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Re: [LUG] GNU/Linux in schools

 

Neil Williams wrote:
> On 16/10/06 23:28:08, Eion MacDonald wrote:
>> Dear Folks, 20061016
>
> (Welcome to the list, BTW)
>
>> One major problem if trained only in MS office/Windows, is total
>> inability to work with major organisations who use other software as
>> the backbone of all systems,e.g.SAP
>> I work in office of a 46,000 odd desktop worldwide company and all
>> info is done through SAP.
>>
>> Schools training in "IT" is abysmal.
>> We mainly have to tell newcomers how to forget their school training,
>> do it our way
>
> Reminds me of previous discussions on how IT should be taught using 
> the Universal Computer - not the computer that happens to be on the 
> desk today. The little 'experience' I had of computers at school was 
> looking
> at the back of a Commodore Pet from a distance of about 20 feet (no 
> pupils were allowed in the same room as 'it'), a BBC micro (excellent 
> machine) that my mother obtained on loan as a teacher and the wonders 
> of a ZX81. Variety, that's part of the answer.
> :-)
>
I try to show my kids what things were like when I was their age.  Hence 
having a Commodore VIC20 and Acorn Electron sitting upstairs.  My 
fiance's third eldest daughter was interested in the Electron and typing 
Basic programs in.

When I started secondary school (Teignmouth Community College) in 1989 
they had a few BBC Micro machines and a suite of 16 RM Nimbus PC's (with 
186 CPU's and about 1MB ram).  We were taught Word Processing (RSA 
training material) using Microsoft Word for DOS although it seemed to be 
some sort of specific RM version for the Nimbus machines.  We also 
learned a bit on how to use WordWise on the BBC's too.  Anything we 
learned (i.e. the principals of using a Word Processor - document 
editing, printing, saving, loading, cut/copy/paste etc) could and was 
used on a variety of applications.  My personal favorite package was 
Microsoft Works for DOS back then.

It was only about 1993/94 when I started using Word for Windows (Word 6 
and later on Word 95).  I think before then businesses used a variety of 
packages such as Wordstar, Wordperfect 5.1 (wasn't this the standard?) 
and Lotus 1-2-3.  Now it seems that every business I come across use 
Windows & Office.

> I despair when I hear of IT being taught as "how to use Excel" not 
> "how to use a spreadsheet".
>
I was going to say the ECDL is typical of this until I read ths page: 
http://www.ecdl.com/products/index.jsp?b=0-102&pID=109&nID=123

It would be interesting to see if one of these training establishments 
could train someone up for the ECDL using OpenOffice?  Technically the 
ECDL is a cross-application training course.

Rob


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