Re: [school-discuss] Feedback from the Georgia Educational Technology Conference and a thought

[Shane Coyle <shane@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sunday 19 November 2006 15:51, Daniel Howard wrote:
> Open Source Folk,
>
> This past week, I gave a talk at the Georgia ETC on Open Source software
> for schools, and highlighted the Brandon story in particular.  Here's my
> abstract:
>
> Session: 190 Title: Reviving Your Older Technology Using Linux Thin
> Client Software
> Presenter: Daniel Howard, Georgia Open Source Education Foundation
>
> Learn how older computers can be set up as high-performance, virus-free
> thin client workstations using the K12LTSP Free Open Source Software
> package (FOSS). The package includes the Linux operating system and
> dozens of software applications ranging from kindergarten to high school
> years and beyond, with an emphasis on math, science, and reading.
> Participants will learn how to freely obtain and install the software,
> configure their older school PCs as thin clients, and explore the new
> educational software applications included in the package. Participants
> will be given a set of installation disks at the end of the workshop, as
> well as a CD ROM they can use on their own computers that demonstrates
> how easy Linux and the new educational software applications are to use.
>
> And here's a link to the other sessions:
> http://www.gaetc.org/sessions06/1sessions06.htm
>
> 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.  I gave out Knoppix and WinOSS CDs, and K12LTSP DVDs to my
> attendees, plus we gave out disks at the booth that Jim Kinney set up,
> where he had a bunch of laptops and new thin clients (including the
> NTAVOs) on display for folks to play with the software.  All in all, a
> great success, and the buzz about Open Source is definitely getting out
> here in Georgia.
>
> Based on some of the questions I got from school IT and CIO folk, I'd
> like to pose the following question for our group: Can we put together a
> complete Open Source solution for schools?  We could use both a
> classroom server model, as well as an enterprise model (fewer, more
> powerful serves in the MDF/IDF and Gigabit links to classrooms), but I
> want to include whatever servers and software would be required for all
> other school functions, including administrative, grading (OpenAdmin),
> email, web portal/wiki, client support/tracking (Nagios?), etc.
> Consider the question this way: 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?
>
> On a satisfactory note, William just discovered that the SmartBoard
> interactive whiteboards from Smart Technologies have a Linux version of
> their software...the revolution continues.
>
> Best regards,
> Daniel

Outstanding, I am especially interested in the smartboard linux software since 
my local district just picked up a few of those and certainly wouldnt want to 
hear Linux doesnt support them.

I like the idea of the "Open Source School in a Box", lets hash that out a bit 
because I think it has a lot of merit and could be a real important project 
to not only identify what we have accomplished, but more importantly where 
the 'holes' are in the OSS Schoolware stack.

If there is interest, I'll setup a spot at EDU-Nix.org for the discussion - a 
wiki, forum, whatever would be best format.

Great work Daniel, thanks for sharing.

-- 
Shane Coyle
www.edu-nix.org
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