Re: [seul-edu] Re: [novalug] Re: FETC - technology and education -- FLA LUGS #3

[gringey@sendit.sendit.nodak.edu]

Quoting Josh Levine <levine@gdi.net>:

> > The list looks good, Karl, but I was thinking about getting
educators
> rather
> > than just techies.  I have no doubt we can persuade folks from the
Linux
> > community to help out, but I rather suspect that we'll be more
successful
> if
> > we can have a teacher or two helping to promote Linux and free
software. 
> It
> > will be a matter of shared experiences and speaking the same
language. 
> For
> > example, before this group started "PLO" meant only one thing to
me, and
> it
> > wasn't "programmed learning outcome."  We'll only gain credibility
if we
> know
> > at least some of the jargon used by the community we're trying to
reach.
>
> I missed the beginning of this thread, but I'm in the process of
> converting about 200 486's (mainly IBM EduQuests and Dell 466/le's)
into
> Linux terminals at my high school in Seminole County, FL (Orlando
area).
>
> If it works as planned, you might have quite a pool of teachers who
will
> (hopefully!) have nice things to say about Linux...
>
> --Josh Levine

Josh,
  I am a teacher at a middle school in Fargo, ND.  We have just
installed Caldera2.4 on 30 PC's in our new lab.  I have a few
questions about Linux in general.  Our superintendent chose the lab
because it was less expensive than a Windows or Mac lab.

1. Our superintendent states that schools are going away from students
saving work on the server.  He feels that our 230 students should each
be assigned to a particular machine.  Last year students could work
from any machine.  Is our superintendent accurate?

2. We are using StarOffice 5.2.  Does it always take 15 to 20 seconds
to load?  Our Netscape also takes 10-15 seconds to load?  Are we doing
something wrong or is this normal for Linux?

3. The cursor in Linux does not change when an application is
loading.  I miss the clock or the hour glass from Mac and Windows. 
Can that be adjusted?

4. We loaded StarOffice5.2 at the root level.  We reloaded it for a
student access account.  Does it need to be reloaded 230 times?  Once
for each students personal account?  That is the information that we
received from our technical support.

5.  Free software was a draw for our school to choose Linux.  Is it
difficult to download software?  Do you have to download software to
see how it works?  Is there a way to "try" before you load some
software packages?

6. Did we make a mistake using Caldera2.4 instead of RedHat?
 
7.  I am a classroom teacher.  My goal is to be proficient in software
run on Linux.  I want to learn how to troubleshoot.  I do not
currently have the energy or the interest to get in to the heart of
Linux commands.  Are there workshops or materials that can meet my
needs?

8.  I would like to be a teacher who will promote Linux in schools
because that is what we are running.  So far,  I don't have anything
more than a word processing package.  Is there a keyboarding package
that is appropriate for grades 6-8?

9.  Is Linux really ready for schools?  Is it user friendly for the
average teacher to bring a class to the lab and enhance her
curriculum.

Gail