As Free Software becomes more widespread in technology solutions across all industries, there is demand for workers who not only have experience with Free Software tools, but also for those who can help organizations to become involved in those communities. Companies are increasingly looking to take the leap from consumer to contributor, but they are often unsure how to actually proceed. I will discuss the idea of exposing students to the ideas and tools that Free Software depends on, with the explicit goal of enabling students to build a technology portfolio that helps them to stand out and teaches them how to work collaboratively and transparently. There are some success stories to tell, but I hope that this talk will inspire other educators to incorporate Free Software concepts into their standard curriculum.
Speakers: Tom Callaway