Re: [school-discuss] Request for comments: Global Knowledge for Development Digest V1 #634

[mike eschman <meschman@etc-edu.com>]

> The case I want to share is our need for educational software compatible
> with the RH 7.2 distro (GNOME desktop) we use in our schools. While
> there is tons of available educational software on sites like seul.org,
> it is a mishmash of different distributions, different desktops etc, and
> very little of it actually works on our distro. 

be more specific, please.  name specific applications, and the websites they 
can be downloaded from.

the first step in getting what you need is to specify what you want.

for instance :

"I want a set of drills to have 8 to 10 year olds learn division."

or

"I need a book with good maps to teach 16th century Indian history to 15 year 
olds."

This statement will ALWAYS describe classroom materials and will NEVER mention 
a computer.  Collect enough of them (valid ones) and you have a PLAN.  

I am not talking about government related standards for schools.  They 
(government education standards) were created worldwide to stem the flow of 
money to children, not help them.  They are an economical and effective means 
to deny access and keep money were it is, instead of in YOUR schools.  And 
all without anyone having to say FRANKLY, we don't give a damn.

[For ANY politician ANYWHERE in the world, schools and education are something
you have to talk up without spending on, unless it puts $$$ in an allies 
pocket.  All politicians will say this is NOT TRUE.  Politicans are the 
greatest liers on Earth.  Not lying means they are sick, and possibly dying.]

So don't even talk to me about "requirements", have the courage to think out 
what you need to do first for the students, then map to reality as best you 
can.  

The second step is to figure out how badly you are outnumbered by the enemy.
For instance, in a school with 50 teachers and one programmer, if the 
programmer elects to support the 50 teachers by using one computer in each 
classroom, the programmer is outnumbered 50 to 1.  And if he gives one to 
each student, well he's already lost the war, but he made a vendor quite 
content.

Now a smart programmer would say, I will have a computer room and put my 
computers in it with adults for the purpose of producing the materials needed 
in the classroom.  If the programmer is really smart - the end product is on 
cds because it is cheap, but either the teacher has a printer or you made 
handouts for the students.

But where do people usually start?  Let's ALL of us learn Linux, that way, all 
of us can be at a 100% disadvantage.  Some volenteer who might have been 
quite capable of preparing class notes in French on a Linux box is quickly 
taught they are a lousy programmer, and off into the woods they go.

Frankly, here in the U.S., I have had an assful of wanna be techies who think
"The first thing I will do is learn all the rules of the technology, then I 
can ignore the content the technology transports.  I will acheive greatness 
in 6 weeks!!!"  This is as good a description of most of the MSNs I met as 
you are likely to find.  It is also exactly like saying :

I will learn all my Major and Minor scales, then I will know everything about 
Chopin's music, because an inspection has revealed that those scales account 
for all the notes in Chopin's music.  

Interesting and hopeful, but self defeating.

Successful musicians fall in love with the content first, then every utterance 
comes from that source.  They do this for a simple reason,  it will carry you 
through to a successful result over a long haul with unforseen twists and 
turns.

For myself, I have no interest in allowing a young programmer to lead me by 
the nose from halfway around the world, in solving installation problems he 
is unfamiliar with and I have dealt with before.  

My advice is to take 50 donated machines, decompose them, then reconstruct a 
dozen stronger boxes capable of problem free installations.  From that base, 
produce materials that do not require a computer.  Then grow one computer 
shop at a time.  

As for educational software, a lot of it is crap.  Educators are not in the 
forefront of technology.  By and large many of them, even ones who profess 
"technology advocacy", have pre-industrial mentalities and will reach the 
grave before they spiritually reach the beginning of the 20th century [not a 
typo!]

But many researchers have produced work of stunning quality.  You have to 
personally commit to the idea that all knowlegde is like an onion.  Get an 
oninion suitable for a 16 year old and need materials for 11 year olds?  Peel
till you get to 11 year old food.

If using computers make costs go Up instead of Down, a project is a failure.
There is no value added by the computer itself.  A computer is no different 
than a TV, copier or radio.  If you think otherwise, not only are you wrong, 
you are also utterly defeated at the starting gate.

Do that mentally to get a fix on your situation, substitute radio or tv or 
copier for computer in your thoughts.

Ebven if you simply use the computers to distribute text and movies ....

On that basis, you can contact me for help anytime.

mike eschman, etc ...
-- 
in the time it takes to answer that question, i could have made another audio 
book!