Re: [school-discuss] What's in a name?

["Chris Calise" <chris@oip.net>]

Too alternative for kids, at least my kid. She's a real conservative at
thirteen. Must be the times!

Chris




----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas S. Blank" <dblank@brynmawr.edu>
To: <schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net>; "Chris Calise" <chris@oip.net>
Cc: <debian-jr@lists.debian.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: [school-discuss] What's in a name?


> Chris Calise <chris@oip.net> said:
>
> > Ben,
> > how about a "tech mentor"?
>
> That's not bad. What about Guru, or Guiding Guru, or Guru Guide?
>
> -Doug
>
> > Chris Calise
> > www.ufda.net
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ben Armstrong" <synrg@sanctuary.nslug.ns.ca>
> > To: <schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net>
> > Cc: <debian-jr@lists.debian.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 10:06 AM
> > Subject: [school-discuss] What's in a name?
> >
> >
> > > I have a naming problem.
> > >
> > > I'm revising Debian Jr. documentation and the web site, and in doing
so
> > > I realize that we don't really have a good name for the people who
help
> > > children with their computers.  It struck me that this isn't a problem
> > > specific to our project, which is why I'm turning to the members of
this
> > > list.
> > >
> > > So I brainstormed with Justin Zeigler of OSEF over this problem on irc
> > > and together we came up with a list of words, some of which I prefer
> > > better than others, and for some very specific reasons.  But without
> > > biasing your opinion, I'll just give you the background for the
problem,
> > > and the goals I have in mind for a replacement term, and then the list
> > > of words.  I'd like you to review them and tell me which seems like a
> > > "best fit" and why, or suggest some alternatives.
> > >
> > > I had been using the phrase "children and their sys admins" fairly
> > > liberally up to this point, and that might be suitable today, with
> > > Debian Jr. being focussed on the sys admins who install Debian Jr. on
> > > behalf of children.  But I'm afraid the term sys admin is too narrow
> > > a designation and won't survive as a generic label as we branch out.
> > > Please refer to http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-jr where I use "sys
> > > admin" throughout.  I think in most instances on this page, it is an
> > > accurate description of the role, but as my documentation grows beyond
> > > the systems level to touch the users themselves, the label does not
> > > fit so well for everyone in the helping role.  Beyond the initial
> > > system install and the occasional upgrade, the "sys admin" may not be
> > > around often, fading into the background.
> > >
> > > Parents, teachers, teenaged siblings, relatives or friends my all take
> > > "helper" roles when children use computers.  What is a term that best
> > > describes the primary person or people in the "helping" role? The term
> > > should not have primarily dominant or authoritarian undertones.  It
> > > should not be specific to one particular kind of relationship (like
> > > "teacher") and it should be a "comfortable" term both as a
> > > self-designation for any of these people and as a term used by the
> > > children themselves.  I want some term that embodies support,
> > > co-discovery, and mutual enjoyment in the relationship.
> > >
> > > Here is our list of "keepers".  I will not list the ones we rejected,
as
> > > they are too numerous.  I'll deal with my specific objections to those
> > > if any of you chances to come up with one of them.
> > >
> > > advocate
> > > agent
> > > aide
> > > guardian
> > > helper
> > > pathfinder
> > > patron
> > > sponsor
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Ben Armstrong
> > > p.s. I unavoidably designated the role as a "helper" or "helping"
role,
> > >      in this post, which is not necessarily an endorsement of that
very
> > >      general term as a favourite.  I merely chose it since it seemed
> > >      like the broadest term which encompassed all others, perhaps for
> > >      that very reason a bit too broad.  (Oops, there I go biasing you
:)
> > > --
> > >     nSLUG       http://www.nslug.ns.ca
synrg@sanctuary.nslug.ns.ca
> > >     Debian      http://www.debian.org       synrg@debian.org
> > > [ pgp key fingerprint = 7F DA 09 4B BA 2C 0D E0  1B B1 31 ED C6 A9 39
4F ]
> > > [ gpg key fingerprint = 395C F3A4 35D3 D247 1387  2D9E 5A94 F3CA 0B27
> > 13C8 ]
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Douglas S. Blank,       Assistant Professor
> dblank@brynmawr.edu,          (610)526-6501
> Bryn Mawr College,  Computer Science Program
> 101 North Merion Ave,  Park Science Building
> Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 dangermouse.brynmawr.edu
>
>
>