Sooooooo, I've been thinking about the POSSE application (since we'll be opening registration for the POSSE Basics round at the start of next week). Current app is http://teachingopensource.org/index.php/POSSE_application - and I'm not a big fan (even if I wrote it). It tends to get us formulaic answers, whereas what I'd personally like to hear is "what is the story you want to be able to tell after teaching your class, and how can we help you make that story happen?"
So I've taken a stab at a... different sort of application. One I hope will get people inspired while they write it up. The full draft is at http://teachingopensource.org/index.php/Talk:POSSE_application and contains a few questions about basic info (name, institution, etc) and a section where people can share things they *don't* want to be public, but the 3 main questions are below. I'm particularly interested in the following: * What do you think - first impressions, overall impressions - do you *want* to fill this application out? I'm hoping it will inspire people, so if it doesn't, something is wrong. :) * Is there a way to phrase the "most of your application will be public" thing so it sounds less terrifying? (So we can look at, welcome, etc. and have conversations with applicants.) * Is this too long/weird/onerous? I'm honestly thinking it should take less than 30 minutes to write up - just sit down, talk out loud for 2 minutes about the question, then type up what you said... it's not a college application essay, it's not a grant proposal, we want to get to know people! Responses don't even have to be as long as the prompts! * Would an example app or two help? * Any other feedback folks have. Thanks! --Mel ------- Note that your application, except for the parts explicitly marked as "not shared" (which will remain private to the workshop team) will be posted publicly under a CC-BY-SA license. By submitting your application, you consent to these terms. 1. The present Describe your class as it is currently taught, and what it's like for you to be there teaching it. Give us a picture - linking to or attaching the syllabus, listing learning objectives, and describing or providing sample assignments are helpful, but we're also looking for what it's like to be there, teaching where you are. How many students are in this class - are they sophomores, grad students, history majors, commuters, required to be there for graduation, or opting in? What kind of work do they do, and how - do they dutifully memorize, do they challenge you, struggle with the material, grind mechanically through it, breeze past it, come back later to thank you? What is your school itself like - urban, tiny, focused on global experiences, suburban, historic, state-of-the-art, isolated, running out of space? What about your colleagues - did you just get a new department chair who's open to change, do you frequently work with people outside your department, are you feeling the tenure crunch, are your fellow professors more research-minded? Feel free to use urls. 2. The future Flash forward to Summer 2012. This was the best class you've ever taught. Hard but illuminating work - you can see it in your students' eyes. They get it, and they've done some truly amazing things that show how much they've grown. They can't stop talking about the class, and neither can you - you're inspired to reach out and see where this could go next, what it could mean for your institution... What happened? Tell this story as you would tell it to an old grad school friend who's now a professor somewhere else. Feel free to use urls. Place yourself in the future, looking back - speak of the insights you've acquired and the milestones you've attained during the year as if these accomplishments were already in the past. Phrases such as "I hope," "I intend," or "I will" must not appear; this is not a binding commitment, but we want you to envision that future as strongly as you can, and share it with us. We are particularly interested in the sort of teacher you will have become, and the attitude, feelings, and worldview that you and your students will have as people who have done all they wished to do and become everything they wanted to be - at least in this one class, this one corner of your life. (Adapted from The Art of Possibility by Roz and Benjamin Zander, Penguin Books, 2000) 3. Making the future What will you need to make the future happen? Reread the two stories you wrote above, and think about what resources you have and what further resources you'll need to get there. Where are you now - what do you know, what do you know you don't know, what do you have, what do you know you don't have? What blockers do you see yourself running into that you'll need help clearing? Recall that being accepted to the program will give you, at minimum, the following: * A real-world project - you can choose from thousands - for your students to work on * Experienced engineers as dedicated project mentors for your students * No NDA - everything you do can be used as a public portfolio for you, your students, and your institution * Teaching materials to help your students get started on their projects * Interactive tutorials for your students and TAs where Red Hat professionals teach the tools and practices that typically confuse newcomers on the job * Turnkey infrastructure - ready-to-go build servers, repositories, etc. for hosting student work at no cost or hassle to your IT dept * PR - interviews, videos, press releases, etc. for your class and institution throughout the 2011-2012 school year * Your class experience - the curriculum, materials, and student work - to be covered in a print book published during the 2012-2013 school year * Access to a supportive network of colleagues who have done these types of projects with their students in the past * Up to $1600 in course funding for materials, travel, etc. * A 2-day workshop in Summer 2011 to learn the basics of incorporating open source collaboration into your course This is a wishlist - anything goes, thought it's helpful to delineate "want" from "need." What do you need to learn during the 2-day workshop - are there topics you already know you need us to cover, are there projects you want introductions to? Do you need a letter of support, advice for dealing with certain kinds of situations, suggestions on where to publish "teaching open source" work? If an item is time-sensitive ("I need a build server set up before August", "I'd like travel assistance for 2 students from the class to present their work at a conference in October", etc) note that as well. Feel free to include urls. Chances are that different professors will end up overlapping in similar wants and needs, and/or be able to trade advice and services, so this sort of need-finding is extremely useful. _______________________________________________ tos mailing list tos@teachingopensource.org http://teachingopensource.org/mailman/listinfo/tos
