Re: [IAEP] [x-post] GNU Project renews focus on free software in education
http://www.sugarlabs.org/index.php?template=press&article=20090918&language=english#20090918 This followed uninformed misstatements in the media at the time by some FSF members. FSF influence on K-8 education departments is minimal, but I agree more can always be done. We need to be in touch with Dora. Most FSF people I know think high school or university when the topic is educational software; e.g. FSFE edu-eu mailing list (https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-eu) Sean On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 4:37 AM, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: > Brilliant! > > What can we do to have Sugar more formally recognised by the FSF? I > think it should be their desktop of choice for primary school > education. > > Sridhar > > > Sridhar Dhanapalan > Engineering Manager > One Laptop per Child Australia > > > > On 31 January 2012 23:28, Anish Mangal wrote: >> Hi, >> >> Just received a message on the fsf-info list about FSF relaunching the >> GNU education project: >> >> Links: >> [1] http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/gnu-education-website-relaunch >> [blog post] >> [2] http://www.gnu.org/education/ [GNU Education website] >> >> -- >> Anish >> >> >> * * * >> >> >> BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Monday, January 30, 2012 -- The GNU >> Project today announced the relaunch of its worldwide volunteer-led >> effort to bring free software to educational institutions of all >> levels. The new effort is based at http://www.gnu.org/education. >> >> The newly formed GNU Education Team is being led by Dora Scilipoti, an >> Italian free software activist and teacher. Under her leadership, the >> Team has developed a list of specific goals to guide their work: >> >> >> Present cases of educational institutions around the world who are >> successfully using and teaching free software. >> >> Show examples of how free programs are being used by educational >> institutions to improve the learning and teaching processes. >> >> Publish articles on the various aspects involved in the use of free >> software by educational institutions. >> >> Maintain a dialogue with teachers, students and administrators of >> educational institutions to listen to their difficulties and provide >> support. >> >> Keep in contact with other groups around the world committed to the >> promotion of free software in education. >> >> GNU and its host organization, the Free Software Foundation (FSF), >> emphasize that free software principles are a prerequisite for any >> educational environment that uses computers: >> >> Educational institutions of all levels should use and teach free >> software because it is the only software that allows them to >> accomplish their essential missions: to disseminate human knowledge >> and to prepare students to be good members of their community. The >> source code and the methods of free software are part of human >> knowledge. On the contrary, proprietary software is secret, restricted >> knowledge, which is the opposite of the mission of educational >> institutions. Free software supports education, proprietary software >> forbids education. >> >> In an article at >> http://fsf.org/blogs/community/gnu-education-website-relaunch, >> Scilipoti adds insights about the project's organizing philosophy, >> current contributors, and progress so far. Of her basic motivation for >> being involved, she says, "As a free software advocate and a teacher, >> I always felt that the GNU Project needed to address the subject >> specifically and in depth, for it is in the education field that its >> ethical principles find the most fertile ground for achieving the goal >> of building a better society." >> >> In her article, Scilipoti also highlights some of the free software >> success stories from around the world, especially Kerala, India, where >> the government has migrated over 2,600 of its public schools to free >> software. >> >> While the Education Team has already compiled a collection of useful >> materials, they are also looking for more volunteer contributors. >> People who want to help, or who have information about instructive >> examples of existing use of free software in schools, should contact >> educat...@gnu.org. >> >> "Education really is one of the most fundamental areas we need to >> focus on to achieve real social change," said Free Software Foundation >> executive director John Sullivan. "We need to be acknowledging and >> assisting schools that are doing the right thing, and helping those >> who aren't yet on board understand why those giveaway Microsoft >> Office, iPad, and Kindle deals aren't so great for classrooms after >> all. We're very thankful to all of the Team members for stepping up to >> meet this challenge. I hope others will be inspired by their work and >> join the effort." >> >> The Education Team has also been working closely with GNU's >> Translation Team to make the new materials available in as many >> languages as possible. People interested in helping with the >> translation component of the pro
Re: [IAEP] [x-post] GNU Project renews focus on free software in education
Brilliant! What can we do to have Sugar more formally recognised by the FSF? I think it should be their desktop of choice for primary school education. Sridhar Sridhar Dhanapalan Engineering Manager One Laptop per Child Australia On 31 January 2012 23:28, Anish Mangal wrote: > Hi, > > Just received a message on the fsf-info list about FSF relaunching the > GNU education project: > > Links: > [1] http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/gnu-education-website-relaunch > [blog post] > [2] http://www.gnu.org/education/ [GNU Education website] > > -- > Anish > > > * * * > > > BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Monday, January 30, 2012 -- The GNU > Project today announced the relaunch of its worldwide volunteer-led > effort to bring free software to educational institutions of all > levels. The new effort is based at http://www.gnu.org/education. > > The newly formed GNU Education Team is being led by Dora Scilipoti, an > Italian free software activist and teacher. Under her leadership, the > Team has developed a list of specific goals to guide their work: > > > Present cases of educational institutions around the world who are > successfully using and teaching free software. > > Show examples of how free programs are being used by educational > institutions to improve the learning and teaching processes. > > Publish articles on the various aspects involved in the use of free > software by educational institutions. > > Maintain a dialogue with teachers, students and administrators of > educational institutions to listen to their difficulties and provide > support. > > Keep in contact with other groups around the world committed to the > promotion of free software in education. > > GNU and its host organization, the Free Software Foundation (FSF), > emphasize that free software principles are a prerequisite for any > educational environment that uses computers: > > Educational institutions of all levels should use and teach free > software because it is the only software that allows them to > accomplish their essential missions: to disseminate human knowledge > and to prepare students to be good members of their community. The > source code and the methods of free software are part of human > knowledge. On the contrary, proprietary software is secret, restricted > knowledge, which is the opposite of the mission of educational > institutions. Free software supports education, proprietary software > forbids education. > > In an article at > http://fsf.org/blogs/community/gnu-education-website-relaunch, > Scilipoti adds insights about the project's organizing philosophy, > current contributors, and progress so far. Of her basic motivation for > being involved, she says, "As a free software advocate and a teacher, > I always felt that the GNU Project needed to address the subject > specifically and in depth, for it is in the education field that its > ethical principles find the most fertile ground for achieving the goal > of building a better society." > > In her article, Scilipoti also highlights some of the free software > success stories from around the world, especially Kerala, India, where > the government has migrated over 2,600 of its public schools to free > software. > > While the Education Team has already compiled a collection of useful > materials, they are also looking for more volunteer contributors. > People who want to help, or who have information about instructive > examples of existing use of free software in schools, should contact > educat...@gnu.org. > > "Education really is one of the most fundamental areas we need to > focus on to achieve real social change," said Free Software Foundation > executive director John Sullivan. "We need to be acknowledging and > assisting schools that are doing the right thing, and helping those > who aren't yet on board understand why those giveaway Microsoft > Office, iPad, and Kindle deals aren't so great for classrooms after > all. We're very thankful to all of the Team members for stepping up to > meet this challenge. I hope others will be inspired by their work and > join the effort." > > The Education Team has also been working closely with GNU's > Translation Team to make the new materials available in as many > languages as possible. People interested in helping with the > translation component of the project should see the information at > http://www.gnu.org/server/standards/README.translations.html. > > About the Free Software Foundation > > The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to > promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and > redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and > use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating > system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free > software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and > political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, > located at fsf.org and gnu.org, a
