[Fsf-friends] FOO_BAR ?

[Ramanraj K]

V. Sasi Kumar wrote:
 >
 >
 > IT@School does not seem to have the curriculum at their website. I can
 > see if I can get a hard copy which I can mail to you.
 > http://www.education.kerala.gov.in/itschool/
 >
 > Wish you all success in Chennai.
 >

Thanks :)

Many of the ILUGC members including Suraj, Raman, Thiagarajan and
Bharathi had the DEMO@Schools project to introduce free software in
schools; and now that we have CS_SYLLABUS@Schools, we may only have to
suggest changes to the proposed syllabus.

The major problem with most syllabuses is use of brand names, as
prominent lesson headings attempting to teach computing principles and
techniques in an unscientific, unethical and misleading way.

Using "Microsoft Access" as heading for lessons on databases is very
misleading and wrong, particularly when many database concepts were
developed by Universities, in a scientific manner, based on set theory
taught under mathematics. Framing an appropriate curriculum for Computer
Science should be fairly easy with online resources.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science may be a good starting
point. If children were taught about the properties of FOO_BAR Magnets,
then, most children would wrongly associate the general properties of
magnets with the commercial brand FOO_BAR.  It is a little amusing that
we have to request school authorities to teach Computer Science as a
SCIENCE.  I sincerely hope the anamalous situation is not as bad as the
example FOO_BAR. [http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3092.html - thanks to Arky
who pointed to the rfc on another occasion] :)

Dr. Nagarjuna wrote:
  >Particularly the verse by Tagore can be inscribed on our website.  It
  >applies so well to the ideals we are striving to achieve.

Please.  Bringing in changes to the syllabus may be the shortest and
easiest way to achieve the laudable objectives of the FSF-I.

Warm Regards,
Ramanraj.