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List:       suse-linux-uk-schools
Subject:    [suse-linux-uk-schools] reply from edexcel uk
From:       ian <ian.lynch2 () ntlworld ! com>
Date:       2003-10-30 10:34:16
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On Thu, 2003-10-30 at 09:05, ICT Support Officer wrote:

> Education authorities are also to blame as I believe they probably
receive a
> slice of profits from industry by pushing commercial software into
schools.

I don't think that there is any particular evidence for this. Its more
likely that they just take the line of least resistance. Its not their
money so why cause themselves hassle? Why should they learn new things?
(Obviously lifelong learning is for other people) Its incompetence more
than conspiracy.

> There is so much free and fully functional software out there for
education.

Yes but marketing is a key part of getting any product to the customer
otherwise companies wouldn't spend masses of money on it. FLOSS has
cracked the technical development side of things to a much greater
degree than it has marketing. 

> I must repeat, I am so saddened to see so much money from schools
being
> "wasted".

So what do we do about it? Better to put the time into constructive
action than just worrying about it. Here are a few suggestions.

Join the AFFS (Association for Free Software)
Come to the FLOSSIE conference in February and get as many others to as
possible.
Join the OpenOffice.org education project
Make sure you buy as much equipment as possible from companies that also
support non-Microsoft solutions in schools
Educate the kids about FLOSS so they become better informed
Run an after school IT club that supports a FLOSS project or producing
FLOSS teacing resources.
Use theINGOTs.org assessment for certificating pupils
Get pupils involved in theINGOTs.org competitions
Contribute some basic teaching materials in free formats to Schoolforge

Remember - Give a brick, get a house. All we need is every teacher who
thinks like you do to get a dozen pupils to produce some a few
resources.

-- 
ian <ian.lynch2@ntlworld.com>


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