There are lots of little side issues involved in getting this all working together requiring admin docu (how-to's) along with end-user documentation. So "documentation" applies to both the admin side (which could only be an advanced user, which the Karoshi suite targets) as well as the end-users - the teachers & students.
Which brings
me back to the problem of scope. How would the community tackle all these little pieces and provide a consolidated approach?
From: Marilyn Hagle <marilyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: schoolforge-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 8:51:41 PM
Subject: [school-discuss] I think this is the "killer app"
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
>
>
> --
> This message has been scanned for viruses and
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>
>
:)