RE: [seul-edu] Open Source Applications Certification

[tom poe <tompoe@ableweb.net>]

Hi:  Very good.  Understood.  And, I for one, really like what you're
doing with the kids.  

An interesting certification offering, if it hasn't been mentioned, is
the Oreilly.com approach.http://learninglab.oreilly.com/

Being terribly biased, here's my suggestion for your students:
Open Studios thinks you should start a community-based recording studio
for your students.

They get a donated low-end PC.  They set up the free software on it. 
They borrow, or get a donated microphone, maybe even find a digital
camcorder, and they're set to start.

What they can do with that, is to create CD's, DVD's, full-featured
films, and anything a major recording studio can do.  Amazing, but true.
How about that?  They create the CD, sell it to raise funds for
expanding the equipment and earning money to pay for certification
programs.

Ready for the good stuff?  There's a web site at Stanford:
http://ccrma-www.stanford.edu/
Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics

The students can get the finest in recording engineering training money
can buy, but it won't cost a cent.

Here's another:
http://www.agnula.org/
funded by the European Commission, and representing the finest
institutions in Europe, they also will take your students on the most
sophisticated, advanced learning experience in recording in the world,
and won't cost a cent.

What do they learn?  Everything open source certification programs
offer, plus they learn about applications that let them blow a note into
the computer, and it prints out the musical score sheet.  They learn
about applications that let them create notes, and the computer plays
the score they wrote.  They learn about all the audio and video
technology that is cutting edge development, and they do it on a desktop
computer, from mixing to editing film, to creating works that reflect
their expertise.  The quality of recordings and video production are
broadcast quality, and of equal or better quality than found in the
commercial sector.

This isn't about music, but it is about using music to demonstrate the
technical expertise that once had to be associated with certification
programs.  They take a CD, or DVD to their interviews, and those work
products speak for themselves.  Documentation of their progress is
reflected in the mailing lists discussions, and the papers they
contribute to the open source movement.

All the while, the learning is fun, and useful, eh?
Thanks,
Tom Poe
Open Studios
Reno, NV
http://www.studioforrecording.org/

On Thu, 2003-06-12 at 13:45, Glenn Iriye wrote:
> Students at Centre High are 17-20 and have either not completed their high
> school diploma requirements or they are not satisfied with the mark in one
> or more of their courses.  Students feel they are behind their peers.  Part
> of our work is to re-build their confidence so they see themselves as
> competent learners.  Preparing them for certification, in courses like our
> CISCO networking course, C++ Programming, etc. restores their perception of
> being able to learn.  Perhaps almost as important is the fact that students
> have an external source recognize their achievement via a certificate.  Our
> students are "born again learners" who I have at the right time and the
> right place for a very limited amount of time.
> 
> While I agree certification-led curriculum is less than perfect, you should
> also understand that certification has value for my students and that this
> is only the first step towards life-long learning.  Time, trains and IT
> stand still for no one.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randy Edwards [mailto:redwards@golgotha.net]
> Sent: June 12, 2003 2:32 PM
> To: seul-edu@seul.org
> Subject: Re: [seul-edu] Open Source Applications Certification
> 
> 
>     This point hit home hard.
> 
> > students in the door.  What concerns me is that "certification-mania" is
> > starting to be seen as a substitution for an education, and that's just
> sad.
> 
>     I agree wholeheartedly.  It's sad that someone with a stamp from a 
> certification agency is worth more than someone with a compsci bachelor's.
> To 
> me, a certification makes sense for some sort of highly specialized work
> (e.g. 
> security) but for general system administration or programming, it's a poor 
> excuse for a real education.
> 
>     Story time! :-)  I applied for a job once which listed an MCSE as a 
> requirement.  I knew I didn't have an MCSE, but I had one back in the NT4
> days 
> and taught many Windows courses at the college level.  I figured than an 
> "expired" MCSE, a master's in IT, and fifteen or so years of experience
> would 
> suffice.  The interview, was, well, interesting.  Despite other parameters 
> (money, job responsibilities, experience, etc.) being a match, it was clear 
> that I wasn't going to even be considered without an active MCSE.  We both 
> agreed to end the interview, and I left thanking God because I didn't want
> to 
> work for a company that numb.
> 
> -- 
>   Regards, | There can be no effective control of corporations while their
>   .        | political activity remains.  To put an end to it will be
>   Randy    | neither a short nor an easy task, but it can be done.
>            | -- Theodore Roosevelt
> -- 
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> 
> Doug Loss              All you need in this life is
> drloss@suscom.net      ignorance and confidence, 
>                        and then success is sure.
>                          Mark Twain
> 
> 
> 
>