[ubuntu-uk] ubunto in college, was Re: Women, LinuxWorld, Stuff

[Nik Butler]

Tony Arnold wrote:
>
>> should learn what is out there in industry, which is a valid point,
>> but the value of open source is just as important.
>>     
>
> The problem with this argument, is that the world stays with M$ forever 
>   

Actually I was sitting there and thinking about that as well.

See all you have to do is ask the question :

"In other subjects are children taught with the same principal ?"

If they are then there is no real need to teach anything more than 
completing forms, calculating mortgages and adding up columns in a 
spreadsheet.

Its weird but no one seems to realise that Computers in schools are less 
than 20 yrs old in effect ( dont quote me .. im talking about careers ) 
. So if kids should learn about computers based on whats used in 
industry should they not also be learning about Maths and English and 
Languages in the same way  ? Or are we picking different methods for 
focussing on education depending on the investment stream ?

I dont feel its enough to simply accept this as "rote" much like Tony 
has commented.

Surely we are here to educate  and enhance the  understanding of people 
who untill  now are unaware of the community.  Since Ubuntu is about 
community and embracing it seems something that we should be teaching. 
Politicians seem keen to focus on civic responsibilities so lets help 
them to understand why our children need freedoms to learn and gain 
knowledge at school. I wish only that we could stop posting about why 
things are not possible. Or why things x and y need to be solved before 
we address issue Z. Why dont we just keep trying, why dont we keep 
asking questions and lets keep up the education so that when my Daughter 
gets into school  the tools she can use are as free as the pens, pencils 
and paper she will take with her .


Nik