Re: [school-discuss] math/science Linux desktop

[Daniel Howard <dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, William and I met with the High School principal and his assistant 
principal this morning, and also met several teachers (math, physics, 
music, multimedia) and all of them are tremendously excited about 
getting working Linux computers in their classrooms, and the potential 
for lots of new Open Source software titles.  The teachers have already 
heard how successful the other Atlanta schools were, and don't seem to 
care a whit that it will not be Windows based.  They just want working 
computers, and lots of 'em, and they've heard this is good stuff.

We've asked them to send us ideas for what they'd like to use the 
computers for in their classrooms, but at the same time, William and I 
are guessing they have no idea what they could ask for, so we thought 
we'd put together a system for them to play with with a bunch of high 
school appropriate titles on it (like the math titles I listed below). 
Can anyone suggest other high school appropriate applications for math, 
science, yearbook publishing, web page development (actually I think 
William has that one covered), control of MIDI keyboards and music 
composition, audio mixing (they have a small studio), etc.

Thanks in advance,
Daniel


Daniel Howard wrote:
> I'm meeting monday with an Atlanta High School principal that wants to 
> use Open Source applications in his school.  He's familiar with the 
> K12LTSP program that Atlanta Public Schools rolled out to 7 schools last 
> year (he was formerly the principal of a middle school that was in the 
> pilot) and APS apparently has 35 more elementary and middle schools 
> lined up for it.  So he's a big fan of OSS now.  But high schools are 
> different creatures, and there are lots of reasons why selected classes 
> (like math and science) need stand alone desktops for CPU intensive 
> processing.
>
> I'm wondering if there is a Linux package that is geared towards 
> math/science like K12LTSP is to general education.  Something that 
> installs with FreeMat, Octave, SciLab, etc. built into it.  Anyone seen 
> anything like that?
>
> Daniel


--
Daniel Howard
President and CEO
Georgia Open Source Education Foundation