[FSUG-Bangalore] FOSS in Schools

Frederick Noronha [फ़रेदरिक नोरोनया] fred@[EMAIL-PROTECTED]
Tue Aug 14 09:36:30 IST 2007


Some links you might find useful (FLOSS in education):

* FOSS Education (Wikibooks)
 http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FOSS_Education

* Comics... to teach FLOSS?
 http://www.linux-magazine.com/issue/82/Hai_Ti_Comics_SchoolNet_Namibia.pdf

* Skolelinux 3.0 Terra available for free
 http://www.skolelinux.no

* Roadmap for next merging of LinEx and Debian-Edu:
 http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/LinEx2DebianEdu-Roadmap

* Tech to the aid of autistic children: Recent research has
 shown that computer/digital technologies can help children
 with autism (and other disabilities) learn and communicate
 better. A computer training workshop for parents and
 children was held recently at Bangalore. Shuchi Grover
 reports. Mehta and colleagues shared various software and
 hardware by which children could communicate with the
 computer through non-traditional means. Also shared were
 several other software tools such as a 3-D and role-play
 software developed by C-DAC, simple visual programming
 environments such as Scratch (recently released by MIT
 Media Lab), simple image and audio manipulation using
 everyday Windows software, and Edubuntu â?? a free and open
 source Linux-based operating system designed specially for
 children that comes packaged with several child-friendly
 games and educational software.
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/16049

* TELECENTRES IN THE MADRASA: The school based telecenter
 project of RI SOL has launched internet-enabled telecenters
 in two Bangladeshi madrasas (Islamic religious schools), in
 Khulna and Dhaka. See Khulna Alia Madrasa Advocates for an
 Inclusive Information Society on World Information Society
 Day Link to the news story and photos of the celebration:
 http://www.connect-bangladesh.org/content/view/418/101/
 Source: Nazrul Islam <nazrul07 at gmail.com>

* Richard D'Souza is based at St Paul's in Belgaum, with the
 mandate to extend the school's computer centre there. This
 educator is very pro-GNU/Linux....
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/15830

* Create a comprehesive set of education tools customised for
 Indian environment. This include localization, improving
 features, adding new features, developing new tools... The
 project is co ordinated by FOSS Community India
 (http://fci.wikia.com)
 http://sarovar.org/projects/foss-edu-in/

* Reclaiming ICT education: why free software is a necessity
 in schools? Tim Cowlishaw talks about education and free
 software?and why IT education shouldn't be a how-to for
 using the Microsoft suite. Read more...
 http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/blogs/reclaiming_ICT_education_why_free_software_is_a_necessity_in_schools

* "K12OS.org is all about open source news in education.
 You'll find news, links, resources and discussion here to
 help promote the use of open source software in schools."
 http://k12os.org/

* Speaker Name, K. K. Subramaniam. Company. Type, Talk.
 Scope, General. Slides, Click to download. FOSS tools in
 primary schools.  This talk is aimed at FOSS enthusiasts
 promoting its adoption in their local community,
 particularly in primary education. It presents the
 experience of deploying a FOSS desktop in a small public
 primary school in Bangalore. It presents the initial
 approach for FOSS deployment, the steps which worked and
 those that didnt in getting the teachers in the school to
 use FOSS desktop and tools like KDE, Kile and LaTeX to
 enhance the quality of teaching and integrate a PC into
 daily sessions in the school.

 In India, most deployments of computers in primary schools
 use canned 'games' software on PCs to teach students or
 expect teachers to use office automation software. For
 already overburdened primary class teachers, PCs became
 just another distraction. In a grassroots experiment, a
 FOSS desktop was offered to a small public school in
 Bangalore to use it for any task of their choice. The
 teachers had no prior experience with computers or software
 and their medium of instruction was Kannada. Two teachers
 in the school chose to automate preparation of term
 question papers in Kannada and English as this was a
 recurring and time-consuming manual process. The desktop
 was provisioned with KDE, Kile and LaTeX (with Kannada
 types and styles) but not localized in Kannada. Starting
 from scratch, the teachers took over 100 hours to learn to
 use the tools and complete the first set of
 publication-ready term papers for classes I through IV. The
 second cycle took them less than 20 hours and they continue
 to improve on their time. The FOSS desktop has empowered
 the teachers to generate their own content quickly and
 easily without compromising quality. The system has worked
 without a single crash/breakdown over eighteen months of
 use by curious young children.
 https://foss.in/2006/cfp/speakers/talkdetailspub.php?talkid=183

* The Family Guide to Digital Freedom will explain, in one
 place and in normal language, what everybody should know
 about software and other digital technologies, and above
 all the real reasons why they should care: in this modern
 world, our rights and quality of life heavily depend from
 how software is being used around us. The website
 associated to the book, http://digifreedom.net, is now open
 to visitors: besides sample chapters of the book it will
 also host related news, links to existing resources for new
 users of Free Software and a database of Digitally Free
 Schools. For further information, please read
 http://digifreedom.net/node/73

* ClassroomCoders: Building Analytical Capacity through
 Peer-Taught: The goal of this project is to create a
 comprehensive curriculum for learners aged 8 to 18, which
 develops their analytical skills through the use of
 software and software engineering tools.
 http://wiki.tsf.org.za/shuttleworthfoundationwiki/ClassroomCoders

* Linux Spreads its Wings in India: Windows is still No. 1,
 but open-source software is moving into schools and
 government offices.
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/14196
 http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/sep2006/gb20060921_463452.htm

* GOA: BASIL FERNANDES had a long and interesting discussion
 on teaching young kids programming, the possibility of
 encouraging schools to do the same, and whether schools
 could have Computer Clubs that work on a build-them-young
 approach. He is keen to get involved with such a programme.
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/14172

* Kerala logs Microsoft out of schools
 http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/sep/02microsoft.htm

* India State to Dump Windows for Linux
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/14060

* Riza's desktop... it's not just about eye-candy
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/14067

* OpenKiosk is an open-source multi-platform kiosk system.
 OpenKiosk is ideally suited for use in locations where a
 controlled computing environment is paramount such as
 public access systems, libraries, school computer
 laboratories.
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/13846

* Content Creation competition for school and college
 teachers: OSSRC is organising a competition for
 school/college teachers in creating content. Details of the
 event can be found at http://www.ossrc.org.in/c3t.html

* When Free Software ideas spreads to education... see the
 first link
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/13234

* Site at School is a Content Management System (CMS) to manage
 and maintain the website of a primary school. It is Open
 Source Software, licensed under the General Public license.
 Site at school main features are: * Manage a website without
 technical knowledge. * Editors with a high "Word processor
 look and feel" rate. * Pupils/teachers can have personal
 pages on the website. Teachers can check pupil pages before
 publication. * An intranet for teachers (not accessible by
 the public). * E-mail alerts can be sent to admins when
 pages are updated/created. * Comprehensive manual with over
 300 screenshots. * Extensive number of available modules,
 see Available Modules * Possible to create your own
 template see downloadable example(s).
 http://siteatschool.sourceforge.net/

* Linux in Education: Two Years Later by Peter D. St. Onge
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/12949

* Education... lessons from South Africa
 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ilug-goa/message/12821

* Gnu and tux go to primary school....
 http://www.ofset.org/freeduc-ecole

--
Frederick Noronha  Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org
E: fred at bytesforall.org or fredericknoronha at gmail.com
P: +91-832-2409490 M: +91-9970157402
Yahoo: fredericknoronha Skype: fredericknoronha GTalk: fredericknoronha
784, Sonarbhat, Near Lourdes Convent, Saligao 403511 Goa India


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