12.03.06
Posted in EDU-Nix, EduTech at 9:57 pm by Shane
Here is a great article over at Sys-Admin, highlighting how GNU/Linux and Free Open Source Software can help K-12 institutions stretch their budgetary allowances and extend the useful life of older hardware.
From the desktop to the server room, there is a place for Linux in nearly any educational institution, large or small. The flexibility, stability, and cost savings Linux offers is compelling. With the right skills and careful planning, things that were impossible become possible, and formerly daunting tasks become simple.
The article discusses Linux in the server room, including the K12LTSP project - a project that uses a terminal server configuration to allow for all applications to run on a central server, permitting use of so-called thin clients or diskless workstations. Thin-clients are perfect for schools because they are easy to install and require little maintenance. They are reliable and immune to malicious tampering and viruses.
Also covered is the perennial topic of “Linux on the Desktop”, with the assessment being that Desktop Linux is ready to begin integrating into the educational environment, but cannot fully replace Windows yet:
Luckily for educators, Linux is ready for a large number of common desktop tasks that are seen in schools. Admittedly, there are a number of specialized educational software titles that won’t work. However, the common tasks of Web browsing, word processing, presentation creation, mind-mapping, typing practice, graphics manipulation, and page layout are all handled easily by software running on Linux.
A very positive article on the state of Linux in education, perhaps the most encouraging passage is regarding how Free and Open Source Software encourages users to modify, tweak and redistribute it, leading to even further development by empowering students and educators to become developers themselves:
Another value that Linux has brought to educators with whom I work is that for many people it helps bring the fun back into computing. After introducing Linux to people, it is not uncommon for them to show a great interest in it, usually becoming inspired by the number of things that they can do with it “out of the box”. When the wealth of software available to Linux is shown to them, people come to life with ideas. The desire to make great things available for children is strong in educators, but that desire is often stymied by the lack of quality tools. By providing affordable professional-quality tools, Linux has inspired a number of programs to be developed in educational institutions.
Permalink
11.23.06
Posted in EDU-Nix, EduTech at 11:57 am by Shane
I have been awaiting this for some time, and today on the School-Discuss list came the announcement I was hoping for - schoolforge.net has been updated. The site is still being populated with information, but I do encourage you to stop by and have a look. Some may ask, what is SchoolForge anyway?
SchoolForge is a foundry. It is where you will find the information, the tools and materials you need to “forge” or make a school and all its parts. All free for the asking (or download), and, in the future, international in content and character, SchoolForge is not a place or an organization, but a cause, and a collection of people and projects dedicated to it: bringing quality, affordable and dependable software and teaching materials to the people who need them around the world. As such, it is not a “service” so much as it is a community focal point, which, as much as anything else, represents an opportunity to get involved in one of its aspects.
Stop on by the new schoolforge.net, let them know how the site looks and if there are any problems you may have with your particular setup (OS, browser). SchoolForge has a rich history of supporters, and a strong and diverse community as evidenced in the mailing list discussions (which I recommend signing up for).
Permalink
11.20.06
Posted in EDU-Nix, EduTech at 11:43 am by Shane
A great report came across the School-Discuss mailing list from Daniel Howard, President and CEO Georgia Open Source Education Foundation, regarding open source at the Georgia Educational Tech Conference:
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there were more sessions on Open Source than I predicted (about 15), everything from using Knoppix for fixing Win XP machines(!) to Open Source email and web filtering/security solutions for schools. Every session I attended, and mine, were nicely populated, and as we would expect, there were a lot of schools with old PCs that were not being used due to viruses, bad hard drives, etc…
All in all, a great success, and the buzz about Open Source is definitely getting out here in Georgia.
Daniel handed out CDs with Free Software to attendees, including Knoppix and the WinOSS CD-Rom.
Also, Daniel posed a query in his email which I think will really be a helpful exercise for evaluating the state of Open Source Schoolware:
If a brand new school/district came to us and asked for a complete, turnkey Open Source solution (assuming we got them a Linux consultant to integrate everything), what would we recommend?
I will be creating a section of EDU-Nix.org specifically for this topic, but would like to start the ideas and suggestions rolling in this posting. First, we’ll need to identify what exactly a school/district will need top to bottom, and what OSS solutions are available, how much customization would be required, etc.
So, how do we go about creating the “Open Source School in a Box”?
Permalink
11.15.06
Posted in EduTech at 11:53 am by Shane
Here is an interview with the CIO of the FLVS - Florida Virtual School, servicing 31,000 students with online courseware:
Our students say the biggest advantages are that they have control over the amount of time needed to master material, they have a more one-on-one relationship with their teachers, and they have control over when they want to work on their course. Some students will learn better online, others will learn better in a traditional format. The beauty is that the student can make that choice.
Also, more information is being pointed out to me regarding the Massive Multiplayer Worlds in Education subject, again regarding Second Life. eSchoolNews Online has an article regarding Second Life :
A main draw for educators in using Second Life is the improvement in interaction and expression when compared with programs such as distance-education courses. “I think that is one of the things that’s so attractive to educators using Second Life,” says Linden Lab community developer Claudia L’Amoreaux, or Claudia Linden as she is known within Second Life. “The quality of interaction is hard to even describe. It doesn’t replace face to face, but it does enable working with people all over the world.”
The article also points out the existence of a PG rated Second Life version, Teen Second Life, which is more education-appropriate in theme and content. The article also says the Linden Lab will often donate free land to educators for a trial course.
Despite Second Life’s immense popularity, the appropriateness of its content for students is an issue. As with the web itself, there is a range of seedy activity available to users: Gambling, stripping, and virtual prostitution are easy to find if you look for them. Partially because of that, Linden Lab has set up a teen version of the world, known as Teen Second Life.
Teen Second Life, or TSL, is arranged in the same fashion as the adult version, although there is only PG-rated material available in it. The world is restricted to teens ages 13-17, and all adults other than Linden Lab employees are banned from entering the main island in the world.
Permalink
Posted in EduTech at 2:49 am by Shane
Here is a fantastic article on the Edutopia site that was pointed out to me earlier, interesting that this article also refers some to the use of role-playing type games in the educational setting, but also touches on economic / technological barriers such as student to computer ratio.
The missing technological element is true one-to-one computing, in which each student has a device he or she can work on, keep, customize, and take home. For true technological advance to occur, the computers must be personal to each learner. When used properly and well for education, these computers become extensions of the students’ personal self and brain.
The author also discusses some of the social aspects of why Schools are generally resistant to embracing new technologies, and suggests that Teachers may be well served by consulting with their students regarding technology in the classroom, since many students are far more savvy technologically, generally.
These “digital natives” (Students) are born into digital technology. Conversely, their teachers (and all older adults) are “digital immigrants.” Having learned about digital technology later in life, digital immigrants retain their predigital “accents” — such as, thinking that virtual relationships (those that exist only online) are somehow less real or important than face-to-face ones. Such outmoded perspectives are serious barriers to our students’ twenty-first-century progress.
A very interesting read, and what seems to be a very interesting website.
Permalink
11.14.06
Posted in EduTech at 3:09 pm by Shane
Here is an interesting paper: The Educational Possibilities of a Massively Multiplayer Virtual World (MMVW)
Today we are looking at the educational possibilities of Massively Multiplayer Virtual Worlds (MMVW). We’ll look specifically at Second Life, a MMVW created by each user and simultaneously played by hundreds of people around the world…
My goals are to increase your awareness of current developments in computer games and simulations and to help you begin considering the educational possibilities of these emerging technologies, But most importantly, I want to encourage you explore virtual worlds, like Second Life, so you will be prepared to teach with this technology as it continues to mature.
Further coverage appears on CNN as well, is this the future of the “Classroom”?
UPDATE: Here is another article, brought to my attention by Jamey, who said:
I am a “Second Lifer” who is also an educator and I’m enthralled with its possibilities for education…
As a platform for education, the possibilities offered by virtual worlds are enormous. The possibilities for collaboration are equally rich and I encourage other educators to take a look at virtual worlds with open eyes.
Permalink