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Re: [school-discuss] Microsoft Thwarting Free Thinking
Gerard,
We share your pain.
So much so that we have created a curriculum for our Computing and
Information Management subject that is deliberately disruptive to
students comfortable Microsoft existence. We have written a paper that we
have presented at a couple of Australian conferences about our experience
and philosophy. It has a companion web site with other links and relevant
information as well as the PowerPoint (yes, a small concession to M$)
The web site:
http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/lic/freedom/
The actual paper:
http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publications/papers/OSS-InnovateandEducate.pdf
Open Source Software: Freedom to Educate and Innovate
ABSTRACT Open Source Software (OSS) is central to Trinity College's
educational objectives. Use of OSS has given us the freedom and the
flexibility to emphasize the teaching of basic principles rather than
training on particular software packages. It has allowed us to customize
our curriculum for the best educational outcome for our students rather
than being constrained by closed source, proprietary packages. We have
been able to break out of the narrow view that closed source proprietary
packages are always the best option. In this way, Trinity College has
control over the education it provides, and future innovations it
undertakes.
Cheers,
Richard
--
Dr Richard Wraith rgw@trinity.unimelb.edu.au
Director of IT & T and the Trinity Learning Innovation Centre
Trinity College Royal Parade Parkville 3052 Victoria Australia
tel: +61-3-9348 7112 mobile: 0417 361 093 fax: +61-3-9348 7498
On Wed, 29 Jan 2003, Gerard Lam wrote:
> Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 12:38:18 -0500
> From: Gerard Lam <gerard_lam10@hotmail.com>
> Reply-To: "schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net"
> <schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net>
> To: "schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net"
> <schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net>
> Cc: "daviddsilva@yahoo.com" <daviddsilva@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [school-discuss] Microsoft Thwarting Free Thinking
>
> Dear All,
>
> I find this quite disturbing and it makes me sick.
>
> http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?guid={A67AB539-754F-4E24-B68F-3A3716E7B0D1}&siteid=mktw&dist=nbk
>
> It seems after reading the previous posts (where Microsoft is practically
> giving away their software at the university level - they did that at where
> I graduated form too - Penn State), Microsoft is trying to capitalize on the
> "network effect" - where they lock kids into using a certain technology and
> hope they take this mentality to college, then to their work environment.
>
> It's not an act of charity when Microsoft pushes (free software) or
> encourages certification at this level, I am sure they do not have the best
> interest of the children in mind. What could it be??? - A long-term
> strategy to maintain and extend market dominance. Essentially they are
> planting their seeds into the young minds of children at an early age - that
> is preposterous - especially when the school system is supposed to encourage
> freethinking.
>
> I cannot see how this can be a model of excellence, let alone be recognized
> as something to be proud about. I understand the argument that Phillip
> Randolph is trying to give the kids an advantage (but they should have a
> choice - maybe they are giving them a choice, I don't know)- that is noble,
> but who is to say those are "the" skill sets they need when they enter into
> the working world. According to a research by Meta Group, an information
> technology research and consulting firm located in Stamford, CT, predicts
> that 45% of servers will be running Linux by 2007 at the latest (similar
> predictions by IDC). You now have major Wall Street firms (Morgan Stanley,
> Goldman Sacs, CSFB...), and Fortune 100 corporations (IBM, HP, Amazon.com,
> DreamWorks, Sony and commitment from Unilever....) leveraging and adopting
> open source - So would it not be to the demise of the children to tool them
> with a skill set that might not be the most sought after skill set?
>
> "Duval County Public Schools is committed to providing quality educational
> opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the
> knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a culturally diverse and
> technologically sophisticated world" Microsoft does not equal
> technologically sophisticated or diverse.
>
>
> I really feel we need to do something about this...will let you know when I
> think of a resolution.... - goes with the saying, when you have a problem
> with something, don't complain about it, but do something about it :) Just
> wanted to send a message out and hope this is not the beginning of a trend -
> by keeping an eye open to it, we can see the threat coming....
>
>
> Regards,
> Gerard
>
> ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
> "A Vision Without Action is a Daydream"
>
> Gerard Lam
> abcT (Acclerating Broadband Classroom Team)
> 646.321.8727
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>
>
>
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