[TOS] Textbook: Getting the Code IRC log

[Matthew Jadud]

Hi Mel,

On Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 08:58, Mel Chua <mel at redhat.com> wrote:
> I'm not quite sure what to do with this sort of thing. Here's a
> conversation log explaining a concept covered in the textbook (in this
> case, version control) to a student asking questions about it.
>
> http://teachingopensource.com/index.php/Talk:Getting_the_Code
>
> Participants:
> Annie Morino (morinoa)
> David Nalley (ke4qqq)
> Robyn Bergeron (rbergeron)
>
> Is there a way we can use these sorts of questions and explanations to
> improve our explanations in the text? Might it be helpful for students
> to read these kinds of logs and see what sorts of questions others ask?

Possibly -- except my impression was that that particular conversation was

1. Poorly timed, and perhaps
2. Inappropriate given for what the contributor was trying to do.

That is, I think it serves more as a learning tool for the community
than for the participant. Specifically, we are currently working with
contributors who have zero background in any of the technologies of
the community: they've just learned IRC and wiki editing, and just
joined the mailing list. Then, several community members dive into
telling them about an alphabet soup of git, DVCS, and a host of other
terms that have absolutely zero meaning or context for the nascent
contributor.

At the end of the day, we're trying to help students engage
successfully in a stepwise manner. Complex, technical information that
isn't useful at the wrong time is a deterrent to successful capturing
of future contributors. (Claim.)

I've replied in more depth on the talk page:

http://teachingopensource.com/index.php/Talk:Getting_the_Code

Specifically, I've gone through the conversation and pointed out
exactly where I think it did well and where it fell short. My goal was
to provide some concrete reflection that we can respond and react to.
If we were to remove all of the names in the conversation, I would
have the exact same comments: the community did poorly in this case in
supporting the newcomer, and I, as a member of the faculty, had to
step in on this end and say "none of this matters to you now, and it
might not matter to you at all -- unless you want it to." And,
regardless of educational context or not, I think my answer was the
right one. (Debate!)

Please, though, read the analysis before responding. I'm buried in the
actual execution of the experiment you're blogging on in real-time, so
for me stopping and spending an hour writing this up has a real cost.
That, if you like, is another problem with the firehose -- I struggle,
as a member of the faculty, to keep up in the radically transparent
way that the community expects.

Cheers,
Matt