[ILUG] More Linux in the classroom!

[Tom Doris]

> Except that 486s make cruddy X-terminals - they just don't have the
> bitblt-ing balls for the job, and they're unlikely to have high end
> graphics card to make up for it.
>
> > As Linux's memory management would only open one instance of the package
> > and share it between the terminals
>
> The only thing that's shared is the code - each instance of the process of
> course requires its own data, which can be pretty large for a big app.
>
> > the performance of 21 terminals off of one PC would not be severe.
>
> Unless they all tried to run Star Office, or the Gimp, or Netscape, or . .
>
> I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but I'd hate people to rush in
> bull-headed and make fools of themselves. Old boxes make fine print
> servers / internet gateways, and even file servers if you're not too
> pushed about performance, but they won't cut the mustard when people are
> comparing them to their 300 MHz home PC running Windoze, even counting the
> price.

What's really missing is any kind of well-formed IT curriculum for Irish
schools. Even with regard to 3rd level, the government to date has been pretty
clueless with regard to formulating policies - generally they attempt to make
encouraging sounds but avoid any effort to provide direction. If we had a solid
curriculum then we could decide what the hardware and software requirements
would be. If the Dept. of Education decides that they want to provide school
leavers with basic "IT skills" they would probably focus on MS/Win products,
however for Math/Science courseware the Linux alternative would be a viable one
providing that software tailored specifically for the Irish Leaving Cert was
available. A brief look at the Dept. of Education site

http://www.irlgov.ie/educ/

gives a lot of info on their IT for schools policy e.g.:

  "          1.1 Ireland lags significantly behind its European partners in the
integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs)
            into first and second-level education. The need to integrate
technology into teaching and learning right across the curriculum is a
            major national challenge that must be met in the interests of
Ireland's future economic well being.

            In the Action Programme for the New Millennium the Government
commits itself to address this and achieve computer literacy
            throughout the school system. This document, which is based on the
work of an expert Steering Group, sets out a comprehensive
            and innovative programme for realising this objective."

Personally I think Linux can definitely benefit schools who currently are in a
state of perpetual replacement of h/w and s/w, mainly funded by private
contributions. Involvement on the part of the Dept. of Education wrt Linux in
schools would probably help a lot. Anyone in with the Minister? :-)
Tom

--
Tom Doris
Dublin City University
Dept. Computer Applications
http://www.compapp.dcu.ie/~tdoris