[NBLUG/talk] OpenOffice 1.1 ISO has arrived; time to gear up for the schools!

[Lincoln Peters]

This is a problem I experienced when explaining OpenOffice to some of the 
ROP teachers at Rancho Cotate, although one of them was quite interested 
because it could export to PDF.  Unfortunately, the problem seems to be that 
the way that they teach the classes is dependent on the software, and most 
students will enter a work force where Microsoft Office rules.  Of course, 
if they go to work somewhere that uses anything else, the skills they 
learned are useless.

I'm sure that they could instead teach the principles behind the 
application, so that students could leave that class with the ability to use 
*any* program of that type (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.).  However, 
most of the teachers would probably have to be re-trained.


On the other hand, I'm trying to spread the word in the local elementary and 
middle schools.  Perhaps if we can get OpenOffice into *their* hands (and 
especially the hands of their parents), the high schools (where almost all 
computer classes are taught) will soon see a new generation of students that 
enters high school already knowing OpenOffice.  The high schools would then 
be hard-pressed to resist switching at least partially (Besides, I don't 
think that Microsoft can hold its monopoly that much longer).


Have you talked about OpenOffice to any of the students in your high school? 
  I know that it the Cotati-Rohnert Park district, there is a significant 
population of Hispanic students who come from low-income families.  It gets 
more difficult every year for a student to survive without a computer, and a 
free copy of OpenOffice would easily knock $500 off the price of a computer. 
  What low-income family that needs a computer could refuse such an offer?






Lincoln




>From: Nat W <calvin166 at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: talk at nblug.org
>To: talk at nblug.org
>Subject: RE: [NBLUG/talk] OpenOffice 1.1 ISO has arrived; time to gear up 
>for the schools!
>Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 16:21:28 -0700 (PDT)
>
>I talked to the head of the computer department at my
>high school. The
>teacher said he would be willing to run it but most
>teachers are
>unwilling to switch. He also said that the district is
>pretty set on MS
>office. Ill keep trying but It doesn't sound like many
>people at my
>school want it.
>
>-Nat W.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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