[Linux-aus] Fwd: [LACTTE] Notes for Council Meeting 2010/02/03

[Peter Lieverdink]

----- "Brenda Aynsley" <bpa at iss.net.au> wrote:
> Silvia Pfeiffer wrote:
> 
> > 
> > This isn't about the teachers. It's about the students. If a
> student
> > can get something for free to play with on his computer, he/she may
> > well be curious. This is what we can build upon. We need to somehow
> > manage the fear of the parents that this may be something bad for
> the
> > kid or the computer, but that's about how to write a good flyer.
> One
> > could, for example, mention that it is the system most in use at
> > universities in IT research and that it is good for inquisitive
> minds.
> > 
> 
> I think the students who are most likely to do this, are already doing
> it.  Those who are not brave enough or lack confidence will not be 
> persuaded without knowledge of peer support group being available or 
> having access to a supportive resource at school or elsewhere.

... which is where resourcing teachers comes in. If a teacher has been trained on a particular open source software package at a PD event, they can have the confidence of being able to help their students with the basics and (importantly) pointing them at more and more advanced resources.

I think that once a teacher is happy to use one or two FOSS applications in the curriculum, you're starting to break down a barrier. The students might also be more like to check out more of this open source stuff after they've used it in the classroom.

> > I'm sure we'd get some success and one student can start a whole new
> > movement if there is success. I guess it would be very important for
> > that one student to know where to find support if he/she needs to.
> 
> absolutely correct.  The software is already findable on the web, 
> support is less obvious.

.. so imagine how valuable it would be if their teacher could support and encourage them :-)

- P.