[seul-edu] Linux in educational computing

[Randy Edwards <redwards@golgotha.net>]

Hi Folks,

    I want to pick some brains here, if I might.

    I'm a former computer consultant turned educator turned technology 
coordinator who went back into corporate IT as an SE a couple of years ago. 
The company I worked for imploded and so I find myself unemployed.  I've toyed 
with the idea of doing consulting again but "mainstream" consulting doesn't 
really appeal to me.  However, the idea of using GNU/Linux in education 
definitely does, so I'm toying with ideas of how to combine the two.

    What I'm playing with is ideas of using GNU/Linux in education.  The area 
where I live is northern New England, very rural, very poor computing 
infrastructure in schools, and a low level of tech use in schools.  I'm 
looking to fill a niche implementing Linux-based solutions.  By combining 
Linux's stability and free software apps/tools, I know it'll be an attractive 
solution.

    Based on my experience, schools are ignorant of the advantages of free 
software, whether it's lower hardware requirements, avoidance of licensing 
issues, educational/technological empowerment, straight costs, or what have 
you.  The general attitude is "these computers are a pain in the butt to keep 
running" and "everybody uses Windows so it's popular and the best thing to 
use."  These are schools where a second grader playing a game on a CD-ROM is 
considered a "good use" of technology -- so Linux's inability to run Windows 
programs is a definite drawback.

    Well, I'm babbling; cutting to the bone, I'm looking for advice on two points:

#1: What Linux-based solutions do you see as "mandatory" for a typical school 
to implement?  What tools/software will really "wow" a reluctant administrator 
(either tech administrator or educational administrator)?  Can you give me 
some examples?

#2: What are good ways to approach/market to schools?  Seeing as schools will 
have to commit to converting (read: hassle and retraining) to GNU/Linux, or to 
run both Windows/Linux in tandem, a school is going to need a good pitch to 
convert.  And considering many of the tech coords around here are wildly 
overworked tackling another project isn't at the top of their list.  Does 
anyone have any strategies or tactics that can work for this?

    War stories, examples, thinking aloud -- I'd love to hear it.  You'll get 
bonus points for hard data and anything I can massage into use in an 
above-mentioned business, if you have any...

    Okay, I lied.  I've got another question.  I'm toying with the idea of 
doing a project in a school as a real and local example/demo.  Does anyone 
have any ideas on what would make a good demo project?

    Thanks in advance.

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  | Regards,
  | .
  | Randy
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