TheIdiotThatIsMe
January 4th, 2007, 06:41 AM
Howdy everyone on the Ohio LoCo Team!
Note: To avoid any confusion, my proposal does not have anything to do with converting education institutions to Linux.
P.S. Note: This topic has also been sent via mailing list.
Why:
I am a firm believer that an easy path of transition to Linux is to train users in other Free software that is available for both Windows and Linux. At my college, I have recently been approved to start my own series of workshops and training sessions that will by taught by myself on campus and open to the community for free. The subjects in the training courses will vary, but many of them deal with training users in common basic and intermediate level tasks with Free software. For example, one session I'm having is going to be on using and managing email with Mozilla Thunderbird. During the session I will explain using some extra features of email (copy, blind copy, mailing lists, forwarding) and setting up email inside Thunderbird. Another session I will be doing will be Expanding The Web (using Firefox) to teach about profile management, RSS feeds, extensions, etc. Eventually, once users become comfortable with these programs, when we offer to switch them to Linux, they wont give up their programs they are comfortable with! When you hold your next install fest in your local area that you have been training, it can be a selling point that all these programs you've trained them in are available in a safer and more customizable environment.
How:
A good approach to educating users may to be to construct local workshops and training courses in your area that is open and free to the community. Good locations for this may be your local high school, college (or university), or local computer shops (education institutions always love an extra boost to public image to the community, and computer shops are likely to agree for an increase in customer base). Another location may be your local library also.
It has been suggested by Vorian to include Moodle for teaching. I think Moodle looks to be a wonderful tool, that may be used to either enhance higher level workshops (if you choose to do so) using regional courses, and/or also provide higher level coures online state wide. However, for lower level courses (such as mine) I believe it would be more effective to offer them in person with hands on training, maybe using Moodle for expanded teaching outside the workshop or for sharing resources.
Goals:
*To educate and train users on Free software, including but not limited to Linux.
*To draft proposals for team members to start local workshops.
*To create and share resources such as lesson plans, class ideas, and software CD's.
*To offer a service to the community for free to advance their skills using Free software.
Note: To avoid any confusion, my proposal does not have anything to do with converting education institutions to Linux.
P.S. Note: This topic has also been sent via mailing list.
Why:
I am a firm believer that an easy path of transition to Linux is to train users in other Free software that is available for both Windows and Linux. At my college, I have recently been approved to start my own series of workshops and training sessions that will by taught by myself on campus and open to the community for free. The subjects in the training courses will vary, but many of them deal with training users in common basic and intermediate level tasks with Free software. For example, one session I'm having is going to be on using and managing email with Mozilla Thunderbird. During the session I will explain using some extra features of email (copy, blind copy, mailing lists, forwarding) and setting up email inside Thunderbird. Another session I will be doing will be Expanding The Web (using Firefox) to teach about profile management, RSS feeds, extensions, etc. Eventually, once users become comfortable with these programs, when we offer to switch them to Linux, they wont give up their programs they are comfortable with! When you hold your next install fest in your local area that you have been training, it can be a selling point that all these programs you've trained them in are available in a safer and more customizable environment.
How:
A good approach to educating users may to be to construct local workshops and training courses in your area that is open and free to the community. Good locations for this may be your local high school, college (or university), or local computer shops (education institutions always love an extra boost to public image to the community, and computer shops are likely to agree for an increase in customer base). Another location may be your local library also.
It has been suggested by Vorian to include Moodle for teaching. I think Moodle looks to be a wonderful tool, that may be used to either enhance higher level workshops (if you choose to do so) using regional courses, and/or also provide higher level coures online state wide. However, for lower level courses (such as mine) I believe it would be more effective to offer them in person with hands on training, maybe using Moodle for expanded teaching outside the workshop or for sharing resources.
Goals:
*To educate and train users on Free software, including but not limited to Linux.
*To draft proposals for team members to start local workshops.
*To create and share resources such as lesson plans, class ideas, and software CD's.
*To offer a service to the community for free to advance their skills using Free software.