Learning with Logo (free)
Did you own a personal computer 40 years ago? How many teachers and students had access to computers in 1983. What if I told you that a 400-page book focused on teaching computer programming to children sold more than 100,000 copies way back then?
Well, it’s true. Former engineer, elementary school teacher, and member of the MIT Logo Group, Dr. Daniel Watt wrote one of the most popular educational technology books in history and he did it more than four decades ago!
Back in the 1980s, no one was more popular in educational computing than Dan and Molly Lynn Watt (read all about them here). They keynoted conferences, were invited to lead workshops in China, and their legendary Logo Institutes were the inspiration for Constructing Modern Knowledge. Their wisdom, creativity, progressive bonafides, and practical classroom ideas are still in great demand.
In yet another act of generosity, Dan Watt has granted The Daily Papert permission to share a PDF version of his groundbreaking book, Learning with Logo. This book is now preserved for future generations in The Daily Papert library.
While the specific version of the Logo programming language no longer exists, a bit of creativity makes the book useful in Lynx and Snap! The turtle graphics activities can be realized in Turtle Art.
Read or download Learning with Logo by Daniel Watt
Other archived texts by Molly and Dan Lynn Watt
While we have your attention, here are some other texts by the Watts for you to explore.
Teaching with Logo: Building Blocks in Learning. by Daniel Lynn Watt and Molly Lynn Watt
One of the best books ever written on how and why to teach computer programming to children.Watt, M., & Watt, D. (1986). Teaching with Logo: Building Blocks for Learning. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
New Paradigms in Classroom Research on Logo Learning by Daniel Lynn Watt and Molly Lynn Watt
A research monograph (book) of teacher action research funded by the National Science Foundation.Watt, D. L., & Watt, M. L. (1993). New Paradigms in Classroom Research on Logo Learning. International Society for Technology in Education.
Logo Action Research paper by Daniel Lynn Watt and Molly Lynn WattMolly Lynn Watt & Daniel Lynn Watt (1993) Teacher Research, Action Research: the Logo Action Research Collaborative, Educational Action Research, 1:1, 35-63, DOI: 10.1080/0965079930010104
Teacher-Made Microworlds: or Training Teachers to Use Logo Logo vs. Training Them to Teach It by Dan WattWatt, D. (1985). Teacher-Made Microworlds: or Training Teachers to Use Logo Logo vs. Training Them to Teach It Educational Computing Organization of Ontario.
The Power of Logo by Dan and Molly Watt (late 1980s)
Twenty Powerful Ideas by Molly WattWatt, M. (1985). Twenty Powerful Ideas. National Logo Exchange (September 1985).
Logo Quilt: A Collaborative Learning Project by Dan and Molly Lynn Watt in the May 1986 issue of Logo Exchange.This is the original seed that has blossomed into many projects, notably Josh Burker’s Turtle Art Tiles Project.