Comments on: Why Is Open Source Important For Education? http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/321 rants & resources from an open educator Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:42:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Virtual Pundit http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/321/comment-page-1#comment-229 Virtual Pundit Sun, 03 Jul 2005 00:32:51 +0000 http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/321#comment-229 <strong>Open Source and Education</strong> Over at Couros Blog, Alec asks a very good question - Why is open source important for education? Actually it is also a challenge. Alec gives one reason and invites readers to find other reasons why open source is good for education. Off-hand I can't ... Open Source and Education

Over at Couros Blog, Alec asks a very good question – Why is open source important for education? Actually it is also a challenge. Alec gives one reason and invites readers to find other reasons why open source is good for education. Off-hand I can’t …

]]> By: dave http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/321/comment-page-1#comment-227 dave Sat, 02 Jul 2005 11:18:23 +0000 http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/321#comment-227 Open Source software is a true meritocracy that enables students to make a meaningful contribution to the world, either through the curriculum or their own private endevour. Notable examples of this are: Aaron Swartz, whose bio is here: http://www.aaronsw.com/ Blake Ross, who has a short wikipedia entry here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Ross But almost every OSS project has teenagers (usually recognizable through their enthusiasm though their actual physical age is seldom, if ever, made explicit) filing bugs, making suggestions, writing documentation and learning about the process of software development in order to take greater responsibility in the future. Making a difference to the world has got to be a lot more motivating than re-inventing a slightly square wheel purely to get a grade. Open Source software is a true meritocracy that enables students to make a meaningful contribution to the world, either through the curriculum or their own private endevour.

Notable examples of this are:

Aaron Swartz, whose bio is here: http://www.aaronsw.com/

Blake Ross, who has a short wikipedia entry here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Ross

But almost every OSS project has teenagers (usually recognizable through their enthusiasm though their actual physical age is seldom, if ever, made explicit) filing bugs, making suggestions, writing documentation and learning about the process of software development in order to take greater responsibility in the future.

Making a difference to the world has got to be a lot more motivating than re-inventing a slightly square wheel purely to get a grade.

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