Linux as a platform

[Dominic Webb]

On Tue, 2006-10-10 at 23:02 +0100, John RIdge wrote:
> Dom:
> Agree with all your points.
> 
> > Cross platform is the key.
> I think Linux (Ubuntu) will be the predominant platform in UK education 
> within 5 years.
> 
> Moodle is the main reason for my optimism.
> It is rapidly becoming the VLE for FE and HE in the UK. (apologies for 
> acronyms)
> It got there from the ground up.
Yes and at FE/HE level your right. From  Foundation/KS1-KS4 we looked
very hard at Moodle, and have done some integration work as a proof of
concept with our openMIAS software.

However we did a number of user group testing sessions* with teachers,
teaching assistants and students and it did not go well. Our key
conclusions where that Moodle:

1. Has a poor interface
2. Is to intrusive and tries to do to many things at the wrong times -
teachers where scared by it...simple really!

This is all stuff that can be addressed, and we are. I would add this
though. The whole VLE and LMS market is awash with products for schools
at KS1 to KS4 stages, but we have seen widespread "buy and then not use"
adoption. Why, because they all fall down around the same two points as
Moodle. You can actually add a third and fourth which is the complete
incompatibility, so content gets locked in, whether its Moodle or not.

The fourth, and this is where FLOSS can really get one up, is the lack
of integration at  technical level for data sharing. Why will a school
use a piece of software that take a non-teaching member of staff 2 days
to input student, teacher, class data into an LMS/VLE and then have to
manually input any future changes as and when they happen. Answer, the
wont and they don't...hence no usage of the VLE/LMS.

And for those wondering what goes on over in the UK regards schools en
mass buying software and then not using it....if I had an answer I think
I'd be far wiser and richer than I am!

* this equates to over 160 hours of user testing, feedback, videos etc.
Yes we will post this online for others to access and use, probably
around xmas/new year.

> 5 years ago it was not even a blip on the radar.
Indeed. Having meet a growing number of uni's at various CETIS meetings
you can see massive Linux/FLOSS uptake. However one thing to note is
that all UK uni's have very large IT resources on the technical side, so
they can make ad-hoc changes to things very easily, KS1-KS4 schools dont
have the resources.
> 
> Open source, shared learning.
> Works really well.
> Appears to work exponentially
> 
Yes it does :-)
> sorry for borrowing your soap box
> 
> john
> 
> 
> 
> On 10 Oct 2006, at 20:39, Andy Trevor wrote:
> 
> > Dom,
> >
> > lets go back to your original question.
> >
> > "establishing Linux as a superior platform to deliver IT to education"
> >
> > Currently Linux is an inferior platform to deliver IT in UK education.
> >
> > A bold statement from someone who makes a living from deploying Linux
> > for UK education.  Let me expand.
> >
> > It is inferior for a number of reasons, little of which has to do with
> > Linux itself.
> >
> > The biggest one of all is lack of good quality curriculum specific
> > education applications.  The UK schools have become heavily reliant on
> > software bought by ELCs.  Most of the packages are baby sitting rubbish
> > but some do have real value.  Until this is addressed by ISVs 99.9% of
> > these apps will stay windows only.  The trouble is they see little
> > market for converting them to Linux due to the small numbers of schools
> > using it as their primary delivery platform.  Schools will not deploy
> > Linux due to the lack of apps.  Chicken and egg.......................
> >
> > Secondly,  there seems to be a lack of political will to push OSS
> > forward in education.  Ourselves and colleagues speak to Becta via
> > various channels and get mixed responses.  The introduction of KS3
> > online (term used loosely) testing has proven to be a stumbling block
> > for us in a couple of schools.  It is heavily geared to MS products,
> > making OS platforms especially thin client a real issue.  Same applies
> > for Mac based schools.
> >
> > Thirdly is the lack of will of current educators to think outside the
> > box and accept change.  There are those out there who can and do, but
> > they are a minority.
> >
> > Linux as the main delivery platform especially thin client is a
> > financial and management no brainer.  It works and saves money.  The
> > issue lies with the above and will continue to do so for a while yet.
> > Linux installs will be the exception rather than the rule for the
> > foreseeable future.
> >
> > The quickest way in my opinion to change this is to provide good 
> > quality
> > "CROSS PLATFORM" education related apps.  These will need to be
> > curriculum specific in a lot of cases making a world wide suite a 
> > little
> > tricky.
> >
> > Cross platform is the key.  Take away the need for a specific platform
> > and people we go for the cheapest most stable and easy to manage system
> > (Linux thin client)
> >
> > Soapbox going away now
> >
> > -- 
> > Regards
> >
> > Andy Trevor
> >
> > Technical Director
> > Cutter Project Limited
> > http://www.cutterproject.co.uk
> >
> > -- 
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> >
> >
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> >
> 
> 
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