Modify Colors
Posts in education
A recent CNet article expresses the view that Linux adoption is most likely to come through the younger generation. Those who have already learned how to use a computer are far less likely to experiment with something new than those who are too young to have learned about computers yet.
I completely agree that Linux has the best chance in the hands of children, especially since similar techniques have worked for Apple. I do not, however, think this will necessarily come as a result of netbooks, as many have suggested. Sure, netbooks are great comptuers for kids (cheap, small, light, etc.), but that doesn’t mean every kid has one. The real target should be elementary and high schools’ computers. Here nearly every kid uses a computer at least occasionally. Plus, there is usually instruction if the kid does get stuck with something.
Through whatever machine it may come, Linux has the best chance if it is presented to children who are generally more adverturesome and more open-minded.
Realistically Allowing for Numerous Software Preferences in Education
I consider the vast majority of people’s personal random complaints about Linux to be absolutely irrelevant. I really don’t care if one random person wants Linux to work like Windows in a particular way. The recent stories floating around are no exception, either. So far I have seen many, many people taken in by the idea that these stories about someone not understanding Linux actually mean something. They don’t. If you give enough people something other than what they have used their whole life, some of them will not get it. That’s just the way it works.
There does seem to be one interesting story coming out of all this, though. An OSNews article argues that universities should be far more willing to support whatever software the user chooses, rather than requiring a particular piece of software. I can’t say I fully agree, but I think the article is on the right track.
Realistically, asking universities to actually support whatever software their students choose to use is probably too much of a burden on the school. I don’t think that schools should have to provide this amount of support. Rather, I would only say they really need to provide direct support to those who use whatever software the university recommends. The university should, however, always choose formats that are well supported across many different operating systems and pieces of software.
If a student chooses to use software that is outside of the recommended software, the university would have to provide little, if any support, in fixing their problems. They would not, however, discourage the student from using their software of choice and they should try to be helpful in referring students having trouble with non-standard software to other students successfully using the same software.
In this way, students would not be prevented or discouraged from using non-standard software if it is what they prefer. At the same time, though, this approach would not unnessessarily burden the school.