Last semester at school, Ubuntu started to see its way onto the laptops of some students in my program. At that time, students started asking questions about Linux, questions came up about all the new applications that were available, and as the questions continued it became clear that Linux was starting to change the students’ attitudes and the way they thought about learning.
It’s easy enough to notice that even with the small adoption rate, that students realized the possibilities available with using Linux, which was more than they had while sticking to the standard program materials which included using VB.net and MS Access, as well as other proprietary programs. The growth that the few students who installed Ubuntu went through, to me was evidence of the change that free software can bring to the culture of learning.
Over the course of the semester, questions came up about what the differences were between using Microsoft software and their Linux equivalents, questions came up about differences between the applications, about how open source software fit into the industry, and the questions also asked if what we had been learning was really preparing us for our careers. These are the questions that should be present in the day to day life at university. What professors teach should not taken at their word, and students need to work at a conclusion themselves on what will prepare them for worthwhile careers. I think students need to start practicing intelligent criticism in all aspects of our program: in the lecture room, on assignments, at conferences, and most importantly between themselves as well as with faculty.
There are two reasons that I think make putting free software into the hands of students one of the best things for a school to do.
It gives them a form of unlimited education. With Linux at their finger tips, there’s no requirement on them to pay for $80 text books to learn topics there interested in, and students are free from day one to explore and experiment with their system, and to download and try the thousands of packages available to them. Using any Linux system may be more challenging to the new user than Windows ever will be, but I’ve seen that same challenge become a great learning experience for many people. The enthusiasm that comes with using Linux for the first time is a big motivator that enables students to explore a great new spectrum of possibilities and discover what they’re passionate about. The idea of unlimited education comes from the feeling of being more connected with the software you use when on Linux, thanks to any number of factors be it the customization options, the community around the software, or the freeness of it all. A preloaded laptop with Windows and with many pre-installed applications is still an empty shell of a learning tool that has limits what your able to do and your freedoms.
Questions get asked while using free software. Students are always the one who are asked questions, but rarely will the role switch from the student whose role is to memorize facts and processes, to the student who knows how to ask the right questions, and someone who can understand the impact and the interconnectedness of the events that make up their world. Proprietary products has had the tendency to tend to teach concepts from viewpoint of imaginary companies, fake problems, and simplified solutions. Linux and the open source environment almost necessitates that user goals become tied to the real world. This may be the case of course because still at this time most Linux users are by definition more aware of the political, cultural and economic impact free software has. Tying user goals to the real world would mean that the goals of the user becomes learning skills or concepts that are employable, and where effort is put into being productive, either to fulfill a job role or for self improvement.
The beautiful thing is that Linux moves the user to think about the real world in a very friendly and community driven way. It’s done by being able to see the people behind the software you use thanks to having “planet” sites such as Planet KDE (as well as the vast network of sites it connects to), and being able to talk with developers and other users through IRC. These are two ways of being able to find out the goals of the people behind the software you use, seeing the road map that software project is going to follow, what its philosophies are, and understanding what real world problems the software is trying to solve.
I’m hoping to see even more growth of students being introduced to and experimenting with Linux on the desktop next year (Compiz on a laptop seems to have magical powers). My hope is that free software will continue to develop a new culture with a community based around the sharing of knowledge, where students develop skills that they haven’t had the opportunity to before, and one where students are encouraged into participating in the free software community.
It’s passion which creates the educational culture that I want to see, the educational culture where education is in the hands of motivated students, and where the goal becomes thinking critically. Free software is at the roots of this culture, and it’s the perfect tool to uncovering that passion.
