[seul-edu] Why leave the home schooler community out?

[Adam Cody <acody@lucent.com>]

Greetings,

  I've just started my own page/project (meaning I haven't proof read
anything) at http://linuxlots.com/~ajcody . I started it since I haven't
found anyone in the educational area doing a project that includes  home
schoolers. I would like to know if seul-edu can grow it's project goals
to include the home schooling community. For others that mentioned /
pushed xml I agree whole heartily. Education is in the content and the
applications are secondary. If the content is developed in the most
effective manner it broadens the applications that can be used on it...
xml provides that I believe to the best ability. (Note, my knowledge of
xml isn't complete)
   (*Recently the author of the Latex Handbook released another book in
regards to Latex and using it for web based technologies; such as xml,
html, pdf and so forth. I don't have it with me so I can't give you a
title... sorry. Excellent book though.)
  If you look at my bookmarks on my page you'll see there is already
enough "content" for a k-12 education. Authors would need to be
contacted and educated on open source lic. issues and give us permission
to use their "content". Look at what Robinson Curriculum has done. (
http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/ ) I truly believe something could be
worked out with them in regards to getting access to their material. I
do use their materials and find the books are excellent.  On the
multimedia side checkout Switched-On Schoolhouse ; note, this is closed
source content.    (http://www.switched-onschoolhouse.com/ ). Request
their free demo CD, you'll be amazed. You'll also note how easily this
"interface" could be done with any window manager that had "themes" and
a xdm like interface. The content isn't anything more than what is
already available on the internet for free.(See bookmarks) Except the
multimedia presentation... which would be a great project for some
schools or home schoolers to contribute towards.  Presentations on
microscopes and cell biology is on the demo CD. This easily could be
done with most subjects within a year and presented in a open source
format if possible. Video could be done in RealVideo but is there an
open source application for audio/video content like RealVideo? Please
let me know if your aware of any.
  The content on the internet usually lack two items --

1. It does not have a explicit license that grants "open source" use and
development.
2. It was not develop in the most effective manner that would of given
it the most use in a multi application enviroment.
*Multi application enviroment = different OS's,  different network
access means , as well with different applications such as word
processors, databases, and so forth.*
  Anyone can write educational content in straight text. It's open and
can be access by anything. But it isn't the most effective way it could
of been written when I want to use it in a multi application enviroment.
On the other side, writing it in Microsoft Word 95 format leverages some
"application" benefits but effectively destroys it's accessibility. The
challenge is to find the balance between easy of content development and
high application use of the content.
  That's why I don't see Linux as being a requirement for an open source
educational project but more as a developmental testing ground. If the
content and application balance is achieved it should work on any OS. It
might be more effective on Linux and there would be a lot of reasons to
run it on Linux but Linux shouldn't be a requirement. If we give the
people open source educational content and applications they'll come to
see the strength and value of an open sourced OS like Linux and open
sourced BSD projects. Don't forget the open source OS tools we have
access to based on the other guys as well.. wine , dosemu, and Mac
emulators. Note vmware is a possible solution to some peoples problems
as well.
  Why can't there be a project that intends to have 50 , 100 CD's that
they could send out to someone that is full of educational content that
"plugs" into an application infrastructure on the home computer or on
the network server. Each CD would hold content to a specific subject
area. It could then be separated into a "style" of education approach
that one could choose from that would be the basis of the child's
curriculum for a home schooler or a class room teachers style. Not all
children learn to their best abilities from any one give teaching style.
It would also allow you to separate "religious" materials so that public
schools could use it as well. It would also allow ( I know this is a
long shot) the public school educators to rally for some form of
accreditation on the "core" educational content that would also in turn
benefit the home schooler or public educated distant learner. Note, home
schooler isn't implying some religious fanatic... it could, but it would
also include the rural family wanting to avoid a dangerous school,
military families, inner city child wanting to avoid a dangerous school,
and second/third world countries that need or want a better educational
system or schools ran in those countries by missionaries and other
volunteers. If this skeleton format could be achieve it could also grow
to include any content... computer/programming training, college level
education, business / employee training and so forth. * Joke on my part
about the dangerous school thing, forgive me .. I had to.*
  Educational content only has a couple ways in which an application can
react to it.

1.  Read = viewer application  (pdf reader, ps reader, html reader, word
processor... and so forth)
2.  Listen to = text reader  ( IBM Via voice is working under Linux as
well with some other text > sound readers*kvoice)
3.  Interacted with = multimedia application ( RealAudio-Video, XMMS,
ShockWave, Java.. and so forth. Tons of applications, trick is using
code that is portable and under open source license.)
4. Testing /Progress tool = interface to test or show progress of
content. Larger scale would be a web based diary that the child would
log all possible entries into, from tests to daily diary messages. It
could move from class to class if the school was on a network. Would
minimizes the learning curve of the tool since it wouldn't need to
change from grade to grade. Could also act as a database tool for the
child without the child ever knowing what a database was -- query tool
of his/her notes and tests. A on the fly web server script/tool of html
to pdf (or whatever)would allow better printing formats than straight
html.

  Ideally, all content would be able to be processed through more than
one of the above interfaces that could also have an end result in the
testing / progress tool (Would a test really differ much if one read the
book versus seeing a RealVideo presentation? And if so, I would think
that the movie content wasn't well done then). The power of text to
speech readers would be great for visually impaired students. Could you
image how many children would like to be able to hear all those books
under the Robinson Curriculum... except that they can't since it is in
tiff format. *Note, CD's could have braille imprints on them. Also,
there is a emacs project for the visually impaired as well that would
work with html*

  Well hopefully I can generate some ideas out of this. I noticed the
message is getting a little long so I'll cut it off here. Please check
out my poorly done site if interested but most importantly email back to
this mailing list if you have ideas. I would rather not start my project
alone if this group is willingly to broaden it's goals.

Thanks for your time,
Adam Cody