21:14:31 <heidie> #startmeeting
21:14:32 <zodbot> Meeting started Wed Feb 29 21:14:31 2012 UTC.  The chair is heidie. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot.
21:14:32 <zodbot> Useful Commands: #action #agreed #halp #info #idea #link #topic.
21:14:55 <heidie> #topic Diversity of Ways to Contribute to FOSS
21:15:02 <heidie> Mixed levels
21:15:32 <heidie> Need to find activities that go beyond coiding.
21:15:41 <heidie> These can be CS-related, but non-coding
21:16:02 <heidie> Could also be not necessarily contributing toa specific project
21:16:38 <heidie> Introduce open practices in a class
21:17:25 <heidie> FOSS tools for research
21:18:03 <heidie> Mihaela: Would be good to have a list of FOSS projects that relate to other disciplines
21:18:16 <heidie> Greg: List exists for Humanitarian FOSS projects.
21:19:43 <heidie> Mihaela: Is there a minimum contribution level?
21:19:55 <heidie> If you have this situation on a project, how do you handle this?
21:20:10 <heidie> Greg: This is an issue in any project course
21:21:21 <heidie> Greg: ABET accreditation can drive activity selection
21:23:05 <heidie> Mihaela: How can we take advantage of FOSS to address slackers and diverse audience?
21:23:31 <heidie> Mel: Does FOSS make dealing with slackers more difficult or easier/
21:23:33 <heidie> ?>
21:24:21 <heidie> Greg: In theory, FOSS projects are more transparent and make student efforts more visible.
21:24:54 <heidie> OK, we got sidetracked into assessment.
21:25:28 <heidie> Mel: I'm trying to figure out what open source practice is.
21:26:13 <heidie> Mel: Radically cross-functional collaboratively constructed realtime transparency.
21:26:50 <heidie> Mel: Cross-functional meaning that all aspects are transparent including finances, testing, marketing, design, etc.
21:34:21 <heidie> Kristina: Using Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) in her natural language processing course.
21:34:49 <heidie> Kristina: She is looking for FOSS activities that could be used with students who only have CS1 as backgroung.
21:35:10 <heidie> Perhaps documentation, teaching materials, design.
21:35:31 <heidie> Mel: Possibly use paper prototyping sessions.
21:35:44 <heidie> Let newer people add functionality using paper models.
21:36:07 <heidie> Kristina: NLTK is a library, no GUI.
21:38:38 <heidie> Mihaela: What are the most foundational activities that we consider core to all courses based on FOSS?
21:38:45 <heidie> Mel: Depends on the kind of course.
21:39:42 <heidie> Mel: Some skills that are foundational if you want to be a technical contributor to a FOSS project.
21:40:42 <heidie> Karl: Students need to learn conventions of open source. (Culture)
21:41:03 <heidie> Karl: The outcomes of the course will define what needs to be understood by students.
21:41:45 <heidie> Mel: I f you could only teach one thing about FOSS, what would it be?
21:42:33 <heidie> Michelle: There will be a period of being lost.
21:42:44 <heidie> Michelle: Need to handle some ambiguity.
21:43:01 <heidie> Mihaela: Default to open.
21:43:48 <heidie> Spirit of contribution, giving back
21:44:13 <heidie> Greg: Become a life-long learner (or find another career).
21:44:41 <heidie> Mel: Think out loud.
21:45:17 <heidie> Karl: You get a much bigger whole by having more minds contributing.
21:45:55 <heidie> Karl: You can't be open source by yourself. You are one of many.
21:46:45 <heidie> #endmeeting