Re: [school-discuss] I think this is the "killer app"

["Les R" <openadmin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Marilyn,

Once you 'create a course' in Drupal, how do you package it up so that
others may use it, perhaps in other systems besides Drupal?  What
elements are portable, which not.  So, I don't necessarily think this
is 'site based', or at least exclusively to a large degree. There
could be a variety of components in a variety of standard package
formats, depending on media type, etc.

My 2 centimes worth.

Les Richardson
Open Admin for Schools




2008/12/21 Marilyn Hagle <marilyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> Hi there everyone!
>
> I was prompted to share this most recent project of mine after reading this
> thread.  I would like to partner with a local school district and apply for a
> grant to put this in motion.
>
> http://highschoolcourseexchange.org
>
> What do you guys think?    I hope to personally teach vocal
> music/theory/composition and to assist an art teacher with digital graphics/3D
> animation and assist a theater teacher with digital audio/video (Gimp, Blender,
> Audacity, Cinelerra).
>
> I am motivated by my own children who are dyslexic and attend a school district
> that does not offer much for high school students.  My kids are 7 & 9, so I
> have a few years to get this going.
>
> Opinions please!!!
>
> Marilyn
>
>
> Quoting "James P. Kinney III" <jkinney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
>> On Sun, 2008-12-21 at 09:46 -0600, Les R wrote:
>> > Hi Lee,
>> >
>> > > Perhaps the "the real" but currently missing "killer app" is a compendium
>> of
>> > > documentation & training, particularly "train the trainer" curricula.
>> Would
>> > > it help if edu FLOSS community can get content experts onboard with
>> visual
>> > > tutorials (how to configure & use OpenOffice using tools like
>> CamStudio)?
>> >
>> > Yes, very important. Crucial.
>> >
>> > > I've had discussions with media lab teachers & it appears that one
>> > > apparently *LARGE* obstacle to FLOSS adoption is lack of training &
>> > > curricular support. I'm also looking at a best practices (how-to)
>> discussion
>> > > for school LAN/WAN administrative workflow, etc., a total school admin
>> > > knowledge base of some kind.
>> >
>> > Yes, this is the biggest issue (assuming that we now have easier
>> > installation, etc). Unless a teacher can have some sort of
>> > instructional support at least in skeletal form in front of a
>> > classroom, what incentive is there to use the software.
>> >
>> > Using the ecology idea,  these things are interdependent for program
>> > delivery in schools. Software is only one facet of that.  Curricular
>> > materials and training are others. I spend a lot of time writing
>> > documentation for Open Admin and will have to create more training
>> > materials in the future.  Just part of the deal, IMO, for any
>> > software.  Educational software needs to add these other components as
>> > well.
>> >
>> > My 2 cents worth.
>>
>> The largest detriment to the APS linux thin client installation was the
>> lack of teacher training materials. New technology without a "here's how
>> to use this feature to teach this topic" was viewed and "not ready for
>> use" by many people with influence. A large chuck of the packages I've
>> seen at NECC are on par or sub par with free software version. But they
>> come with a manual. I don't see that justifies a $3000 price tag but...
>> >
>> > Les Richardson
>> > Open Admin for Schools
>> > http://richtech.ca/openadmin
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > Also, if anyone's already set up a 501c3 (USA nonprofit) to this end, I
>> can
>> > > possibly exploit a grant writing resource. I'm not sure how much time &
>> > > effort would be entailed in such an effort, seems to me the answer here
>> is a
>> > > community approach.
>> > >
>> > > Thoughts?
>> > >
>> > > -- Lee
>> > >
>> > > ________________________________
>> > > From: Matt Tech <mattech75@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > > To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 2:38:21 PM
>> > > Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Taking requests
>> > >
>> > > Marilyn,
>> > >
>> > > I will discuss this with someone who knows more about it than I.
>> > >
>> > > At the current time it is way over my head.
>> > >
>> > > Remember, I am a Linux user, not a pro.
>> > >
>> > > Matt
>> > >
>> > > ________________________________
>> > > From: Marilyn Hagle <marilyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > > To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 7:23:42 AM
>> > > Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Taking requests
>> > >
>> > > Cool.
>> > >
>> > > The rendering farm consists of a server machine and slave machines (I am
>> a
>> > > teacher, not a system administrator, so my terminology will be in the
>> > > vernacular).  :)  The server machine has two network cards - one faces
>> the
>> > > WAN
>> > > and one goes to a separate hub that connects the slave machines.
>> > >
>> > > There are a couple of live CDs that automatically create clusters that
>> > > almost
>> > > did the job.  One is Pelican * that is the new Parallel Knoppix.  The one
>> I
>> > > liked better is called Instant Grid.  Instant Grid is setup to create a
>> > > render
>> > > farm using PovRay.  However, the connections between PovRay and Blender
>> and
>> > > Cinelerra are not user friendly.  I was not able to get them to work.
>> > >
>> > > If you could use an Instant Grid system with Dr. Queue and if it would
>> > > render
>> > > projects from Blender and Cinelerra - that would be fabulous!!
>> > >
>> > > I am looking for a system to use personally, but also a user-friendly one
>> I
>> > > can
>> > > share with other teachers.
>> > >
>> > > Thanks!
>> > >
>> > > Marilyn
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Quoting Matt Tech <mattech75@xxxxxxxxx>:
>> > >
>> > >> Marilyn,
>> > >>
>> > >> Besides blender, what other software do you need for your rendering
>> farm?
>> > >>
>> > >> I can probably package everything for you but I have no experience with
>> > >> any
>> > >> of it.
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> ________________________________
>> > >> From: Marilyn Hagle <marilyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > >> To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > >> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 11:22:09 AM
>> > >> Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Taking requests
>> > >>
>> > >> Matt,
>> > >>
>> > >> I look forward to testing your CD.  I use another live CD/DVD, Musix,
>> in
>> > >> class
>> > >> all the time..  However, since our Christmas holiday starts in an hour,
>> I
>> > >> probably will not get to play with small.iso soon.
>> > >>
>> > >> I am looking for someone to help with my render farm.  I feel like I am
>> > >> close,
>> > >> but not quite there.  Any experience with Blender, Dr. Queue, and
>> render
>> > >> farms?
>> > >>
>> > >> Happy Holidays to all on this list!
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> Marilyn
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> Quoting Matt Tech <mattech75@xxxxxxxxx>:
>> > >>
>> > >> > No apology needed, no devious intent here. It's just pclinuxos with a
>> > >> > bunch
>> > >> > of software installed on it.
>> > >> > no big deal.
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> > ________________________________
>> > >> > From: Charles Cossé <ccosse@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > >> > To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > >> > Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 8:42:18 AM
>> > >> > Subject: Re: [school-discuss] Taking requests
>> > >> >
>> > >> > As I recall, "Matt" / Chris Yates showed up about 1-2 years ago and
>> > >> > was attempting some devious activity.  Of course, if I am wrong, then
>> > >> > my apologies, but I would be very careful ... it don't sound quite
>> > >> > right.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 7:45 AM, Peter Scheie
>> <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > >> > wrote:
>> > >> > > I don't think Matt is abusing the list; he may just be unfamiliar
>> with
>> > >> some
>> > >> > > of the etiquette, such as including the link to the file when he
>> > >> discusses
>> > >> > > it.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > For the record, in case anyone missed the previous message
>> containing
>> > >> > > the
>> > >> > > link, the ISO can be downloaded from
>> > >> > > http://mattech.exhspace.com/mattech/small.iso
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > I think the name, small.iso, may be a bit of a misnomer, however,
>> as
>> > >> > > it
>> > >> is
>> > >> > > 684MB.  The hosting website does seem to have good bandwith,
>> though.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > Peter
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > Charles Cossé wrote:
>> > >> > >>
>> > >> > >> "Matt", can you please not abuse this list?  Nobody has a link, and
>> I
>> > >> > >> seriously doubt if you have a product.
>> > >> > >>
>> > >> > >> On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 6:41 AM, Matt Tech <mattech75@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > >> > >> wrote:
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> For now, you all have a link to a very crude image just to see if
>> it
>> > >> will
>> > >> > >>> work on your hardware.
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> It currently does not run with NVidea graphics cards or on older
>> > >> > >>> machines..
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> I am looking for requests and suggestions on what would be the
>> best
>> > >> > >>> package
>> > >> > >>> in your view.
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> To answer on question: Yes, this can be customized for any need,
>> and
>> > >> > >>> I
>> > >> > >>> believe it should be.
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> Your input will determine the final image, as per everyones
>> needs.
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> Thanks for the interest.
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>> Matt
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>>
>> > >> > >>
>> > >> > >>
>> > >> > >>
>> > >> > >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> > --
>> > >> > AsymptopiaSoftware|Software@theLimit
>> > >> >            http://www.asymptopia.org
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >> >
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> :)
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > :)
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> --
>> James P. Kinney III
>> CEO & Director of Engineering
>> Local Net Solutions,LLC
>> http://www.localnetsolutions.com
>>
>> GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics)
>> <jkinney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Fingerprint = 3C9E 6366 54FC A3FE BA4D 0659 6190 ADC3 829C 6CA7
>>
>>
>> --
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>
>
> :)
>