Some thoughts about using the StarOffice and OpenOffice.org software at schools and universities.
Many students and teachers already use OOo for reports, calculations, presentations, with or without additional extensions.
Some education related extensions on the extensions.services.openoffice.org web site:
- Writer's Tools with Q and A game,
- OpenCards extension creates a flashcard learning interface from any presentation file.
Parents are not required to buy any office
suites for their kids at school. OOo is free software. StarOffice is
free for educational use (see links below). Both software suites can
open and save in Microsoft Office 97/2000 formats, if any school
policy should require files in that old proprietary format. Both
software suites use the ODF format, an open standard that allows
free and open access to the documents without any dependency on any
commercial company.
What students can do to improve the OOo software: Develop templates and
sample documents, graphics for the Gallery, tutorials, extensions.
There is much more to this that can be done in an educational environment. The OOo community is a wide and open continent full of adventures and chances. The OOo community can offer a range of learning opportunities to groups of students with their teachers. And students can earn merits when they actively can help to improve the software, or when they give their feedback to the community.
Most projects are open for kids (if allowed by their parents), for example doing bug hunting parties, translation summer camps, software contests. Some meetings are in real world, some are virtual or by IRC or web based. See http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/tags/events where you can read this final comment:
All people involved did willingly share their experience with all others. So beside the "numbers", we "produced" knowledge and fun for all involved people.
Is there a better outcome of a team effort than "numbers, fun and valuable knowledge"? - I don’t think so.
All development, marketing, documentation, and translation/internationalization efforts for the OOo projects are published at places like openoffice.org, the wiki at wiki.services.openoffice.org, and the forum at user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/. This is a great chance for young persons to learn how such a big project is organized in a democratic way, and how to take an active role in this open and worldwide project. Every person, young or old, can find some place inside OOo where the contribution and dedication really counts. Every one can contribute work that will help improve the OOo project, and that will look good on the CV when that person later applies for a job in the industry.
More links:
Sun StarOffice in Education
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/edu/solutions/staroffice.html
Sun in the Education Environment
http://www.sun.com/solutions/landing/industry/education.xml
OOo Education Project
http://education.openoffice.org/
Wiki as a portal to work in the OOo Education project
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Education_Project