Free software and education

[Susan Stewart]

I just thought you all might be interested in the email I sent to Odile 
Bénassy this morning...

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I'm not sure how closely you follow the address@hidden mailing list, but
I recently asked about involvement not just in developing free software
for schools, but in helping to provide schools with the resources they
need to use free software effectively.  Here are some highlights of the
discussion so far:

----Me:------
<snip>
I was wondering whether or not there's been any attempt to organize a
group to help introduce GNU/Linux and GNU educational tools to public
schools.  One might expect under funded public schools to gravitate
immediately toward free software as more and more becomes available to
suit their needs.  However, at least in the United States, Windows
admins are a dime a dozen, but there is a scarcity of people familiar
with free software willing to work for what schools are able to pay
(which is below the poverty line in some districts around here -- US
teachers are among our lowest paid professions).

I would really like to see a push to get schools using free software.
I'm sure that we are all aware of the devastating effects of high
software licensing costs on schools. However, unless these schools are
given the resources to administer GNU/Linux based systems, proprietary
software will remain their only option.  Making free software a viable
option for public schools would involve finding volunteers from local
LUGs, universities, businesses, etc. to help with initial setup and with
training school staff to use and maintain the systems.  Unless teachers
know how to use it, and staff is able to maintain the system, all of our
development efforts will amount to naught.

In conjunction with this effort, I would like to establish resources for
schools interested in beginning computer related extracurricular
programs.  We could provide schools with a framework from which to build
programs that will enrich students not only with added opportunities to
acquire computer skills, but with the guiding ideals of free software:
freedom and cooperation.
<snip>

------Christian Selig--------
<snip>
Indeed we (German FSuB e.V., "Association for Free Software and
Education") have identified the lack of GNU/Linux support and training
as a main reason why so few schools use Free Software.

<snip>

The questions for a setting up a project would be:
- At which level? National, International?
- Who manages the project (US, Europe)?
- Who can donate resources?
- How would the work of the project look like, specifially?
- Which existing group/s are willing to cooperate?

Please outline your ideas :-)

After June, I will even be able to donate Web space and bandwidth. What
about including GNU/Linux introducory materials targeted at schools, in
multiple languages? I have already written some ...

Bye,
  Christian

-----Me Again-----

 >- At which level? National, International?
That's a good question, and one that I must admit I'm only 90% sure
about.  While school systems differ greatly from one country to another,
I think that it would still be beneficial to make this a worldwide
effort as the training materials and software we use will be pretty much
the same for everyone.  My only qualm about that is the extra paperwork
involved in applying for grants funded by the US if we're an
international organization.  LOL Oh well, I've been at this grant
writing thing for almost a decade, I'm about due for a new challenge. ;)

 >- Who manages the project (US, Europe)?
I'd like to see a small group (not more than 6-8 people) doing the
overall coordination, with at least one person from the US and at least
one from Europe.  Then we can break it down by country from there.

 >- Who can donate resources?
I'd be looking to businesses, LUGs (Linux Users' Groups), and
universities for volunteers.  I'm pretty good at rounding up state and
federal grant money (I've been working with technology in education for
a decade now), but that only really helps the US schools for the most
part.  I've put together some ideas for fundraising that can be done at
the individual school level, and also am trying to think of some things
that would be more far-reaching.  Something that will prove very
important to our funding level in the long run is high visibility.  The
more well-known we are, the more likely we are to recieve corporate
donations.

 >- How would the work of the project look like, specifially?
I'd like to provide as complete a support base for schools as possible:
help them figure out what they need, aid in writing grant proposals and
exploring other avenues of fundraising, hook them up with local
volunteers to help with system setup, and provide training resources to
allow teachers and staff to make a smooth transition.  Also, as a little
icing on the cake, I'd like to create a computer-related extracurricular
program that individual schools can open thier own chapters of, then
pool resources for regional conferences/programming competions/etc.  We
could even help them find guest speakers, etc.

 >- Which existing group/s are willing to cooperate?
I anticipate that GNU/FSF will be more than willing to participate, as
well as local LUGs.  We might also want to check out other computing
organizations like USENIX/SAGE.  Richard Smedley mentioned a UK group,
www.affs.co.uk ,  who may be of some assistance, and schoolforge.net who
are more US-focused.  To be honest, I haven't checked out either yet as
I'm in the middle of preparing for my wedding shower tomorrow.  My
schedule will be somewhat hectic off and on for most of April, but
things should quickly settle down as May begins.

 >Please outline your ideas :-)

First, of course, is materials development: a framework for training, a
start for any kind of extracurricular we want to bring to the schools,
as well as enough PR-type stuff to start building our visiblity.  As
much as I hate to admit it, nonprofits rely heavily on thier PR
abilities, because the greater your level of visibility, the more good
guy points you have to offer businesses in exchange for donations.

Once we have that done, I'd like to start getting the word out to
volunteers--both on the techie side of things and the education side-- I
know how to do that here (teachers' union magazine, school board
journal, etc.) but I don't know much about how to handle it outside the
US.  The techie stuff is easier b/c it's fairly international anyhow.
 Then, choose an area where we have a good response level and get one
school going as quickly and completely as possible.  Once we have an
example to show for ourselves, the rest will slowly become easier.

-------------

That should be enough to get you up to speed.  As you can see, the idea
is still in its infancy.  Richard Stallman indicated to me that you're
"it" with regards to GNU Education at the moment.  I hope you'll feel
that what we are discussing would fit well with the mission of GNU
Education, and that you'd be interested in working with us to whatever
degree is comfortable for you.

Thank you for your time.  I look forward to hearing what you think.

Sincerely,
    Susan Stewart.

P.S. --  Random thought... if we became a group under GNU/FSF  we could
be called the GNERD project... GNu Educational Resource Development...
sounds neat to me.




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