On 15-10-2010 23:01, Narendra Sisodiya wrote:
Dear FOSS Enthusiasts and Activists.
I am writing this letter to all for a request to create a task force
to advocate FOSS in schools. If we fail to advocate Linux in schools then we
will be failed everywhere.
Most of the computer users like me are using computer from Last 5-6
year or less. They learned everything in college only. Also at our time
computer was a costly device. We have not faced much difficult in migrating
from Windows to Linux. Now we love Linux based distro and advocate for open
curriculum, content , no-patents, no-DRM etc.
But today scenario has changed. Computer are available in every *
Mohalla* and Village. many of them are not having Internet connectivity.
they are just using some pirated software. This is not a small population.
This is a very huge population. This huge population of school students is
also including student who do not have money to buy computer but they are
learning using cybercafe and coaching classes.
If you do not tell them to use FOSS and Linux based Distro, they will
continue using pirated window software for next 10-15 year of their life
until they got lucky to enter into a college where Local LUG is active and
he got change to explore GSoC and other activities OR course curriculum
include FOSS.
*After 7 year, if you wish to give a lecture for advocating
FOSS/Linux in a college then Do you think you can convince them to use
FOSS/Linux and stop using the proprietary products which he is using from
last 10 years?
* During a workshop of Kids at NCERT, a 5th class kids refused to work
on Kturtle because he was using LOGO software from last 1 year. Those who do
not know LOGO created very beautiful diagrams with Kturtle.
You can only reach engineering students at College level Linux/FOSS
promotion and activities. But these student who are going to use proprietary
product for they whole school life will go in various domain like art,
music, law etc. you can never convince them after their mind-wash.
I learned to do advocacy from two side attack. System is like pyramid.
Bottom side contains huge student. and tip is controlled by those who run
Education system. at top level we need to look for syllabus change and other
activities. At bottom side we need to advocate FOSS and Linux principle in
schools. Imagine the power of community and collaboration value inside this
huge community. This student community need out love, care and guidance. We
can together create a task force and think for various strategies to
introduce FOSS in schools. If you empower this student community then they
can crate whole curriculum and e-learning videos of their syllabus by
themselves.
== Duty of Task Force ==
* Creating mailing list or all FOSS + Edu persons
* Bring all FOSS+Edu on mailing list Or paper newsletter
* Creating Workshop for discussion.
* supporting the development of SchoolOS
* empower technical level of student and teacher
* Creating article for FOSS advocacy
* Creating template letters for creating workshop in schools
* getting help from NCERT and other institutes.
* Creating booklets/Books - Classwise
* Creating Portals for students and teacher
* Creating teacher and student community
Please Join - SchoolOS mailing list -
http://groups.google.com/group/schoolos and wiki.schoolos.org
Agree with you on this -
This has a bigger benefit thats not apparent immediately - It will give
the children the ability to handle issues/problems face-to-face because
thts the "*nu(i)x" ian culture to get things to work by your own effort.
this is an important life skill, and by the time the kids come to college
in current system, it is deeply ingrained in their minds that there is
always "someone" who will solve their problems for them - they are
culturally trained to sit around with the problem long enough.
my two paise
vatsala
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