[Edu-sig] Getting more involved with education and the PSF...

kirby urner kirby.urner at gmail.com
Fri May 23 22:26:00 CEST 2014 

Sounds good to me, as long as we're clear that "promoting Python in
education" is in no way limited to K-12.  I'm a full time teacher of Python
to adults and like to think edu-sig is the right venue for my kind of
chatter as well.  So far, I've felt that way.  K-12 is important and
welcome, but not the whole show.

Kirby



On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 9:08 AM, Jeff Elkner <jeff at elkner.net> wrote:

> What I'm hoping for is broader participation and on-going effort in
> promoting Python in education.  It makes sense to coordinate this
> effort with the PES, which could serve as a yearly gathering of folks
> who have been working together throughout the year.  This is a good
> time to do this, following Van Lindberg's announcement of the new,
> community PSF and the call for more folks to get involved in the
> community.
>
> I think we should do this through the edu-sig for the following reasons:
>
> 1. The edu-sig is the currently existing group within the official
> Python community whose focus is Python in education.
> 2. The goal of the PES is the same as the goal of the edu-sig - to
> support and promote Python's use in education.
>
> Thoughts?  If there is general agreement, I'd like to propose that we
> ask Chalmer to be the coordinator of the edu-sig for the next year and
> that he take the lead in organizing the PES as his main task.
>
> On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 11:27 AM, Naomi Ceder <naomi.ceder at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > As far as coordinating the PyCon Education Summit, I don't think there
> is a
> > strong precedent for any connection between Edu-Sig and running the
> summit.
> >
> > In general, PyCon people are just that - PyCon organizing spots aren't
> tied
> > officially to any other Python organizations.... they may well be on the
> > PSF, the board, etc... but they certainly don't have to be, other than
> Ewa,
> > who is officially board secretary and event coordinator. PyLadies events
> > might be an exception, but otherwise I'm not thinking of any.
> >
> > Since I initially pitched the first summit to Edu-Sig to less than
> lukewarm
> > support, I'm a little surprised now to hear the summit being proposed as
> the
> > official event of Edu-Sig... not that I'm against it, particularly, but
> I do
> > think committed individuals are often more effective at getting specific
> > things done. :-)
> >
> > Still if that's what you all want to do, and it can be a catalyst to
> > re-invigorate Edu-Sig and make it more representative of all kinds of
> Python
> > education, I certainly wouldn't object.
> >
> > So my short answer is, "there is no precedent, do what you think best."
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Naomi
> >
> >
> > On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 3:40 PM, Jeff Elkner <jeff at elkner.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> OK, I'm all set with the access I need to edit the edu-sig page.  I
> >> plan to spend at least part of my time on May 31st (National Day of
> >> Civic Hacking) working on the web site.
> >>
> >> The bottom of our web page currently says: "Send suggestions for
> >> changes to the edu-sig list.", which is a good way to handle
> >> suggestions.
> >>
> >> Looking over the SIG page here: https://www.python.org/community/sigs/,
> I
> >> read:
> >>
> >> * Each SIG has a charter, a coordinator, a mailing list, and a
> >> directory on the Python website.
> >> * SIG membership is informal, defined by subscription to the SIG's
> mailing
> >> list.
> >> * Anyone can join a SIG, and participate in the development
> >> discussions via the SIG's mailing list.
> >>
> >> I don't think we have a edu-sig coordinator at present.  Would this be
> >> something you would be interested in doing, Chalmer? Perhaps Naomi can
> >> shed some more light on the practice for the last two years since she
> >> started it, but it seems to me that a revived edu-sig would be the
> >> logical group to help coordinate the PES.
> >>
> >> At some point soon we should add edu-sig on the SIG page as one of the
> >> currently active SIGs.
> >>
> >> On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 11:18 AM, Chalmer Lowe <chalmer.lowe at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> > Jeff:
> >> >
> >> > Thanks for spinning up this conversation. Great stuff.
> >> >
> >> > My intent is to volunteer to chair the Python Education Summit (PES)
> >> > next
> >> > year (based on Naomi's comments regarding stepping down). I don't know
> >> > what
> >> > the formal process is to make that official... Naomi... can you shed
> >> > light
> >> > on that?
> >> >
> >> > As everyone prolly already knows, that is not a task that can be done
> >> > alone,
> >> > so there should be plenty of opportunities for others to get their
> hands
> >> > dirty. My guess/hope is that Jessica will want to help again this
> year.
> >> >
> >> > I captured a ton of notes and thoughts that I am putting to paper to
> >> > outline
> >> > 'the process' for next year's PES. Planned on putting that up on
> github
> >> > as
> >> > soon as I can. (I'm relocating right now, so free time is a luxury I
> >> > don't
> >> > have).
> >> >
> >> > Along with supporting the PES, I would love to support the types of
> >> > efforts
> >> > you are outlining here.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks again for firing up this conversation.
> >> >
> >> > chalmer
> >> >
> >> > Chalmer Lowe, MS
> >> >
> >> > http://projecteuler.net/profile/threelowelifes.png
> >> > Level 1
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 10:32 AM, Andre Roberge
> >> > <andre.roberge at gmail.com>
> >> > wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 11:16 AM, Jeff Elkner <jeff at elkner.net>
> wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Two questions:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> 1. Andre, what do I need to do to begin maintaining that page?
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> I have not maintained the page for quite a few years now.  I changed
> >> >> computer twice in the meantime.
> >> >>
> >> >> Here's what I remember that I had to do.
> >> >>
> >> >> 1. contact someone on the web support team  (pointing out, I think,
> to
> >> >> the
> >> >> relevant edu-sig discussion)
> >> >>
> >> >> I know you just asked about how to begin, but just in case you'd want
> >> >> to
> >> >> know, here were the next steps.
> >> >>
> >> >> 2. generate some ssh key (if I recall correctly) so that I would be
> >> >> allowed to commit changes
> >> >> 3. download the whole site (first time) or update it thereafter
> >> >> 4. (re)build it locally.
> >> >> 5. edit the relevant rst file
> >> >> 6. rebuild it    (repeat 5 and 6 as needed)
> >> >> 7. commit changes
> >> >> 8. repeat steps 3 to 6 as needed (based on suggestions/requests
> >> >> received)
> >> >>
> >> >> Now, it could well be that, with the redesign, the process is much
> >> >> easier
> >> >> and can be done online using a CMS.
> >> >>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> 2. Is there anyone in this thread not on edu-sig?  My next reply
> will
> >> >>> go only to the list.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 10:09 AM, Jessica Nickel
> >> >>> <jessanickel at gmail.com>
> >> >>> wrote:
> >> >>> > Sounds like a plan. I would be happy to talk with Selena about the
> >> >>> > work
> >> >>> > to
> >> >>> > bridge the gap between k-12 educators and Python programmers. I
> was
> >> >>> > a
> >> >>> > k-12
> >> >>> > teacher for 10 years (music) and I have been working in schools
> with
> >> >>> > my
> >> >>> > program to teach python coding to kids for the past year and a
> half,
> >> >>> > so
> >> >>> > I do
> >> >>> > have some experience in that area.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> > On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 10:02 AM, Jeff Elkner <jeff at elkner.net>
> >> >>> > wrote:
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> Great!  So it seems we have two short term goals:
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> 1. Get someone to agree to maintain the website (I'm volunteering
> >> >>> >> if
> >> >>> >> there isn't anyone else chomping at the bit to do it).
> >> >>> >> 2. Reach out to Selena Deckelman to help her with her efforts to
> >> >>> >> bridge the gap between developers and K-12 teachers (a noble goal
> >> >>> >> indeed!).
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> Do we agree that edu-sig is the sensible place to hold this
> >> >>> >> conversation?
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> If we do, can we ask Selena to join the list if she is not
> already
> >> >>> >> there?  I'll also encourage folks like Lee Harr (cc'd here), the
> >> >>> >> creator of the wonderful Pynguin environment
> >> >>> >> (https://code.google.com/p/pynguin/) to join the list and the
> >> >>> >> discussion.
> >> >>> >>
> >> >>> >> On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 8:01 AM, Naomi Ceder
> >> >>> >> <naomi.ceder at gmail.com>
> >> >>> >> wrote:
> >> >>> >> > One point of info I can add - the person you're thinking of
> >> >>> >> > running
> >> >>> >> > for
> >> >>> >> > PSF
> >> >>> >> > board is Selena Deckelman, who was on Nate's panel at the edu
> >> >>> >> > summit.
> >> >>> >> > She's
> >> >>> >> > been very into bridging the gap between developers and K-12
> >> >>> >> > teachers.
> >> >>> >> >
> >> >>> >> > Naomi
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> _______________________________________________
> >> >>> Edu-sig mailing list
> >> >>> Edu-sig at python.org
> >> >>> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Edu-sig mailing list
> >> Edu-sig at python.org
> >> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Naomi Ceder
> > https://plus.google.com/u/0/111396744045017339164/about
> _______________________________________________
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