[Linux-aus] Grant Application: Promotion of FOSS in undergraduate Computer Science, Information Technology and Software Engineering degrees at the University of Newcastle

Mon Apr 3 14:07:22 AEST 2017

Hi Mark,

I’m very much in favour of the general idea of providing alternative
instructions for those students who want them. It seems to me that at its
most basic, the mere fact that two procedures with different sets of
tooling are provided can help students to understand that the tool they are
using is *a* tool, not the only tool; and can help them think at more
abstract level - they’re exposed to the idea that the same outcome can
happen with different sets of tools; the outcome isn’t innately tied to the
tools

I’m even more in favour when one of the alternatives is a FOSS alternative,
as it gives the students an awareness that closed-source development models
aren’t the only things available.

I also like the fact that this proposal includes measures to look at the
success of the project. If this comes off well, this should mean that this
grant would not only provide a set of material for one set of students; it
gives us data to help decide whether future similar grants are likely to be
good value for money.

Before I say that I’m outright in favour of this bid being accepted though,
I have a few questions:

* Are the current course materials accessible to me (as a non-UoN student)
online? I ask this for two reasons; one is that if they are, I’d like to
take a look at them to get more of an idea of what materials would be
produced by this grant. But secondly, I ask because I’ve often found that
publicly accessible course materials and procedures from universities, once
they get indexed by search engines, become helpful to a much wider range of
people than the students they’re aimed at. I’m wondering if the new
materials produced here would be publicly readable even if they can’t be
copied; and I’m using the accessibility of the current materials as a proxy
for that question.

* Are you aware of any similar research that has already been done along
the lines of your proposed Project Review/Success survey? I’m taking it for
granted that you the method you have proposed (focus group, review
material, short questionnaire) is sound; I’m specifically wondering if
you’re aware of anyone who has already attempted something similar to this
process and has obtained similar data.

Thanks for your interest in the grant, and thanks for such a detailed
proposal (and such prompt responses to the questions you’ve already
received)

On Mon, Apr 3, 2017 at 12:36 PM, Mark Wallis <mark.wallis at newcastle.edu.au>
wrote:

> Hello everyone.
>
>
>
> Please find below a grant application for your consideration. Please feel
> free to direct any feedback/queries to myself via the list.
>
>
>
> *Project Name*: Promotion of FOSS in undergraduate Computer Science,
> Information Technology and Software Engineering degrees at the University
> of Newcastle
>
>
>
> *Chief Investigator: *Dr. Mark Wallis, Distributed Computing Research
> Group, University of Newcastle (mark.wallis at newcastle.edu.au)
>
>
>
> *Project Aim/Description:*
>
>
>
> The University of Newcastle currently offers under-graduate Bachelor
> degrees in Computer Science, Information Technology and Software
> Engineering. Courses from these degrees are taught from the School of
> Electrical Engineering and Computing across our Callaghan (Newcastle),
> Central Coast and Singapore campuses.
>
>
>
> There is currently a low level of FOSS software promotion within the
> course material used to teach these degrees. Worked examples, workshops and
> tutorial material is strongly Microsoft Windows focused, primarily due to
> this being the operating system installed in all computer labs at the
> university. The effect is that students feel less inclined to explore FOSS
> in UON courses such as Programming, Operating Systems, Compiler Design and
> Computer Networks.
>
>
>
> We propose to undertake a review of the course material being presented in
> the first 2 years of the above degrees. The review will identify all worked
> examples, tutorials and workshops which are presenting closed-sourced
> centric solutions. The outcome of this review will be a course development
> plan which aims to develop alternative or extended course material that
> covers alternate FOSS options available to students. The project will hire
> one undergraduate student to work with the chief investigator to develop
> the new course content during 2017, ready for students in 2018.
>
>
>
> Examples of the course material that will be generated includes:
>
>    - Worked-examples under Linux, rather than Microsoft Windows (for
>    example, instructions showing students how to install and configure a
>    compiler)
>    - Short 5-minute video’s presenting FOSS alternatives to tools
>    presented in the primary course material
>    - Short 5–minute video’s providing context of how the course relates
>    to Open Source (for example, a case study of Linux Kernel development to be
>    presented during the Operating Systems course)
>
>
>
> To comply with pre-existing copyright, any existing course material which
> is expanded to include content generated by this grant will remain under
> the existing copyright terms. Any new content, such as the video
> presentations, will be released under a Creative Commons license.
>
>
>
> The primary aim is to promote FOSS earlier in undergraduate degree’s to
> ensure that students graduate with an increased knowledge of the FOSS
> environment.
>
>
>
> *Project Milestones:*
>
>
>
>    - Milestone 1 - Draft of the course development plan distributed to
>    UON stakeholders (see over) – 1 June 2017
>    - Milestone 2 - Final course development plan for signoff by UON
>    stakeholders – 1 July 2017
>    - Milestone 3 - Draft material presented to Course Co-ordinators for
>    review – 1 October 2017
>    - Milestone 4 – Final material presented to Course Co-ordinators for
>    signoff – 1 November 2017
>
>
>
>
>
> *Project Review/Success:*
>
>
>
> Between Milestone 3 and Milestone 4 the course material will be
> iteratively developed with UON students who have previously completed the
> target courses. Focus groups will be run with these students, asking them
> to review the material and then complete a short questionnaire that will
> collect metrics on the following:
>
>
>
>    - The quality of the material
>    - The relevance of the material to the course and their degree
>    - Whether they believe the material will encourage them to personally
>    investigate FOSS in more detail
>
>
>
> The results of this survey will be anonymous and used to gauge the success
> of the project.
>
> Pending approval by the UoN Ethics committee, these results will be made
> available and be used to gauge the success of the project.
>
>
>
> *Project Costs:*
>
>
>
> The chief investigator will provide in-kind support of time and expertise
> for the management of the grant and the co-development of new course
> material. An undergraduate student will be hired on a casual basis to
> co-develop the course material and manage the testing/feedback process.
>
>
>
> An estimated 22 weeks at 5 hours per week will be allocated to the
> undergraduate student. The undergraduate student will be employed at HEW
> 5.1 casual rate of $43.77 per hour. With UON on-costs (16.2%) and indirect
> research costs (25%) this equates to a total of $6994.
>
>
>
> We are requesting a grant of $7000 to cover these costs. There will be no
> additional costs associated with the project. All costs will be incurred by
> the 30th September 2017 as per grant requirements.
>
>
>
> *Project Management and Reporting:*
>
>
>
> The UON already has in place a reporting structure for all grants. Mid-way
> and final written reports will be provided to the Linux Australia Council.
>
>
>
> *Project Team:*
>
>
>
> The chief investigator for this project is Dr Mark Wallis. Mark is a
> member of Linux Australia and the Distributed Computing Research Group at
> UON and has been involved in teaching since 2010. Mark has been involved in
> various FOSS projects over the years, including the Newcastle Linux Users
> Group and kernel driver development for the Ralink 802.11 wireless chipset.
> Mark will be the key person responsible for this project.
>
>
>
> The undergraduate student will be hired from our pool of undergraduates
> that we use for teaching tutorials and workshops.
>
>
>
> Key stakeholders for this project include Course Co-ordinators who are
> responsible for delivery of the courses, Program Convenors who are
> responsible for each degrees, the Deputy HOS(Academic), Head of School, the
> School Industrial Advisory Board and student representatives.
>
>
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark.
>
> ===============================
>
> Dr. Mark Wallis (Associate Lecturer)
>
>
>
> School of Electrical Engineering and Computing
>
> Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
>
> The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, 2308, NSW
>
> AUSTRALIA
>
>
>
> Webpage:
>
> *https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/mark-wallis
> <https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/mark-wallis>*
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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