Re: [libreoffice-marketing] LibreOffice training in local community colleges

On 11/19/2011 07:48 AM, Harri Pitkänen wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I was wondering if it is appropriate to mention on our localized web sites or
> somewhere else any upcoming LibreOffice courses in local community colleges.
>
> In Finland the community college system is partially state funded and the
> actual colleges are usually operated either by local municipalities, non-
> profit organizations or in some cases for-profit groups. They are open to
> everyone and classes are usually held during evenings and weekends, allowing
> even those who have regular jobs to participate. The subjects range from
> computer skills to archeology and pottery making.
>
> During the past years Finnish community colleges have been quite active at
> offering basic computer skill courses using OpenOffice.org. I believe this has
> been good marketing for OOo, especially among the elderly people who quite
> often learn their computer skills on such courses. Now I see that some
> community colleges here have switched to LibreOffice which is of course great.
>
> There are participation fees to these courses but thanks to government funding
> they are often relatively low. One community college is offering a 12 hour
> LibreOffice course with 120 euro fee in April 2012. Another just finished a
> combined OOo/LibreOffice course, 12 hours with 35 euro fee.
>
> I know that there is a certification program coming and this kind of activity
> would most likely fall within it. But these community colleges could have hard
> time finding resources to participate in the certification programs at the
> same level as typical IT training companies since the companies collect much
> higher participation fees (typically around 1000 euros for courses with
> similar length). Community colleges often do not even have permanent teaching
> staff for their courses but just contract someone who happens to be available
> and has the sufficient skills.
>
> Should we take the difference in business models in account when we set up the
> rules for the training certification program? Or should we just exclude
> community colleges from the certification program and assume that the
> government supervision is enough to guarantee sufficient quality?
>
> Harri
Here is my thought.
A certification "course" should/could be using some type of step by step 
training guide.  Each section of that "guide" must be completed 
successfully before you can go on to the next section.  Once you 
completed all the sections, you are given an exam.  Completing the 
course and getting the required score on the exam should/could be the 
requirement for the certification.

I needed to fill in some credits in college one semester and took a 
three part course.  Part One was basic computer skills.  Part Two was 
skills using Word.  Part Three was skills using Excel.  The LO 
certification would take each Module as a different section, or part, 
and deal with all the needed skills that the certification developers 
feel that is needed for "proper" use/skills for LO.  I took a 
certification course in CISCO networks and they used a combination 
workbook and computer [online] based training and browser based 
testing.  Then after you completed the course, you went to a testing 
place for certifications that was held twice a year.  The exam was a 
flat fee, while each course at a college or training center had their 
own fee structure.  That way you could either take the course with an 
instructor, or do it on your own.  Then twice a year, the certification 
exam was held for every one.

That type of course and exam structure seems to work for many different 
certifications.  Or, it did when I was preparing to take some of these 
certifications.

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