Re: [seul-edu] Re: home-schooling thread**Advuce needed**

[Adam Cody <acody@lucent.com>]

Hello everyone,

  Been a week or so since I posted. I have some items to share with the
group in regards to what I've been doing since my last post.

  First, I sent a note to redhat's open source development group they
now have to see if there's any interest on their side. At one point the
project is going to need a lot of bandwidth and storage space if it's
ever going to hold all the content this project could. *Note, by
project, I'm referring to my ideas specifically. I don't want to assume
everyone agrees with me on my ideas and their goals* Sent it over the
holidays so I don't expect anything soon.

  Second, I'm really getting focus on this idea of embedded portable
devices and their impact on education. The more I read and think on this
the more the issue becomes critical. There's a couple reason for it.
One, is that unless we participate now with these developers and
companies the more of a chance we will be unable to use or access their
platform. It's critical that Linux can run on or be use with these
devices. Second, these devices have a long road ahead of themselves in
being accepted for what I believe is their most useful features. That
feature being for education. Why, one might ask? See point three.

  Third. I've tried posting on a couple of homeschooling boards my
project ideas and references to this group as well. The lack of responce
is disheartening and the reponses that did come had one glaring theme.
MOMS do not get technology or have a vision of what it can be. Please
take this in no spirit of sexism; it's just that home schooling is done
by moms in 99% of the families and it appeats that these moms do not
look at the computer or technology as being a part of their childs
education. I'll list some points.

	1. Computer screens aren't meant for studying. Headaches, eye fatigue,
and long time of 
	inactivity.
 
	2. They assume if it's digital it'll cost them money or the project is
a marketing thing.
	They are not "getting" or understanding open source ideals.

	3. Belief that books are best and that they would prefer to "hold a
book". Unable to 
	believe that a digital medium could compare to a book. By either
comfort, easy of use,
	costs, length of reading time, portability, and other such issues.

	4. Assume if it's "computerized" that it's application based with a
bunch of multimedia 
	distractions from the core educational process.

	5. That it's an unflexable medium. That a computer couldn't house the
educational content
	and still allow them the flexability to school the way they do.

 There's more I am sure but I'm so frustrated right now I can't get them
organized clearly. I just want to scream "Don't you get it!" at some of
these mothers. Ahhhh but that's what this list is for right? hehe  I did
learn some vaulable lessons though. Those reason above are also why I
believe most open source applications never get off the ground or used
by non-traditional teachers. There is a fundemental flaw in how people
view technology and until this is corrected and address we will not see
the integration that could be possible between computers and education.
How do we do this?  **This applies to pre-K to 12 education mostly but
there are still issues I believe in higher education as well**

 That's one reason the success of portable embedded systems is so
critical. They can resolve most of the issues on a technical level but
they will not change a mind set by themselves for people to use them.
Also, none of these current companies is even mentioning that these
devices could be used in a educational setting. Duh! What's up with
that? I'm hoping to contact the one company making the under-$400 linux
system and see what kind of ideas we can share. Qubit Tech.
http://www.qubit.com

 Also, I believe we might want to consider our gender percentages on
this list and ask ourselves how sucessful will we be without the
"others" opinion when we are done. And depending on your answer what can
we do to attract more mothers/woman to get involved. Just a thought.

Adam Cody

P.S. I didn't proof read this since I have other duties to attend to
right now. (work) sorry.

Doug Loss wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 28 Nov 1999, Jim Wildman wrote:
> 
> > Good idea.  There are a number of magazines that cater to home schoolers.
> > They all include the mandatory technology review column/summary page.
> >
> > On Sun, 28 Nov 1999, Roger R Dingledine wrote:
> >
> > > This looks like an excellent example of something that can
> > > be packaged up into some sort of summary document, and put
> > > on the website.
> 
> Jim,
> 
>    Could you assemble our discussions here and put them into document form and
> then post your document here for our review?  I'm sure Adam Cody and and Petr
> Vicherek would be willing to help you on this (right, fellows?).  When it's done
> we can post it on the website and submit it to whatever magazines and news sites
> seem most appropriate.  This will serve two purposes--it will be both a useful
> document for the Linux and home-schooling communities, and it will be a
> proof-of-concept for our "sense of SEUL/edu" documents idea.
> 
> --
> Doug Loss            Always acknowledge a fault.  This will throw
> dloss@suscom.net     those in authority off their guard and give
> (570) 326-3987       you the opportunity to commit more.
>                         Mark Twain