FLOSS/FLOSS and education

This writing started with a question about how it might be possible to effectively provide support for open source technologies in Australian schools. The writing pans back from that specific question and looks at the structures of schooling and open source technologies and what possibilities we have in meshing them.

Flexible tools
It is very possible to use open source technology as a tool in a traditional industrial context, and to provide technical support for it in a centralised and broadcast kind of way. In this kind of approach the technology might be considered a tool which is readily available and other aspects of technology use would be consistent with other kinds of tools.

Say Libre on wikieducatorFor a comprehensive explanation of FLOSS Free Libre Open Source Software

Flexible tools and learning objects
It is also possible for open source technology to 'teach us twice' Hall because students can learn about how things work. This makes the tool more participative or transparent. The tools can be customised by schools or by students. This kind of participation offers room for schools teachers and students to understand how the tools work and to change them suit their own needs.

Australian schools and FLOSS Challenges and opportunities

Schools and FLOSS Examples of schools and working with FLOSS (Free libre open source software):
 * include pedagogy and examples of free software in use in schools.
 * include support models and examples of software support in schools.

Flexible tools, learning objects and community collaboration
There is also another level of learning which involves participation in the wider open source community. For this to happen it is useful to actually examine the ways that open technologies and communities work and to look at the aspects of the education and schooling sectors which are also looking for ways to express this kind of distributed participative learning. The skills developed in participative practice are not specifically technical skills but are more directly related to techniques for developing personal agency, skills in contributing to community practice and for negotiating in a free society.

Education and collaboration Discussion paper regarding models for education policy
 * Workshop for Australian education policy