Re: [school-discuss] what pieces of software would you demo to

[Bill Barowy <wbarowy@attbi.com>]

Hi Tim,

I teach a course in computer structures for an MA degree in educational
technology -- for practicing k-12 teachers.  I do so by traveling to a 
remote
site ( a school computer lab) and conducting half-semter contact hours 
in a 3
day weekend, repeating a month later.

I've been introducing folks to knoppix, because it does not take a local
install, but boots off the CD.  This takes the worry from the lab
coordinator.  Open office and KDE are on knoppix, and folks are often
interested in Oo because of its great value.  They are marveled by the KDE
multiple desktops and the fact that the interface is an easy reach from
knowing windows.  I also show folks mozilla, and invite them to play 
with it
-- tabbed browsing and the pop-up stopper get great reviews.  The more
advanced students will often "play" with knoppix, when they have free time.

I also use mozilla as the gui client for teaching a course in basic html 
4.0.
Folks like it.

I'd like to see knoppix with with a "true" third grader interface.  Kid
knoppix still has too much.  Folks need to see something really simple, 
that
will match developmentally-appropriate-in-school-context teaching 
methods.  I
created a "kid user" on a machine (kde 3.1 on RH8.0) at one time to 
create a
really simple interface, with the idea of porting that config elsewhere, 
but
have not had the time to do anything more.

Bill Barowy
http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/wbarowy/