Hacking Education: The Free Software Movement and the Educational Process

Education or the educational process is the process by which the socialization and endoculturation of people is carried out to favor in them the development of their physical and intellectual capacities, abilities, skills, and forms of social, political, economic and even religious behavior, among many other facets of human life.

And the Free Software Movement has or can have a great role on Education and in the changes of current educational paradigms if the conditions are promoted by the Society and are supported by the States / Governments interested in more free, open, cooperative and responsible Societies.

INTRODUCTION

The abrupt appearance of Information and Communication Technologies, especially the so-called “Internet” and the one more currently known as the “Internet of things”, has been impacting the educational process in recent decades, or learning and even self-learning, of the individuals that make up contemporary societies, in a broad way but with a radical, effective and innovative effect, as few times before in history.

As once happened with the appearance of the Press, and perhaps the Radio or the TV, giving rise to citizens, movements of citizens who wish, favor or change by themselves, the paradigms of current models for new and innovative models of knowledge, training, learning, creation and sharing under the philosophy of the concept of "Free, Open and Accessible".

CURRENT PANORAMA

Today not only education or the educational process has been deeply impacted by the rise of new technologies, but also the productive and financial economy, politics and even religion (although at a lower rate), but in the specific issue that concerns us, that is, education, in its three facets (production, consumption and distribution), the impact has played a fundamental role in the evolution towards a more personal and personalized model, immersed in greater efficiency and effectiveness, for the benefit of the actors involved.

Therefore, the current technological revolution generates this current educational revolution, within a changing information society, which seeks to focus the production and training of individuals (citizens) through technological and sociocultural changes that give rise to a new society, a Knowledge Society, but not focused on competition or profit, but on sharing and development mutual for the benefit of all.

Towards the construction of this new educational, participatory, open, free and massive model is where we need the creation of a new conception of University, a University 3.0, that under the baton of the State / Nation / Government but at the hands of the same citizens or citizen movements, who already have a path built in favor of free, open and accessible knowledge.

Like the Free Software Movement, which in turn groups or is grouped together with movements such as Free Hardware, Cryptocurrencies, and Bloggers (Writers / Authors) of content on Education, Science and Technology in general, come true.

PROPOSAL

How could this University 3.0 be materialized that takes education to a new level, with a new vision, worthy of our current children and adolescents, future professionals who are so much needed in any developing society, who are already the resulting product of this current knowledge society?

In order to ensure that our children, those children of this new digital era, who with the current educational model of the current system get bored and drop out, many times to stop studying due to lack of support or direction or to self-train without the proper certifications or official accreditations, continue on the path of formal education under new attractive schemes.

Many current citizens, professionals or not, see current education or the current educational process, as obsolete, and with the same old purpose of "Do not liberate, but indoctrinate", which is often interpreted as a constant regression.

A new model of education based on free, open and accessible knowledge must overcome the current distance model that often does not end up separating itself from erroneous patterns currently committed for example: "I will send you a summary of the class that we will never see in the mail, analyze it and answer the questions, and bring a" COMPLETE "written work on the subject previously summarized by me".

A new model of education based on free, open and accessible knowledge based on the creation of a distance or virtual university must create the necessary conditions for participation and involvement. Such conditions where students can even create free, open and accessible digital content (text / images / videos) of the subjects that everyone will see.

Digital content created following the themes or design guidelines of the University's curriculum, based on their own personal, practical, work, professional experience and relevant to the collective reality.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge where as those involved (students / students) create / update / adapt the educational content, they earn academic credits and professional rewards (certifications / diplomas) and economic (in National Currencies, Convertible Currencies or Cryptocurrencies).

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge is supported by its own national platforms and / or free, open and accessible platforms, where participants can meet in kinds of interactive virtual rooms.

Very much in the style of what currently exists with the uses that Citizens already implement personally and collectively with digital tools such as: The Channels, Groups and Supergroups of Telegram and Telegraph, Steemit and Dtube.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge can provide its own platform type web portal (Blog, Digital Library or Online Knowledge Database) where the educational content created is uploaded for the consumption of all, favoring and allowing a greater amount of self-generated content attract more students interested in getting certified with community materials.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge replicate what members of the Free Software Movement already do for free, which in turn groups or is grouped together with movements such as Free Hardware, Cryptocurrencies, and Bloggers (Writers / Authors) of content on Education, Science and Technology in general, but separately, each in their own digital space on the Internet.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge where each student is also a teacher, who in turn would certify or certify others in the collective knowledge provided by all, respecting the rhythm and the capacity of each student.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge where perhaps there is only a single career or university degree available with countless modules of added knowledge It has to be covered by the Students.

A 3.0 University whose new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge where any student, be it Bachelor, Middle Technician, Senior Technician, Graduate Engineer, access the same content and you can get a certification tailored to your educational level on the same content viewed.

A practical example to understand the idea would be call the only career «Integral Technologist» that contains as subjects all topics of the content created, such as Cyber-security, Free Software, Technical Support, Robotics, Telecommunications, Programming, among others.

And as the participant is satisfactorily covering the contents and exams prepared by the University, together with the creators of the same content, receives their respective certifications until they cover the minimum necessary and receive the final accreditation as "Integral Technologist."

In the end, a Bachelor or Medium Technician could do / pass, for example, 5 of the 10 probable minimum courses / subjects necessary, the same or different from those taken / approved by a Superior Technician, Graduate or Engineer, and receive their Certificate in said subjects such as Bachelor of Integral Technologist in specialties / modules X, Y or Z.

While the rest could receive the same as a professional certificate for a TSU and a Postgraduate, Master or Specialization Degree for the Bachelor / Engineer.

In short, the idea is that a State / Nation / Government lend the technological, managerial, educational and legal infrastructure to the mass of citizens who already create digital content for free and to those who want and learn from the first, so that all together are equally certified respecting the level, capacity and pace of each of those involved.

Allowing in turn the monetization of the educational process in favor of the Student / Student, while the University generates cost savings in Professors, and Design and Update of Educational Digital Content.

CONCLUSION

This proposal is only a small conceptual base of what could be conceived as a University 3.0 under a new education model based on free, open and accessible knowledge, that is, the philosophy of the Free Software Movement.

Since there is extensive documentation and material available in this field of experiences made and to be done from what is known as E-learning, B-learning or M-learning and self-affirmative education, which promote an educational process adapted to the needs and levels of development of the participants.

In this new model proposal, other useful ideas could be added, such as the University 3.0 providing a unique email to each participant to avoid the use of commercial platforms that are adverse or not to the idea of ​​a similar type of education.

And include, as complements, the study of subjects or transversal or complementary courses of a humanistic nature such as: Commercial Entrepreneurship, Philosophy, Morals and Civic and Professional Ethics, Foreign Languages, Logic, among others, for a better and more complete comprehensive training.

I hope the Free Software Movement likes this proposal so that together we can "Hack Education".