Free Software at Scale - Learning Transformation Powered by Open Source

Rolling out 1:1 classroom technology is at once exciting and daunting for most educators. With so many moving parts, decision makers often make choices based on expediency and the needs of the adults, leading them down a path of limited-capacity consumerist options rather than flexible, open, robust and accessible solutions. Over the long term, these decisions have a direct impact on depth and transparency of use, as well as overall culture in the classroom.

In this talk we'll think about what it takes to make learning irresistible in the classroom. We'll start with the "why", discussing the elements of purpose and impact. Then we'll step into the environment, discussing what we want learning to look like and the sort of activities we want our students to engage in. and lastly we will discuss agency and the power of offering students complete autonomy and choice using the broad array of resources and tools provided by free software on open hardware.

Throughout, we'll look at the impact of a student-centered, open source philosophy toward learning, with plenty of examples of students taking the lead - from student driven software and support teams, to deep coding and robotics programs, to broad, student-led, entrepreneurial programs designed to make a difference within the community, nation, and world.