[Edu-sig] A Call to Arms - Advocating Python in Education

[Paul D. Fernhout]

Don't forget unschoolers and home schoolers. :-)
   http://www.unschooling.com/
   http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/
Plus free schoolers and other alternative schoolers:
   http://www.educationrevolution.org/

The needs here are often very different than conventional compulsory K-12 
education -- they are generally more open ended and free form.

Such students number about two million strong in the USA and growing, and 
include many parents and kids with free time to contribute as part of an 
educational experience (including potentially to free software development).

So I'd suggest considering having an Unschooling / Home Schooling Advocacy 
Kit, too. :-)

--Paul Fernhout

Jeff Rush wrote:
> Greetings.  I've just joined this list, to check out what is needed to support 
> Python in the education community.  I'm the Python Advocacy Coordinator that 
> the PSF has hired to help out.
> 
> My main jumping off point for advocacy topics is at:
> 
>    http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy
> 
> One of the items I'm hoping to get input about is the contents of three 
> advocacy kits I'm getting together:
> 
>    - College Student's Python Advocacy Kit
>    - University Educator's Python Advocacy Kit
>    - K-12 Educator's Python Advocacy Kit
> 
> Details at:
>    http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy#AdvocacyKits
> 
> I'm drumming up a series of whitepapers, flyers, videos and podcasts to put 
> into those kits.  Not being an educator myself, I need ideas on what is needed.
> 
> The actual individual items are being solicited at:
> 
>    http://wiki.python.org/moin/AdvocacyWritingTasks
>    http://wiki.python.org/moin/ArticleIdeas.
> 
> Next, we are seeking reusable/retargetable teaching materials, such as those 
> under a Creative Commons license.  We need slide presentations and class 
> handouts.  Now I know there are a great many slide presentations on the web 
> about Python.  I can google them all but we're not looking for just any 
> presentation, we're looking for the best of field.  We're collecting links and 
> ideas at:
> 
>    http://wiki.python.org/moin/Advocacy#TeachingMaterials
> 
> I know some of this already exists in the education community and I just need 
> some nudges to come up to speed on what is available for me to make use of. 
> Also permissions for reuse and reformatting, in some cases.
> 
> Thanks for any assistance you have time to provide,
> 
> Jeff Rush <advocate at python.org>
> Python Advocacy Coordinator
> 
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