Hi to all,
Last month( June,2003) , Swathantra Software Solutions&
Support(
S2S2) had conducted GNU/Linux awareness program at various
colleges & schools in Kannur district of Kerala. Talk on " Free
Software in Education" and demonstration on GNU/Linux system
using Knoppix 3.2 bootable CD was arranged at all places. It was
well attended and appreciated by all. The following is the list
of
programs and the general impression about it.
1. One day Orientation Programe for school teachers.
Supported & Organized by Kannur M P Shri A P Abdullakutty and
the
district administration, the programe was conducted at Chamber
of Commerce Hall at Kannur.
Participants: 115 school teachers from Govt Schools in
Kannur and Wynad participated in the workshop.
2: Seminar on " Free Software,its Philosophy" with GNU/Linux
demo at Mahatma College Iritty, Kannur.
Participants: Faculty & Students of MCA, MSc computer science
3: Seminar and demo on GNU/Linux at " Donbosco College,
Angadikadavu,
Participants: Faculty and students
4: Seminar & Demonstration at " Chinmaya Institute of Technology,
Kannur
Participants: Faculty and students
5 : Seminar and Demonstration at Chinmaya School, Kannur
Participants, : Teachers, X1 & X11 Students
6: Seminar and Demonstration at Nirmalagiri College,
Kuthuparamba
Participants: Faculty, Students
Our feedback about the programe:
---------------------------------
*Programes were successful, in the sense that people at large
had
got an idea of what free software is all about and what its
impact
will be on society?". Most of the participants knew what "windows"
is
but only very few heard about "Linux". After showing them the
power of GNU/Linux and how to use it, they were convinced of using
the alternate system and its advantage. The "free software
philosophy and its "freedom" part is something which the people
liked much.
*There are number of teachers who got Intel sponsored master
training
certificate. It seems they are trained of using only Microsoft
Windows and its products.Though they had initial reservation
using GNU/Linux, after seeing the real advantage of free software
they
showed interest in trying it out.
*Both students and teachers are overwhelmed by the number of
applications and packages available in GNU/Linux.
*Almost all of them, the use of computer is limited to only word
processing, spreadsheet, presentation, music and movie playing.
*A common complaint received from many is " It is very slow in
my
machine"....
*Students are better in learning and trying out Linux. At Kannur
43 schools had got computers with GNU/Linux installed. Students
working on computers first time( no exposure to MS OS) did not
find using GNU Linux any difficulty. The common misconception
around is that it is not user friendly....The experience shows
that, GNU/Linux is more friendly to students than teachers.
*Plus 2 Teachers had different complaint: They would like to try
out GNU/Linux in schools. But the school IT course syllabus
specify proprietary packages like, " Tally , Visual Basic, MS
Office, Oracle, Qbasic etc". Since these are part of syllabus,
schools can not shift to GNU/Linux only even if they desire to
do so. There are cases where students ask the teachers to get
GNU/Linux installed on machines, but school do not want because of
syllabus.
*Most schools use proprietary system and packages without license and they do not actually know such things like license agreement exist !!!
Sujeevan Swathantra Software Solutions & Support Munderi, Kannur http://s2s2net.netfirms.com
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