Charlie Schweik wrote:
.....
This connects back to my earlier education post that Frank Warmerdam
responded to. He asked:
"I would have thought it would be more productive to take existing
curriculum guidelines and get project support in rebuilding them around
foss projects/products. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding?"
I agree with this point, and I think that is what some, like Tyler M
has been suggesting. However, I find myself wondering from a
technology-learning angle, are there more specialized knowledge needed
in the FOSS Geo space?
What kinds of skills are needed to contribute to the further
development of various FOSS Geo technologies (this gets at the
"joining/recruitment" issue of new developers) or building a community
of user-driven innovators?
And what kinds of skills are needed for users of FOSS Geo
technologies? E.g., Desktop or Web-based GIS? For example, if I want
to show a student how to map using OpenLayers, what would that student
need to know? Or what skills would a student need to have to implement
a Map Server application? Is the idea of a curriculum around "FOSS
Geo technologies" -- such as a "certificate" -- a useful idea for us
to pursue?
Charlie:
That's a fascinating idea. Offering certification in FOSS GIS software
(even at more than one level) would help to:
promote the use of the FOSS GIS stack
probably expand the user base
directly address the problem that has been raised that it's hard to
get started with FOSS.
help fend off the claim that the job market requires "certified"
professionals.
And this seems to be something that should be right up OSGeo's alley. As
an umbrella organization for many (most?) FOSS GIS projects, the
training know-how is right at hand. Both training material and exams
could be online.
If I'm not mistaken, Red Hat's RHCE is highly respected. Organizing
something along that line would be a valuable and worthwhile goal for OSGeo.
--
Micha
Or am I off target here? If I'm not, I'm open to ideas on how to
mobilize a group to work on this curriculum effort... William Kinghorn
who I met in South Africa has written ideas on "exam areas" that might
be a start... if people want to join in this idea let me know and
perhaps I should schedule a Skype conference call to discuss more...
I'd also like to find someone to take the lead on organizing and
running this curriculum effort.
Charlie
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