Re: [seul-edu] lessonstop.org

[Resmon Gonzalez <lares@mindgate.net>]

linuxkernel@newmail.net wrote:
[edited] 
>
> Why not SEUL-EDU organizes a plan to work with people from other 
>segments of the teaching profession?


This is a must.

A lot of app. specific usability issues were discussed in this mailing

list but I seem to have missed any discussion about designing Linux apps 

based on professional education standards/issues from educational 

technology research.


Most k-12 schools' idea (at least in the Philippines) of computer 

education is learning how to use popular commercial apps.  While this 

make k-12 students immediately attractive to employers and makes the 

job of teachers easier because of readily available curriculum/materials 

from the companies of these products (or third parties), they tend to 

miss out on the bigger picture of information literacy goals.  Drafting 

generic curriculum/lesson plans from scratch for computer classes is

a lot of work for teachers as compared to patronizing readily available 

commercial solutions which emphasizes more on product usage.  That's a

significant reason for the adoption of Microsoft, Adobe, Apple solutions

in education.


I'm not saying that commercial solutions to curriculum content should

not be patronized but rather that k-12 IT. curriculums should lessen

the focus on commercial app. specific features and increase attention to 

using apps. to promote cognitive learning and improve student 

achievement.


Now here's my take on "linuxkernel's" suggestion.  If Seul-Edu can 

convince educators that the Linux apps. it promotes is designed based

on the latest research on educational technology, and it supports 

high profile lesson plan content providers on the web by providing

Linux apps. that integrate with the objectives and activities of its

curriculum/lesson plans, we have Linux based educational applications

with readily available lesson plans and other complementary materials

for classroom use and individual research.  Readily available 

curriculum and lesson plans about the broader goals of information 

literacy along with increasing ease of use of Linux educational apps.

make for significant reasons for educators to make the switch.