Ontario Linux fest Talk - Being Present - a Beginners Guide to FLOSS Outreach in Education.

[Karlie Robinson]

Here's what I've submitted as a potential presentation at Ontario Linux Fest - http://onlinux.ca/

Abstract - While somethings require luck and timing, nothing happens unless we make an effort to be present when people are gathering.

In this presentation we'll cover techniques you can use while we discuss actual events. Answering the question... How did one seemingly random meeting result in Rochester Institute of Technology students being some of the first to receive FOSS development course work as part of their formal education?

BIO - Karlie Robinson is a professional busy-body who funds her passion for all things open source through On-Disk.com.  She is the lead architect for many successful programs, including; the On-Disk.com Developers Portal and the Fedora Sponsored Media Project. 

When she's not diving into Open Source development projects or taking care of business as the owner of Webpath Technologies, Karlie can be found at SCORE Rochester counseling small business start ups.

[Stephen jacobs]

Actually, the FOSS coursework and class was a given and on the books
to be offered before we met. The description below reads more as if
the course was created spurred by our meeting, which isn't quite the
case.

One of my goals in starting an OLPC user's group was to have a
resource to work with from outside of the class. The seemingly random
meeting resulted in your suggestion to have the deliverables of the
course align with the Math4 goals and the resulting donation of the
laptops, which was a win-win for all involved and for which I am
grateful

[Karlie Robinson]

I can change it. 

I was asked to present something and the education stuff was suggested, but I can easily change my presentation to cover something other than the class. 

~Karlie

[Stephen jacobs]

No worries. Don't need you to change the topic, it's a good one :-)
Just try something like this one line edit instead...

"How did one seemingly random meeting result in a full class of RIT
students being some of the first supporters of the Sugar Labs MATH4
FOSS project ?"

I want you to bang the drum as loudly and as often as you can about
what we're accomplishing here, its great. Just run stuff by me before
you do so we're on the same page.

[Karlie Robinson]

No, really, I think I'd rather do something else. 

I don't have time to get everything sorted out so that we're all on the same page.  Obviously, my side of the story won't be sufficient so it's better for me to simply withdraw this proposal and talk about something we're doing at On-Disk.com. 

As I recall, the class was put off indefinitely because there were no deliverables and there was a lack of equipment. 

The XOs were donated to RIT through the Fedora Project by way of OLPC.  Sugarlabs was involved at the beginning only because Greg's outline was posted to the SL.o Wiki. 

Yes it morphed into a SugarLabs project, but to come right out and say that this came about as a SL.o project is misleading and would water down my message of how someone can keep their ear to the ground and assist when good ideas need just a little coordination to get rolling. 

~Karlie

[Stephen jacobs]

> As I recall, the class was put off indefinitely because there were no deliverables and there was a lack of equipment.

Course was going to run either way.

Your suggesting and facilitating the link to Math 4 provided the things...

1. A focus for the deliverables. Before meeting you, the deliverables
were wide open, based on student interest. By connecting us with Math
4 you helped provide a greater focus for the course. Students could
still have wide flexibility in implementation platform (Python, eToys,
Scratch, Squeak, etc) and choice of deliverable (game, drill ware,
etc) but they would be centered around 4th grade Math. This was
incredibly useful

2. Your efforts allowed us to dodge the whole lab security/lab manager
issues which was great, and allowed us to loan each student a machine
to develop natively on if they chose rather than having to pass around
my three machines from group to group. Also incredibly helpful.

As far as the evolution of the project outside of RIT, you know better
than I and I stand corrected. The goal of my suggested edit was only
to clear up the impression that the course did not exist, or would not
have run, had we not met.

Your side of the story, should make for an excellent presentation.
Your and Fred's presence and participation in the classroom, in IRC,
in pointing me to Mel, who I was then able to bring in as a speaker,
etc all made significant contributions to an incredibly successful
effort with long reaching consequences in and outside of RIT. It
should be told

The presentation It is not one that needs to be co-created or
co-edited. It should just be accurate on the circumstances around the
RIT side as you will make it on your side; as your corrections to me
indicated it needs to be.