[ILUG] More Linux in the classroom!

[Michael Treacy]

>Is this a real possibility? That is, producing Linux software tailored
>to the Irish Secondary School curriculum? I would be happy to be
>involved
>in producing Maths/Physics/Applied Maths software instructional aids.
>
>However, there's little point in producing fantastic Linux software for
>schools (and it can be fantastic - the Learning Logic software package
>that John mentioned looks very good
>http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/9586/).
>if schools aren't using Linux and have no awareness of the advantages
>of Linux. My experience after 2 years of Secondary school teaching
>(as Maths/Computers) was that many Secondary Schools are just beginning
>to realise the potential of computer technologies (and some haven't
>even realised), but unfortunately, for most of these schools Computers =
>Microsoft, i.e. even Office suites running on Win95/98 don't get a
>look in if they're not Microsoft Office. Linux wouldn't be in the
>picture at all.
>

Cormac,

You've just mentioned EVERYTHING that I said in a mail to the list about 2 
weeks ago.

I teach computers in a school in Limerick. I've also been responsible for 
setting up the network - Novell 4.11 and 30 PC's running Windoze 95. After 
that, our only requirments are a suite of programs for Wordprocessing, 
Database and Spreadsheets.

Now as I see it, KOffice (when it's finished) or Star Office or Applixware 
could fulfill all of this for us. I would probably go with one of the first 
two due to them being free!!

Graphics software is available (The GIMP), and almost everything else you 
could want.

I'm seriously thinking of re-building our system over the summer, removing 
Novell and installing Linux, using SAMBA to link Windoze to Linux. And if it 
wasn't for the fact that the school is used for night classes in computers, 
I would probably remove Windoze altogether and go down the Linux road 
completely. I don't know about you, but I find it a right pain in the arse 
having to "fix" all the things that students get up to on computers 
espcially in Windoze.

I was thinking about the Linux situation lately and discussing it with 
another teacher. Set up properly, the students don't even need floppies - 
they have their own area on the server, etc. I find that they lose them, 
forget to take them out of the pc when they leave, etc.

I really think it's definitely the way to go. But we would need to make 
teachers aware of what CAN be done by, as you suggest, taking a school and 
using it as a pilot school. And then maybe getting some articles into the 
various educational journals about the project. Any teacher who teaches 
computers cannot but be aware of the massive increase in interest in Linux 
this past year. I definitely think we could arouse a lot of interest.

Mike
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