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This Open Letter is about:
<ol>
<li>Shaping the future of open source education software
<li>Using technology to overcome distractions
<li>An open source market around an open source product
<li>Making kids beg for math problems
</ol>
<p>
Hello, my name is Charles Coss&eacute: Parent and Software Developer.

As a parent I want to teach my kids extra stuff to prepare them for the future.

And as a software developer I'd like to do it with software.
</p><p>
One of my better software experiments was a little app which ensured that kids read carefully.

It did this by having them reconstruct each paragraph after reading it first in complete form.

I called it the ArticleReader, and it would have been great if the ArticleReader hadn't had to compete with the internet.

But distractions in general are a big challenge, whether the kids are at the computer or with pencil and paper.

</p><p>
So I actually managed to do something about the distractions, and several other "teaching challenges" as well: I setup an internet kiosk with a credit-meter for the kids.

In other words: Require kids to connect to a firewall that only lets them through when they use credits they've earned.

Each time they read an article they were automatically awarded 1800 internet credits.

This would allow their devices (laptop, xBox, phone, tablet, etc) online for 1800 sec, or 30 min.

But if no credits, then no internet.
</p>
<p>
And after the initial resistance wore-off an amazing thing happened: My kids started asking me for more reading assignments.

If the ArticleReader would have been a MathExercise they would have been asking for more math!

The credit-meter was a single point of motivation, and its effectiveness was independent of what you plugged-in to it.

No drama, no supervision required.

The kids developed a bird-birdfeeder relationship with the credit-meter, and dinner table conversation reached a new level.

</p>
<p>
Since then I've taken things a little farther.

The system is called AutoTeach, and consists of (a) the AutoTeach credit-meter and (b) the AutoTeach credit-feeder website,

where (a) allows free access to (b) so kids can earn and transfer credits.

The credit-meter runs on a Raspberry Pi and is easily assembled for under $80.

Activities on the credit-feeder website are easy-to-add  JavaScript plugins.
</p>
<p>
Right now there are just three prototype plugins, but they are diverse!
<ol>
<li>The simplest one is a FlashCard plugin, and despite its simplicity, it can still be a powerful tool when learning another language, for example
<li>The ArticleReader, now called ForceReader, was all I ever needed for over three years.  With the ForceReader parents can quickly make their kids read anything, even things which they don't understand!
<li>TuxMathScrabble is the fancy one of the group.  With it, parents can create a repeatable assignment so kids can earn 30 min of internet access by reaching a score of 200 points on Level IV any time they want more credits.
</ol>
Plugins are written in JavaScript and are not restricted to this platform in any way.

For example, the TuxMathScrabble plugin is both open source and publicly available online.
</p>
</p>
The goal is not to lock anyone into or out of the system.

But as part of the system plugins create value for parents with credit-meters.

And then we have the situation of two communities, (a) parents and (b) developers, with something of value going from (b) -> (a).

This situation presents an opportunity to create a marketplace for open source education software, for example:
<ol>
<li>parents could subscribe to receive unlimited access to all plugins by all developers, all month
<li>then at the end of the month let each parent choose how to distribute their own subscription fee among the developers they choose
</ol>
Everything can remain open source and non-exclusive yet still compensate developers.

This could promote new development and advance the overall state of open source education software.
</p>
<p>
I don't have all the answers, but I do have all the software I've been describing.

The project is already setup as a subscription service and a simple plugin developer's kit is available.
</p>
<p>
The concept is: 
<ul>
<li>An open source product around which two communities establish a synergistic marketplace for open source education software
</ul>

The goals are:
<ol>
<li>Education
<li>Establish a marketplace for open source education software
<li>Promote development of new open source education software resources
</ol>
</p>
<p>
Friends, I've got a lot of experience developing software, but not so much at developing communities.

And this project is proposing two communities.

So, if this is at all intriguing to you, then I hope you'll participate.

And, with a bit of tuning, I believe we could obtain true synergy.

Besides, don't you just want to hear kids begging for more math problems?
</p>
<p>
Please join the forum at www.autoteach.net. and Thank You!
</p>
-Charles Coss&eacute
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