[Wftl-lug] Open Source in My Classroom

[Jim Asbille]

Patrick,

Now that's what I'm talking about!  What a great class you have built.  You
are giving those kids a real education not just an advertisement.  Congrats
also on the healthy lifestyle and surviving your heart attack.  I am also
getting older and trying to improve my health.


On 8/27/07, Patrick Green <patlgreen at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> It's been awhile since I have written anything of substance her.  I have
> started a new adventure.  I am teaching cs201 and cs202 at a small Christian
> College in Mount Prospect Illinois.  Today was the first day of class.  This
> place is my alma mater and one of my fellow students works there now.  He
> helped me pimp out my class.  I wrote up a little blurb and in it I not only
> explained my philosophy and goals but I also included a list of the free
> software they will be receiving since I feel it is important for the
> students to have the proper tools to succeed in college and apply what they
> are learning.
>
> The textbook for this semesters class will be Marcel Gagne's Moving to
> Free Software.  My justification for this was the college wanted this
> semester to have a strong focus on power use of MS Office.  I told them that
> removing the experienced user from his comfort zone would level the playing
> field and using an alternative like OOo will teach them the PRINCIPLES of
> word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software without being
> dependant on a version of software that can change.  They approved of the
> approach.  Almost all the free software they are receiving is coming from
> Marcel's book along with some other things that are more geared to the
> Christian/Church application since most of these students are theology,
> ministerial students.
>
> Today we just sat and talked about licensing, ownership, ethical use of
> software, the importance of security, and I learned about where the students
> sit.  I currently have the most popular elective in the school.  I had 2 non
> registered students sit in and they signed up on the spot.  Some of them are
> also talking to their fellow students now that they sat in and learned what
> this class will entail.  They are excited about this new adventure and there
> will be a lot of FOSS and licensing education included in the class.
>
> The school is also having a lot of server and networking issues.  Their
> tech support is currently the librarian and he is outside his element.  I am
> looking at all the specs and software on the server....I can switch this bad
> boy to a Linux server and set er up my way and teach the librarian what he
> needs to do his thing.  I was also invited by the students to hang out in
> the dorms and improve things there network wise.
>
> This is gonna be a great adventure.  Today was day one and it was a
> success.
>
> Cheers
>
> Patrick
>
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-- 
Jim Asbille, MSM
registered Linux user number 388067

It is better to travel well than to arrive.
Gautama Buddha
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