Talk:University program

Formalization

Notes from 6-9-08 discussion on formalization of chapter interaction with/recognition by OLPC
(sorry about the messy structure/ poor aesthetics)

Chapter System

• network
• structure/founding docs
• services to community
  • support and repair
  • events/Jams
  • speaking at events
  • XO pool/labs for projects

Related things to consider:

• name/logo use and agreements with OLPC
  • Banners
  • swag

Specific groups

• university chapter
  • teacher support
  • club formation/network
• interest groups
  • when you don't need a chapter
  • how to communicate, publish

Network/blogs/couch exchange

Why form a chapter?

• distribute swag
• maintain/setup an XO lab
  • talk requests
  • press requests
  • fundraising
• improve advocacy and coordination

chapter expectations

• coordinators for ?
• local services

Points of interest

• definition of Chapter
  • universities are 'part' of a chapter
  • too much student flux to really fall under a "chapter" (discuss!)
  • assume chapter as a longer standing entity
• why did people get involved?
  • love the idea
  • students --> software development --> education in the States

Potential Output

• certification/blessing system for chapters?
• Documentation
  • what does a founding doc look like?
    • (other point of discussion) put in courses - relevant to python, pygame, hardware (more university related)
  • how do you announce your existence?
    • explain what you have to offer
  • why form a chapter?
  • chapter system/how to
• maybe set up a recommended structure university/interest group pages - more accessibility to information (on projects, on contact people, etc)

Andrea 16:16, 8 June 2008 (EDT)

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• This should be sent out to the international free culture lists, and directly to fc chapters. Sj talk 20:39, 25 July 2007 (EDT)
• We need to solidify the actual program proposal - let's have a series of brainstorming and design sessions, with an aim to launch the actual chatpers in mid or late September. I'll poke out to the Free Culture lists while we're in Taipei... maybe we can get the university students at the event to help us brainstorm on this. Mchua 22:54, 27 July 2007 (EDT)
• We also need a stage at which we begin looking at official and formal involvement of the University. Faculty and Staff are generally interested in things which have a formal structure. Things such as course plan suggestions for using the OLPC as a target development platform in engineering and computer science courses, and mechanisms for securing an "OLPC Lab", that is, sufficient hardware for testing (Universities are likely willing to pay for the lab given the low cost). We have contacts with top Universities in developed nations that can provide tremendous resources if we can give them a set of guide-posts on how to help. Universities are looking for relevance in their research, and we have a heap of relevance to offer. We need things such as "what do we need" documents so that professors can look at meeting needs from their class. We need backing materials (course outlines, texts, reference documentation) that can be taught from. We need support mechanisms that we can offer to professors so they aren't left hanging if they encounter deployment/teaching issues. To given an idea, assume that you have a university with tens of thousands and students and hundreds upon hundreds of computer science and engineering students, along with a large educational faculty. We want to be able to entice these Universities to see OLPC as a good "theme" for whole sets of official courses, from simple undergraduate projects through applying post-graduate research solutions. User:Mcfletch 2008-08-31

Ideas

Expand beyond universities - high schools, elementary schools, etc. might want to help

They could always be part of the chapter by their local college - great mentorship opportunity for the college students.

There is significant interest in high schools having endemic chapters. We just started the first; at the K12 Open Minds Conference, we talked with at least one other high school that would be interested in such a thing. Merely stapling K12s to a university won't necessarily work. Moreover, I think there is benefit in regional coalitions -- I am looking at NIU, NU, and IMSA having a "Northern Illinois Meta-Jam" at some point in the spring. In this way, there is the kind of mentoring afforded by the "part of the local college" idea, yet allowing the students to lasso and run with their own creativity and organizational power. ScottSwanson 11:54, 12 October 2007 (EDT)

Raw notes to port

in terms of getting started, definitely (1) figure out what you want to do - different schools focus on different kinds of projects, some do outreach, some try to run local pilots

and then (2) make yourselves a wiki page, and add to the list of University chapters

get everyone on the wiki and familiar with it, IRC, the usual "here's how you can find info to figure things out for yourself" stuff

Hold a kickoff session; introduce the project to everyone, get into interest/project groups, set goals for the term (and post these all up to the wiki, and then send them to the grassroots list)

then start off with projects. an intensive weekend of Making Things usually gets enough momentum built up. Also make sure you have some "deadline" for showing off your stuff - organize a local meetup (w/ people from outside your uni) in the city midway through term, for example

can you gather interest and "unofficially" get people used to the wiki/mailing lists/info channels? try to grab some fellow classmates into OLPC projects in general, so the load doesn't fall fully on you for coordination when the chapter does start up. basically groom 3-4 other people for leadership roles in this chapter during the 6-8 week window. and make sure they're not

How much interest do you reckon there will be - lots of people, small but active group, large but only-pops-in-occasionally network?

while talking to profs also see if they can allow students to work on OLPC things for class assignments

it's looking like a core of dedicated people, with a large occasionally-invested transient body

or independent research studies, or get community service credit, or otherwise "make this count."

yeah, the usual situation is core + pool-of-interesteds.

an indirect way to get it started in the meantime is help another nearby school fire up, they'll help yours get started later. also, allies are good.

Uni program needs

• A miniconf (1 day?) for university groups at 1cc and locations across the country (Google? virtual? mid-feb?)
• Example university groups to contact and learn from
• Documentation and templates
• Ways to get equipment (a 3-XO lab? Developers program tag for university submissions?)