Mozilla Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge

I’ve been down and out with FSOSS followed by flu, so haven’t blogged this yet.  But I wanted to add my voice to the others who have already written about Mozilla’s new Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge.  As Frank Hecker writes,

We invite you to help turn the open Web into a rich learning environment and explore new possibilities for using Firefox add-ons to support learning online, by participating in the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge sponsored by the Mozilla Foundation with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of its digital media and learning initiative.

We’re looking for designers, educators and software developers who want to turn their innovative ideas about learning online into working prototypes in the form of Firefox add-ons. We’ll help you refine your designs and teach you how to create Firefox add-ons using Jetpack and other Mozilla technologies. Participants creating the best prototypes will be invited to the Jetpack for Learning Design Camp and the SXSW Interactive conference in March 2010.

One of the more interesting things that’s happened with Mozilla in the time I’ve been involved is that it has gotten easier and easier for people to work with technologies like Firefox extensions.  Things like Jetpack open the door even wider to welcome students, new developers, web developers, designers, etc.  Combine this with an educational context and mentorship model in which to learn how to do this, and you’ve got a winning recipe.

There’s still time to make submissions (you can do that here), and I’d encourage students and educators to get involved.  The Mozilla project is a great place to be a student, and this is just one more reason why.