Why "Open Source" Teacher, anyways?

I've been around the internet block a few times. I'm old enough to have grown up when a world-wide communications medium meant paper mail, or the telephone system, or ham radio. As an almost-child-of-the-sixties I've always appreciated the internet's DIY, grassroots atmosphere. The Open Source movement is the latest (and possibly greatest) incarnation of that. I wanted to bring some of that to teaching.

So, I mean open source in terms of the fact that I envision this blog as a place where I (and hopefully you, dear readers, who are, as yet, just a gleam in my eye) can share ideas, tips, HOWTOs, frustrations, jokes, best practices, websites, resources, and experiences. I'm hoping to leverage the power of our network to become a better teacher more quickly than might otherwise be possible. I'm also hoping that the collaborative heart of open sourceyness will get played out here - that by sharing I/we might find a whole that does a little bit more than just encompassing the parts.

And who, BTW, is us? By us, I mean mostly (but not exclusively) grads from the University of Ottawa's 2007 Bachelor Education program. You know who you are. Don't be shy. Leave a comment. Or a condiment. As the spirit moves you.