[Edu-sig] Python in education - looking forward

[Vern Ceder]

Hi everyone,

As Kirby mentioned a couple of days ago (sorry about the late 
follow-up), he and I have been kicking around some ideas with Steve 
Holden. In his PyCon talk as the head of the PSF, Steve mentioned that 
he felt outreach to the education community was key for Python's 
long-term development, and he is willing put the support of the PSF 
(monetary and otherwise) behind the idea.

So this past week we talked over the need to carry forward the momentum 
we always feel after meeting at PyCon, as well as the need to break down 
the isolation that some of feel, and include those who can't make it to 
PyCon.

Steve's idea was to have a poster session at PyCon to spotlight Python 
in Education over the previous year, and I agreed to do what I could to 
move this forward. As we thought about it, we saw it being a display 
area at PyCon where we could share success stories, whether they were 
posters, slide shows, software demos, whatever. Submissions would be 
invited (and welcomed) whether the submitter could actually attend PyCon 
or not.

To my mind this has several benefits: first, all of us can keep this 
venue in the back of our minds as we go about what we do, and save the 
best bits for sharing with the whole Python community; secondly, having 
those success stories and projects before the whole community would 
raise the profile of education and probably gain us not only support, 
but helpers with good ideas; finally, the dialog that emerges could help 
guide the PSF as it considers supporting and encouraging projects 
relating to education.

We might also submit a "The Year in Python Education" summary talk for 
presentation in the regular PyCon program as a way to tie things 
together, in addition to encouraging PyCon talks and lightning talks.

So if you've made it this far (sorry for the length of this) I'd be 
interested any reactions before I start pestering the python-org list 
about it.

Any thoughts? Any support? Any questions? Any objections?

Cheers,
Vern

-- 
This time for sure!
    -Bullwinkle J. Moose
-----------------------------
Vern Ceder, Director of Technology
Canterbury School, 3210 Smith Road, Ft Wayne, IN 46804
vceder at canterburyschool.org; 260-436-0746; FAX: 260-436-5137