[fsug-bangalore] FSF in Schools

[Suraj]

Ramanraj K wrote: 
,----
| The most important objective  of computer science education in schools
| ought to be  to make every child a proficient  and intelligent user of
| computer programs.  Free Software Distros, School Level GLUGs, running
| a school from a network, will all help.
`----

Very true.  For "Free Software  Distros" (aimed at schools)  there are
plenty  already  out  there.  For  instance  look  at  the  SkoleLinux
project[1]

,----
| We  can   also  request  developers  to  write   the  most  elementary
| introductory tutorial  keeping in  mind that it  will be used  by high
| school  students.   [The  best example  I  can  cite  is that  of  the
| documentation that comes with PostgreSQL ]
`----

One practical  problem we faced in  Demo at Schools was the  lack of some
sort  of a  thing (which  I haven't  yet understood  completely) which
results in documents/tutorials getting half way through.

,----
| Most  teachers  take  their job  seriously  and  may  not be  able  to
| visualise anything  remotely resembling free  software. The Management
| and teachers think  in concrete terms of text  books, class work, home
| work, tests and marks, and if a bare outline of the curriculum is laid
| bare, then, I think most schools and teachers would be more than happy
| to teach  the students not  only free software  but the high  value of
| sharing in life that can be easily learnt at school level.
`----

Completely  Agree. From  what I  experienced,  Its a  chicken and  egg
problem -- Without convincing them  (the school) how well the students
can learn free software they  wont let you present a valuable syllabus
to follow  and without following a proper  syllabus, practicals, tests
and "marks"  the school wont know  how to grade /  judge the students.
For  all we  did in  demo at schools  was to  teach, teach  and teach  in
weekends. Infact after  a point we even convinced  ourselves that "its
okay if  the students  are interested by  themselves. they  will start
hacking all by themselves after  a point.". But that wont happen until
they get a good grip on things... and THAT didn't happen... :(

,----
| and I was  surprised to see the level of interest  of several govts in
| Europe  over using  free software  in  school projects.   Some of  the
| School
`----

Brazil is going very good with this, more than europe. 

  -Suraj


[1] http://www.skolelinux.org/portal/index_html

-- 
,-----------------[http://www.symonds.net/~suraj/]---o
| Zakir Hussain is best known for his tabla playing virtuosity, however, he can
| be heard singing in the soundtrack of the film "Mr. and Mrs. Iyer", which he
| scored. The song features Zakir and Ustad Sultan Khan on vocals.
`------------------------------[suraj at symonds.net]---o