Thoughts about FOSS/OSS in Middle School

by Barrie Carter

Blog Question: Would you support implementing FOSS/OSS in your work environment? In your post outline your environment and give some reasons why or why not based on what you have read and viewed in this presentation.

Hello Everyone:

After having read Module 6 and completed the ‘Open Source Technologies’ presentation, I would support implementing FOSS/OSS in my work environment.

I am a middle school teacher in the public education system. Here, I would want my colleagues, the school, and the students to use FOSS/OSS as an effective way of engaging in the teaching-learning process.

Also, because FOSS/OSS is gaining in use and in popularity, all three parties would be armed with knowledge, experience, and skill with FOSS/OSS, which would complement their knowledge, experience, and skill with PS.

Indeed, using both FOSS/OSS and PS would allow all three parties to decide respectively which they prefer, depending on the need.

Cheers,

Barrie

3 comments


1 James Richardson { 10.24.09 at 12:55 pm }

Based on the work of your group I feel I have a much better sense of the whole Open Source movement and its current context. In my faculty at UBC I could see using open source for sever level applications where our in house IT experts could tinker with the code if needed. For our general faculty users, most would currently prefer to use the paid software packages. If there was a Faculty CIO in place they could push the use of apps such as the Open Office software but there is no such leadership currently.


2 Barrie Carter { 10.24.09 at 8:07 pm }

Hello James:

Perhaps UBC and PS companies have a business agreement that does not welcome other software or other software vendors. Just a thought!

Cheers,

Barrie


3 Ernest Pao { 10.25.09 at 8:03 pm }

In the cash-strapped public school system, OSS are a reasonable alternative to PS. The major problem I see is that the level of support may be slim. But, then again, how much support is there even if a school was using PS? In my experience, support still comes from relying on tech-savvy colleagues or students. IT staff are stretched too thin to support everyday software-use problems. I can’t imagine that the school board’s model is to go to OSS and put more $$$ into IT support. Their model is to to move to OSS and cut $$$ in IT support. Just my guess.

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