[Events] Starting a "Get involved in open source" class on P2PU

[Asheesh Laroia]

Excerpts from Asheesh Laroia's message of Mon Nov 21 17:34:01 -0500 2011:
> > Here's a snippet from a discussion in #openhatch about the course. Everyone
> > on this list should feel welcome to hang out in #openhatch, and if you'd
> > like help getting on IRC let me know -- I'd be happy to help!
> 
> Yes, yay! Thanks Jessica for your changes and your enthusiasm!
> 
> I want to make the course have moderated signups, so that we can
> make sure the attendees are excited about attending, and we can also
> make sure it's a friendly environment.
> 
> I configured that in the web UI, but I can't figure out how to actually
> move people from want-to-sign-up state into successfully-signed-up state.

I got a cold, which delayed my sending this along.

Good news: We can visit http://p2pu.org/en/groups/get-involved-in-open-source/sign-up/
and let people in to the course if we feel their answers indicate that
they're excited about the class. (Thanks to Zuzel at P2PU for emailing me
that link, and also fixing the site.)

The way P2PU classes work is that instructors post "Tasks" to the "Task list".
Attendees discuss each task there.

There is just one task so far: "Say hi"
http://p2pu.org/en/groups/get-involved-in-open-source/content/say-hi/

Right now, people have been unable to participate because we only now are able
to let them in.

Here's what I think we should do next. It means some delaying, but overall
I think that is just how it has to be.

* Let people in to the class, by reviewing their answers
* Make a note on the class page were confused by P2PU and now the class has truly begun
* Urge people to Say hi

In parallel, we should do publicity for the course. I asked Jessica McKellar
to hold off her publicity attempts until we understood how to let people in.

Effect on the timeline
----------------------

Current planned timeline:
http://p2pu.org/en/groups/get-involved-in-open-source/content/full-description/

Curriculum/timeline-wise, I think we should wait until a few days after
"Say hi" has succeeded before we put up the first video. To avoid crushing the
current schedule, maybe we can have this expected video timeline:

* Publicity etc. now until Sun Nov 27
* Mon, Nov 28: "Linux and the command line"
  (which means I'll actually prep the presentation on Fri tomorrow)
* Fri, Dec  2: "Communication tools (IRC, mailing lists)"
* Tue, Dec 6: "Ethics and history of the movement"

and then we're back on track.

Feedback etc.
-------------

Let me know what you think.

I'm booked with family for the rest of today, but tomorrow (or in a pinch, the
weekend) I expect to make time to plan that video so I can record it Mon. (And
recovering from a cold.)

I'd mega appreciate it if some non-me person is willing to let people in to
the course upon reviewing their answers, make a note on the class's front
page indicating that we now are un-confused, and urge people to say "hi".

-- Asheesh.