectrum, Winter 1998 "Smart Toys - Mitch Resnick builds a toy chest of learning tools". Retrieved on October 18, 2007.

External links

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