Education-specific application
Software written with children and/or particular curriculum areas in mind.
Celestia - Space simulation software
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
Celestia is "free space simulation that lets you explore our universe in three dimensions."
Celestia lets you explore space across a huge range of scales, from galaxy clusters down to spacecraft only a few meters across. A 'point-and-goto' interface makes it simple to navigate through the universe to the object you want to visit.
It runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.
To find out more, visit http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
To download click http://www.shatters.net/celestia/download.html
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GCompris - educational software suite
"GCompris is an educational software suite comprising of numerous activities for children aged 2 to 10. Some of the activities are game orientated, but nonetheless still educational. Below you can find a list of categories with some of the activities available in that category.
computer discovery: keyboard, mouse, different mouse gesture, ...
algebra: table memory, enumeration, double entry table, mirror image, ...
science: the canal lock, the water cycle, the submarine, electric simulation ...
geography: place the country on the map
games: chess, memory, connect 4, oware, sudoku ...
reading: reading practice
other: learn to tell time, puzzle of famous paintings, vector drawing, cartoon making, ...
Currently GCompris offers in excess of 100 activities and more are being developed. GCompris is free software, that means that you can adapt it to your own needs, improve it and, most importantly, share it with children everywhere."
Geogebra - a maths development tool
GeoGebra is a dynamic mathematics software for schools that joins geometry, algebra and calculus.
On the one hand, GeoGebra is an interactive geometry system. You can do constructions with points, vectors, segments, lines, conic sections as well as functions and change them dynamically afterwards.
On the other hand, equations and coordinates can be entered directly. Thus, GeoGebra has the ability to deal with variables for numbers, vectors and points, finds derivatives and integrals of functions and offers commands like Root or Extremum.
These two views are characteristic of GeoGebra: an expression in the algebra window corresponds to an object in the geometry window and vice versa.
GeoGebra has won a number of international awards.
Marble - a virtual globe
Marble is a geographical atlas and a virtual desktop globe which lets you quickly explore other places on our planet.
You can use Marble to look up places, to easily create maps, measure distances and to retrieve detail information about locations that you have just heard about in the news or on the Internet.
The user interface is clean, simple and easy to use.
For more information, visit http://edu.kde.org/marble/
To download, click here http://edu.kde.org/marble/download.php
Screenshots
Numpty Physics - a physics simulation tool
Numpty physics is a cross platform application licensed under the GPL. It supports problem solving and understanding the nature of forces and is ...well quite addictive. The user has to draw objects on the screen and guide them to break the target using gravity and other forces. Its a bit like drawing a diagram on a blackboard that suddenly acquires all the physical properties of real objects. You can get numpty physics from http://numptyphysics.garage.maemo.org/
Any comments?
[Screenshot added, promoted to front page and added to directory - Admin]
Piano Booster - "guitar hero" for piano
An email from the developer:
Piano Booster is a new free Open Source Application that makes sight reading music fun. It takes elements of the game Guitar Hero but now it uses a real Piano Keyboard and the game has been turned sideways so the notes scroll along a musical stave. So instead of pressing buttons on a fake guitar you end up learning to play a real musical instrument -- the piano.
To find out what it is all about take a look at the YouTube video:
or look at the screen shot:
First choose a MIDI file then select the "left" hand or the "right" hand or if you are feeling really brave choose "both hands" and try to play along. The "Follow You" mode make it really easy to sight read the scrolling notes as the whole accompaniment will stop and wait for you to find and play the right notes. The accuracy bar monitors how well you are playing.
The software is available for free (Open Source GPL) for both Linux and Windows from this site: http://pianobooster.sourceforge.net/
Scratch - a graphical programming tool
Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web.
As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
Find out more about Scratch here, http://scratch.mit.edu/
To download direct, click here, http://scratch.mit.edu/download
Screenshots
The KDE Education Project
The KDE Education Project offer Free Educational Software based on the KDE technologies: students, parents, children, teachers, adults, can freely use the software, copy it, modify it to your needs and enjoy learning!
Please have a look at the Tour webpage to get a quick preview of the programs which are translated in more than 65 languages.
Their primary focus is on school children aged 3 to 18, and the specialized user interface needs of young users. However, they also have programs to aid teachers in planning lessons, and others that are of interest to university students and anyone else with a desire to learn!
While until now only available on Unix, BSD and Linux, still in beta but already usable, the KDE 4 series brings the applications to Windows. Read more on the KDE-Edu on Windows page!
The following applications are currently available in the KDE Education Project.
Languages
Mathematics
Miscellaneous
Science
Tux Paint - a bitmap graphics tool
Tux Paint helps children learn how to draw and create their own drawings. As a reviewer says, “Using the program is so effortless and fun maybe because Tux, the little Linux mascot, is guiding you and giving advice at the bottom. Tux Paint also has cute sounds that make me want to be a child once more.
Tux Paint may be simple but its tools are not. Where can you find a squirrel brush style or a starfish pen? It is a really straightforward program and cleverly made to suit the needs of the children. People will not even need to guide their kids because all is self explanatory. Parents can leave their kids to wander and discover their potential talents. Who knows, maybe your kid will be the next Da Vinci!”
Tux Typing - a typing tutor
http://tuxtype.sourceforge.net/
Tux Typing 2 is a touch typing program to help you increase your skill and speed in using a computer keyboard. It has something for everyone no matter who or where you are. It is designed to be fun to play and also as a tool for those who have the more serious side of typing in mind.
Most people think faster than they can type. With Tux Typing 2 you can follow some easy to do lessons and learn to type like a professional. Through lessons and two great mini-games you can see how fast you are and improve while you have fun.
TuxGuitar - guitar tablature editor and player
http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/
TuxGuitar is multitrack guitar tablature editor and player. You can use Tux Guitar to practice your compositions and record your own music. It allows you print off your compositions for others to play.
If you have never played the guitar before, you can use the fretboard to work out chords and notes.
For more details, visit http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/
To download, click http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/download.html
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