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SuperLogo By Alan Sturgess, email: A.Sturgess@lais.w-yorks.sch.uk Superlogo is published by Longman Logotron

Just a few quick comments after downloading and viewing the SuperLogo demo. We use the original WinLogo extensively in school - although our maths curriculum only specifies its use in Years 6 and 8. However, I try to grab extra time so that we can explore other maths topics and also general thinking and problem-solving skills. (To this end I am just completing the draft of an in-school workbook which uses listings, rhymes, screenshots and graded tasks). An after-school 'Mindstorms' club is also being run in which we follow guidelines more in line with Papert's ideas. Pupils (and parents) are being encouraged to accept copies of MSWLogo for their own use at home. I always found one HUGE weakness with Winlogo and that was the cute but invasive presence of the turtle. It always obscures the actual end of the line you are drawing. This has proved to be a real headache with many pupils - especially the less able, or (interestingly) the more able who were using complex systems of trial and error to work out how to close sides in triangles or irregular polygons. My solution has been to design our turtle in the shape of the traditional triangle - with one side black and one side white. (The rhyme "White means right" helps some pupils decide between LT or RT in some orientations of the turtle). My first and strongest reaction to Superlogo is that the turtle is infintely worse and even less useful. Dreadful. I assume it could also be reconfigured - but who one earth dreamed that one up? And why Logo "for kids"? As you will appreciate, Logo is capable of very high-order work indeed. In my experience, pupils of all ages and abilities seem to enjoy the feeling that they are grappling with something "grown up". To label it as being "for kids" is a really bad retro-step. I will find time over the next few weeks to give SuperLogo a closer look - but my initial reaction is that we are better off with the original WinLogo. I would be interested to know if you ever produce (or have ever thought of producing) newsletters, worksheets etc. based on work being done in schools. I've been in touch with all sorts of people who are involved with Logo (Jim Muller and George Mills in the USA, Dave Martin at Keele...) and yet have yet to have any succes in identifying any significant Internet activity for Logo in the UK. It appears in Mathsnet and ATM . . . but there are no 'core' sites. Maybe this is something you could think about . . . both as an advertising/marketing strategy and as a way of promoting Logo in the UK? * One point I needed to add, of course, was that although the new (and gruesome) turtle can he hidden for trial and error work, this isn't always appropriate. This is especially so for less able pupils or those new to Logo who need visual clues to help them orient themselves. I have also noticed that this is important with more able or confident pupils as they try to close, say, the sides of a scalene triangle and may accidentally rotate the turtle in the wrong direction. (Hence my version with black and white halves). The idea of helping to establish a Logo site is VERY interesting. I need to point out two main factors: It would be unwise of me to dive in immediately as I may well be changing schools. In Bradford, the whole system is being re-organised to scrap middle schools and re-establish the more traditional infant/primary/secondary system. By training, experience and personal/professional inclination I am a primary teacher and I am hoping to return/transfer to a school which is due to become a primary school. As yet, I don't know if this will happen, nor which school this might be. I therefore do not know whether access to e-mail will continue. I am, however, hopeful of eventually persuading my wife that going online at home would be a really good idea . . . . . (I think she has visions of Securicor vans arriving at our door to collect payments for telephone bills). My perspective as a user and advocate of Logo is strictly that of a non-mathematician. Indeed, I HATED maths at school. Many years after leaving school, that experience subsequently motivated me to study for an M.Ed in the field of Mathematical Education and the use of investigations as a tool for developing skills, interest, motivation and corss-curricular learning. Hence my parallel interest in Logo. (In those days I only had access to 'Dart' for the Acorn machines. It is only in the past couple of years that my career has come full circle and placed me in the position of being able to use programs like WinLogo and MSWLogo in school.) So - my approach to Logo is very much one associated with an exploration of turtle graphics, turtle geometry and thinking/problem solving skills. An expert in either maths or Logo I'm not! A fan of both, I definitely am. As I mentioned before, my approach to Logo is probably as idiosyncratic as Jim Muller's. (Somebody ought to reward that man for his work). By way of a couple of really weird samples from the soon-to-be completed in-school workbook . . . Tommy the turtle moves and turns. He does what you tell him. He remembers and learns. Work through his pages. Type his commands. Watch what happens. Try to understand. When you read a book all the words become the keys to a world where ideas are from. Tommy's the same: Learn to read his ideas. Follow him.  Copy him. Explore without fears. Solve all his puzzles and play all his games. Make fancy patterns - your own or the same. Learn LOGO with Tommy Organise your ideas. Guaranteed fun Once Tommy appears. - - - - - - Just have in your head a good, clear idea of what Tommy must do, and he'll do it - - - don't fear. If you want him to turn but you think he just might go the wrong way, say " WHITE MEANS RIGHT". He can clear his screen if you tell him 'CS'. 'RT' means RighT 'LT' means LefT. 'BK' means BacK and 'FD' - - - well, guess. Did you saw "ForwarD"? I'm sure you said "Yes". Watch him move round drawing his lines. Watch what he does and think all the time. Imagine a shape and think of a way to make Tommy draw it. To him it's just play. . . . . .  THAT should confirm your impressions that here is someone who needs to be certified! If you have any further throughts about a Logo site, please let me know. Similarly, once I know more clearly what I am likely to be doing in the next term or two's time, I will let you know.  I most certainly would like to get involved in anything which promoted the meaningful use of Logo within the curriculum. Cheers.

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