Enlightenment and education for all

Some threads of thoughts behind the open educational resource movement -

I am still not sure if I understand the term "enlightment" correctly, but while reading these articles I will probably "enlighten" myself and understand it better. I must say that philosophy is not among the top strengths of my personality, as most of the theories on enlightment are new to me.
Actually, while looking for more information I found a website for the first Macedonian libraries in Skopje and the surrounding. The foundations of all libraries have been set by the spreaders of enlightenment Clement and Naum Ohridski way back in the 10th century.

Popular education and folk schools
I like the idea of giving the people another chance to study and learn whatever they haven't during the time they were in school. I would like more universities and high schools to have summer or evening, intensive programs for adults interested for new qualifications perhaps when they want to change career, or some other reasons.

"A Dwarf standing on the shoulders of the giant" is also a new expression for me. Although it was explained in the links better I am going to give my own understanding of it. The dwarf may see the future better than the giant because it's standing on the giant's shoulders. However it may be also stuck because it can only see what the giant wants it to see.

The most interesting is the free software movement and the idea of being able to read the code, and making it possible for the public to change some of that, add something of their own and again share it publicly so that someone else could benefit from the new "software" That's actually how I understand the open educational resources. It's not only that these resources are free( no money) but there is a freedom for the final user to use add change and share the final version of that. Below are the links to the course assignments.

1. Enlightenment - The Age of Enlightenment - was an eighteenth-century movement in Western philosophy. It was an age of optimism, tempered by the realistic recognition of the sad state of the human condition and the need for major reforms. Some classifications of this period also include 17th-century philosophy, which is typically known as the Age of Reason.[1]


2. Science and "standing on the shoulders of giants" - from Wikipedia.
Dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants (Latin: nanos gigantium humeris insidentes) is a metaphor meaning "One who develops future intellectual pursuits by understanding the research and works created by notable thinkers of the past"; a contemporary interpretation.

3. Library Movement: Origins of the public library as a social institution - from Wikipedia.
http://www.gbiblsk.edu.mk/index_eng.asp?id=2
Centuries of Tradition
The alphabet, the book and reading in Macedonia have centuries of tradition. Initially libraries in Macedonia developed in the monasteries and churches where books were written, copied and kept. The foundations of all libraries have been set by the spreaders of enlightenment Clement and Naum Ohridski way back in the 10th century.In 1566 the name of Jacob of Kamena Reka appears as the name of the first Macedonian printer, and only four years afterwards Kara Trifun of Skopje opened a bookshop in Skopje.In 1837 in Thessalonica the first Macedonian printing house was opened by the archimandrite Teodosij Sinaitski. In the library of the Markov monastery of St. Dimitrij towards the middle of the 19th century there had been around 20 loads of well-preserved manuscripts.In the same period the library of the monastery St. Pantelejmon, near village Nerezi, contained 30 loads of manuscripts mostly written on parchment. The middle of the 19th century also brought the libraries and reading rooms that could be used by all citizens. The earliest Islamic libraries, as parts of the mosques, in this part of the Balkan were opened in Macedonia. According to one preserved document from 1445 about Isa Beg, a library existed in Aladza Mosque in Skopje, which at its formation had thirty chosen books written in Arabic.The first private (family) libraries were revealed in the second half of 19th century. In addition, in this period many reading rooms and school libraries were opened. The libraries in the period between 1880 and 1918 experienced great development and downfalls at the same time.With the foundation of the Faculty of Philology in 1920, the first University Library in Macedonia was opened. The Skopje Public library and reading room were opened on April 22, 1922, and the Public library of the City of Skopje was established in 1933. In 1940, the Library handles a fund of about ten thousand books.After World War II NUB “St. Clement Ohridski” was created in 1944, and one year later the City Library was founded, which received the name “Braka Miladinovci” in 1963. All libraries in Skopje were integrated in the City

4. Free Adult Education: Popular Education and Folk High School - from Wikipedia.
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. This often happens in the workplace, through 'extension' or 'continuing education' courses at secondary schools, at a college or university. Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers.
5. Free_Software_Movement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Software_Movement
is much more than just a collection of programs. It is also a political movement, a programming methodology, and a business model.