Organizing a Scilab Workshop

(Note: It is possible to organize a Scilab workshop without any speakers.)

Certain sessions for which spoken tutorials are available (these include all introductory sessions and some advanced sessions) do not require the presence of a speaker. However, it is helpful to have one or more volunteers who are well versed with Scilab to oversee the session so that they may answer any doubts if required.

Download the spoken tutorials that you wish to use and make them available on each computer.

A Checklist

Here is what you will need:

(Assuming n = Number of participants expected)

For the workshop, irrespective of whether there are any speakers or not:

For sessions where spoken tutorials are being used:

For sessions where spoken tutorials are not being used:

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Test

The Scilab.in team has made arrangements for an online test that indicates whether or not participants are able to perform basic computations with Scilab. The test is only meant to check their familiarity with the Scilab syntax and not mathematical ability.

Inform the participants ahead of time that there will be a test held. Announce that the level of questions asked at the test will be equivalent to the questions available at this link. Inform the participants that clearing the test will be required for getting the participation certificate.

Please get in touch with the Scilab.in team at contact@scilab.in to make arrangements for an adequate number of usernames and passwords. These will be sent in a spreadsheet and will have to be printed out and cut into chits that have one username and one password on each chit. These chits are to be given to the participants before the test.

Before the test, ask the participants to read the instructions at the login page. Reiterate that they are NOT to change the function declaration, especially the function name. They must NOT initialize the function or call the function- they only have to define the function. They are free to use Scilab to test the correctness of the function.

Immediately after the test is done- get back in touch with the Scilab.in team to have them evaluate the answers and send in the results.

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Stuff to be installed on each computer

Software

NOTE: The installation of Scilab requires an active internet connection to be available on the computer it is being installed on. This is necessary for downloading and installing the Intel Math Kernel Library. The other supported BLAS is the bundled Atlas library.

Toolboxes

Depending on the sessions you wish to have, the following toolboxes may be necessary

NOTE: An active internet connection is necessary for the installation of toolboxes using the ATOMS Package manager. You may also choose to visit the ATOMS website and download binaries of the toolboxes to be installed if you do not wish to use the package manager. This is, however, not recommended.

NOTE: If you have difficulties in installing toolboxes using the ATOMS package manager because you are behind a proxy server, simply type "help proxy" in the Scilab command prompt for instructions on how to get Scilab to play nice with your proxy credentials.

Other stuff

Get in touch with each speaker ahead of time and ask them if they would like to have any other software installed or have any files available on each computer. Some speakers may also wish to have some data files available that they will be using during their session.

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Sessions and People

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Notes

Feedback form

Have participants fill up a feedback form before they leave. A sample form is here

Certificate and attendance letter

A participation certificate is to be given to participants who clear the online test or otherwise show equivalent competence in Scilab. An attendance letter is to be given to all participants who attended the workshop.

Here is the suggested text for the two:

Letter of Attendance

This letter is to acknowledge that .............. attended a Scilab workshop at ....college-name...., at .....(location, city)..., from ... to ..(dates)..

Sd/ (College authority)

Participation Certificate

This is to certify that .............. attended a Scilab workshop at .....college-name..., at ...(location, city).. during ... to ...(dates). The workshop was funded by the NME-ICT, MHRD through IIT Bombay.

In addition to attendance, he/she also passed an online test conducted during/after the Scilab workshop. The assessment was on the basis of Scilab codes written by the participants.

Sd/ (College organizer) (College authority) (FOSSEE-IIT Bombay representative)

Here are links to the IIT Bombay logo, FOSSEE Project logo and Talk to a teacher project logo.

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Financial Matters

You will need to get in touch with the Scilab India team with a prospective budget. The team will review your budget and revert to you with any changes, if necessary.

Once approved, an advance of a certain amount will be issued to you. Hence it is necessary to send the name that needs to appear on the cheque/demand draft along with the prospective budget.

When we send across the cheque/demand draft, we will also send you the utilization certificate format and other settling details (such as- only 3 Tier AC travel for outstation participants will be reimbursed, etc).

All bills and receipts for all expenses will be required to be submitted in original to the following address for settlement:

Pratibha Dhiwar
Automation Lab
Chemical Engineering Department
IIT Bombay,
Powai, Mumbai 400076
Phone Number: 022-2576 4229

Any unutilized amount is to be returned to IIT Bombay by DD in favour of "Registrar, IIT Bombay".

For any flight travel that is reimbursed: boarding passes MUST be collected, in addition to the ticket (flight tickets that indicate the amount.)

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Dealing with difficulties

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