On 12/05/2010 12:43 AM, John Jason Jordan wrote: > > Some additional random thoughts: > > Should purchase of the manual be required? Strongly urged? Considering the scattered feedback that we get about the manual being a bit mercenary, we might just stick with a recommendation. At the same time, there could be an attempt to consider the topics and material discussed in the manual, so that the manual could serve as a useful reference, thus underscoring its value as a recommended resource. > > I'd suggest that it be aimed at 1.4.0, which will probably be released > by the time the "school" is running. > > It would need a website. Could it be on the Scribus website? Elsewhere? > > We need an outline or list of modules or topics. I have no idea where to > start. > It's easy enough to begin by using the wiki, both as a place to start, and in particular as a place to shape the content of the course by creating a working outline. Christoph was strongly of the mind, and in retrospect I fully agree, that we should not have simply jumped into creating a manual without a reasonably fleshed-out outline of its contents, and I think that the same applies to this course idea.
The upside of doing this on the existing wiki is that the site is known and editing is easy enough. Some downsides are the limited ways that wiki pages can be manipulated, and there can be a bit of a free-for-all, depending on who comes in and edits. Wikis don't naturally lend themselves to organization. This must come from someone or a small group stepping in to encourage, edit, perhaps even say that some submissions just aren't up to the desired quality. > > My original thought was that there would be assignments and volunteers > would check them over as completed. But after considering the module > idea I think that is unnecessary and cumbersome. If the student > completes a module without a problem, there is no need for instructor > intervention. I can imagine that those going through this may wish to pursue their own ideas such as, for example, learn how to create, edit, and advance the sophistication of some newsletter that is the basis for them getting interested in Scribus in the first place. What we might provide is some guidance toward using various features, nudging toward using Master Pages, layers, paragraph styles, and creating a sensible workflow in general. We might also come up with some generic kinds of layout projects if students can't come up with ideas on their own. Beyond that, they could get feedback on design, especially creating pleasing design according to the intended purpose of their documents. Greg
