<font size="2"><font face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">[Forwarding from the Free Technology Academy, via the OKFN-Discussion list. --Peter Suber.]<br></font></font><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br>Dear all,<br>
<br>
We are pleased to announce that the first set of FTA educational<br>
materials is available online! Please note that these are preliminary<br>
versions of the materials. We expect to publish the final versions, with<br>
only minor changes, in a couple of days. Please read below for more<br>
information on the materials, as well as about the FTA materials in our<br>
courses and learning methodology and about the FTA in general. Enjoy!<br>
<br>
Hinde ten Berge,<br>
on behalf of the Free Technology Academy<br>
<br>
1. Educational materials available<br>
<br>
The Free Technology Academy is proud to announce the online publication<br>
of the first set of course books that correspond to the first two<br>
modules of the FTA programme: "The concepts of Free Software and Open<br>
Standards" and "The GNU/Linux Operating System".<br>
<br>
The first book, "Introduction to Free Software", introduces the reader<br>
to the main concepts behind Free Software: the history of the movement,<br>
its philosophical background, the most important projects and<br>
experiences, the motivations of community and developers. It was written<br>
by Jesús M. González-Barahona, Joaquín Seoane Pascual and Gregorio<br>
Robles and coordinated by Jordi Mas Hernández and David Megías Jiménez.<br>
This book is a translation and updated version of the Spanish<br>
"Introducción al Software Libre" and it was created using the SELF Platform.<br>
<br>
This book is the main learning material for the FTA Module 1: "The<br>
concepts of Free Software and Open Standards". You can collect a copy<br>
from: <a href="http://ftacademy.org/materials/fsm/1#1" target="_blank">http://ftacademy.org/materials/fsm/1#1</a><br>
<br>
We have also published "GNU/Linux Advanced Administration", covering the<br>
main knowledge and skills needed by GNU/Linux systems administrators.<br>
This document, with more than 500 pages, was written by Josep Jorba<br>
Esteve and Remo Suppi Boldrito with the former as coordinator. The list<br>
of topics includes Unix history, migration and coexistence with non-free<br>
systems, administrator tools, shell scripting, kernel configuration and<br>
compilation, network administration, network services, data<br>
administration and much more.<br>
<br>
This book is the main learning material for the FTA Module 2: "The<br>
GNU/Linux Operating System". You can collect a copy from:<br>
<a href="http://ftacademy.org/materials/fsm/2#1" target="_blank">http://ftacademy.org/materials/fsm/2#1</a><br>
<br>
Both books are published under a free, copyleft license. You are<br>
encouraged to use, translate, adapt and redistribute these materials.<br>
<br>
2. FTA materials in our courses and learning methodology<br>
<br>
The FTA learning materials are available to anyone without restrictions.<br>
We publish them so anyone can use them for any purpose: self learning,<br>
translation, research, use in other educational institutions or even<br>
publishing with commercial purposes.<br>
<br>
However, FTA courses are much more than these educational materials.<br>
Enrolling in the online courses has several benefits, derived from a<br>
full learning experience that involves a tutor and a study group formed<br>
by other students. These are some of the advantages of FTA courses:<br>
<br>
* you are guided by the tutor through the most relevant sources and<br>
materials in a 12 week course programme,<br>
* there are group discussions to reflect on the topics of the course<br>
with other learners and the tutor,<br>
* there are individual and group exercises to consolidate your<br>
knowledge,<br>
* the continuous assessment methodology enables ongoing assistance<br>
and feedback,<br>
* from time to time, experts are invited to give a guest lecture<br>
through video and discuss with FTA learners,<br>
* after passing the course you are entitled to an FTA Certificate,<br>
recognised by the participating universities,<br>
* the FTA works to make professional opportunities available for its<br>
alumni through a network of partners.<br>
<br>
To know more about the FTA learning methodology, please see<br>
<a href="http://ftacademy.org/methodology" target="_blank">http://ftacademy.org/methodology</a> and about the FTA certificates, see<br>
<a href="http://ftacademy.org/courses/recognition" target="_blank">http://ftacademy.org/courses/recognition</a><br>
<br>
This is the last week for registration, join this unique learning<br>
experience! <a href="http://ftacademy.org/courses/programme" target="_blank">http://ftacademy.org/courses/programme</a><br>
<br>
3. About the Free Technology Academy<br>
<br>
A Consortium formed by the Open University of Catalonia (Spain), the<br>
Open University of the Netherlands and University of Agder (Norway) and<br>
led by the Free Knowledge Institute (FKI), the FTA has received the<br>
support from the EC's Lifelong Learning Programme to set up an<br>
international educational programme on Free Software. The courses will<br>
be taught completely online in a virtual campus based on the Campus<br>
Project interoperability framework.<br>
<br>
Following the Open Educational Resources movement, all learning<br>
materials will be freely available through the Internet. The use of Free<br>
Software (also referred to as Open Source software or Libre Software) is<br>
rapidly expanding in governmental and private organisations. However,<br>
still only a limited number of ICT professionals, teachers and decision<br>
makers have sufficient knowledge and expertise in these new fields. The<br>
Free Technology Academy aims to address this gap by providing high level<br>
courses that fit into larger Master Programmes at the participating<br>
universities.<br>
<br>
* More information: <a href="http://www.ftacademy.org" target="_blank">http://www.ftacademy.org</a><br>
* Contact information: <a href="mailto:contact@ftacademy.org">contact@ftacademy.org</a><br>
<br><br></div>