[ILUG] scoil.linux.ie

[Rory Browne]

> >>I have suggested that already and haven't heard anything else about it.
> >>with all the good reviews that OSS has revieved in recent times, I do
> >>think its about time we(ilug) got off our rear ends and do something.
> 
> I agree. Put a wiki (MediaWiki please) up there. Lets see what happens.
> 
> Of course its teachers that count, so I think it might be an idea to put
> some sort of forum that teachers can use to request applications and ask
> questions. Something really friendly right on the front page.
Teachers are an important part of the jig-saw, but ultimately I think
it's the students(or pupils, which will hereinafter be refered to as
students) that count. Students are the future. Teachers facilitate the
process, but it is the students who will influence future use of
Linux.

> 
> Even free blogs for teachers might be helpful - or not, I don't know.
> Seems to make sense, todays lesson details homework, and a discussion
> forum.
As a service to encourage teachers to use the website, yes, blog
services would be useful. Once you have people using, and telling
others about the website, you're more likely to have more people
checking out what the site is really about.

> 
> Lets find out. Timing sucks - schools (nearly) out for summer.
Timing's perfect. We've got three months, with teachers with nothing
better to do, than contribute information and suggestions to the site.

> 
> Why not stick schools.linux.ie in the DNS too.
Good idea. It should be the same site(without any language
differences) as scoil.linux.ie though IMHO.

> 
> > For anyone interested, from talking to various schools one of the real
> > blockers for them is the lack of apps for kids. The server side seems to be
> > reasonably ok (with skolelinux and debedu/edubuntu).
Personally I believe the real blocker is the lack of knowledge of apps
for kids., and not the lack of apps themselves.

> 
> I was wondering if you have knowledge of what these apps are? Have you a
> list of the windows applications they currently use?
I think there are so many different apps, for windows that do the same
thing, that such a list would be useless, or at the very least hard to
sift through. I think a list of different purposes currently served
would be a more useful list to reference. By this I mean, the list
that includes, Typing tutors, math software for children aged 6-12,
and word game software for children aged 6-12, is a more useful list
than one that includes, Mavis Beacon, Typing tutor Pro, TypingStar,
TypingMaster, Dr. Aardsma's Math Drill, Basic Space Age Math Series,
FUNdamentallyMATH,  {insert_your_own_range_of_different_word
/spelling_game_software_here_because_I'm_fed_up_googling}. I think the
former, is both more informative, more relevent, more succulent, and
most importantly, more useful.

The former(list of purposes to be served), can contain entries that
aren't necessarly, served by existing software in schools, and can be
used as a reference for potential developers.





> 
> 
> - Justin
> --
> Irish Linux Users' Group
> http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/
> 
>