That sounds like a great idea. I wonder how you would scale it up to serve more people, and to include more quality teachers. It almost seems like simply making YouTube videos teaching people basic programming, etc., successfully shares that knowledge.

If you then promoted it locally with fliers, people in your community could find out you’re offering the course and learn the basics online. Then the people who go through your videos could become aware of the course you offer in your city every 2 weeks or something.

Tons of directions you could take it. Let me know if you get anything rolling!

Good luck,

-Michael

I’ve been thinking about the nature and power of social networks, and inspired by the lectures of Yochai Benkler and your own posts, I also feel I could arrange something cool in my City here in Portugal. I’ll try to explain the concept.

Basically there is this first group, poor kids living from the state help, abandoned by their families. Typically they get a very poor and inefficient education in the shelters where they grow up. On the other hand, this city has the biggest national university and very good public schools. You see a lot of lawyers here, doctors, some engineers and many teachers. They had advanced educations and each of them has his own treasure to share.

There is obviously a lack of balance in the way the educational knowledge is shared. My vision is this one: create a school complement for these guys. The motto: Be a one hour professor.

Let’s:
- choose the education topics: physics, maths, logical thinking, literature, programming, debates, arts, while adapting it for specific target ages…

- create one group, gathering these kids and young people in a room (I think I could find a place in the local Jesuit Christian centre)

- select volunteer participants to act as Professors. I studied electrical engineering; I could give simple programming courses. My brother is a terrific basketball player, plays in the national league. My grandmother knows a lot about education and manners. I beliebe there would be many interested, qualified people in this community, willing to contribute to the integration of the society as a whole.

I’d love to hear from you about this… Again this is just a conceptual phase, you’re the 2nd person I’m telling about this

Best regards
Andre

-Michael

Can’t wait to see what’s coming up! By the way, I find your blog really inspiring!

Best regards,
Andre