Margarita Dekoli

Background 1997: BA, Computer Engineering, University of Patras, Greece : Computer Engineer, Computer Technology Institute, Patras, Greece : MSc, Media Arts and Sciences, Media Laboratory, MIT : Software Engineer & Researcher, Media Laboratory, MIT

Projects BA thesis: “Advanced Applications of GIS and Multimedia: The Archaeology Paradigm” Implementation Leader: Project C 3. GPS enabled system, wireless real time data transmission to E-Slate for map construction by 6-year olds S/W developer: Music software components for the E-Slate platform (JDK, Java Media Framework, Quick Time for Java) Project coordinator, educational s/w author: Project Mentor, collaborative framework for foreign language learning in high schools Product designer, Implementation Leader, S/W author: Project Xenios. Foreign Language Learning in Greek high schools MSc Thesis: CodaChrome project, a system for young children to program color patterns and make electronic jewelry with tricolor LEDs S/W Developer: Scratch project, a system for youth to program their own multimedia projects, animations and games Systems engineer: Project SATEP, extension of my BA thesis for the documentation of an archaeological excavation

Technical Experience Java 2 Platform –J2SE: 4 years –JMF (Java Media Framework): 2 years –Java Comm API: 2 years –QuickTime For Java: 1 year Smalltalk/Squeak: 2 years Visual C++ < 1 year Embedded Visual C++: < 1 year Logo: 2 years JavaScript, VBScript: 1 year GIS tools: Arc/Info, ArcView & OO Avenue: 2 years Database Design, Object-Oriented design: 3 years Graphic design tools: Corel Draw, Photoshop, Fireworks

Additional Experience Supervised: –Development teams of 1-2 junior computer & s/w engineers –BA thesis student on semi-structured databases of archaeological data using XML tools –A team of high school teachers that worked as co-developers for the foreign language learning s/w (Project Xenios) Co-wrote and Edited: –The manual for the Xenios s/w, now part of the curriculum at the Greek Open University Organized: –A number of user studies and workshops with kids 6-16 both in Greece, and in the US Presented: –Papers and posters, at international conferences, project meetings, and project reviews

Margarita Dekoli Recent work Project Scratch Lifelong Kindergarten MIT Media Lab

A graphical programming environment for kids and novices to create their own games, animation and interactive art Youth at after- school centers (Computer Clubhouses) aged and all novices in programming Logo, Lego/Logo, Squeak/Smalltalk

Interactive Image Filters I developed the interactive versions of two image filters: the water ripple and the pointillize. Both were written in C++ and packaged in a dll for purposes of efficiency.

Image Editor Fat bits mode (zoom)Fat bits mode (zoom) Tools functionalityTools functionality UndoUndo

File dialogs Designed file dialogs & dialog boxesDesigned file dialogs & dialog boxes Added access to project notes and author nameAdded access to project notes and author name Dynamic creation of the layout based on constructor inputsDynamic creation of the layout based on constructor inputs

On-line help Made example scripts for every block (command) showcasing Scratch’s functionality showcasing Scratch’s functionality and minimizing the dependency on other blocks and minimizing the dependency on other blocks

Additional UI features Interactive tools Dynamic highlight Component library functionality, and layout

Previous Projects CodaChrome, MIT Media Lab E-Slate, CTI, Greece Xenios, CTI, Greece C 3, CTI, Greece

CodaChrome CodaChrome software & hardware CodaChrome I designed the UI and developed the CodaChrome software in Java 2 and used the Java Comm API for the serial communication with the hardware. I custom designed the three color palettes used. The LEDs are programmed by dragging and dropping color patterns into the timeline (bottom part of software) The timeline is populated based on how many LEDs are connected to the microcontroller

Electro-Jewels made with CodaChrome

E-SlateE-Slate: a platform for interoperable software components Choose from the list of available E-Slate components … …and connect them to make a microworld. Here is a simulation microworld, where an agent roams around the globe driven by the velocity & direction vector The components exchange data through their connected plugs color-coded based on the type of data. For example, the Vector exports vector data to the agent’s Direction and velocity plug which is also of vector type.

Music software components Musical Transformer: translates a drawing into a midi sequence Audio & Midi Recorder/Player Audio & Midi Sound Components I developed these software components in Java using the Java Media Framework API and QT for Java

XeniosXenios: Software for Foreign Language Learning in Greek High Schools Students take a virtual travel to countries across Europe, plan their stay, book their trip and go sightseeing on a double-decker bus (left) and visit the zoo (right). I authored all of Xenios’s 14 microworlds in E-Slate using also Java and JavaScript. I developed the web site with the on-line educational materials including scripts in JavaScript for on-line exercises and games. I was the editor and co-writer of the support materials produced for the xenios software

C 3 C 3 : Children in Choros and Chronos C 3 was a research project focusing on the spatio-temporal cognition of young children. It involved the design and implementation of educational activities around map reading and constructing, navigating and wayfinding. I coordinated the implementation of the activities I performed the market search for the hardware configuration (differential GPS, real time GPS data transmission over a wireless GSM network, integrating it into E-Slate) Oversaw the development of VRML models for our two test sites and incorporated it into E-Slate.