[ubuntu-uk] EDM179 - Schools - FLOSS

[alan c]

Jonathan Lees wrote:
> 
> 
> I see on the wiki page that the education project is getting started, 
> would it be possible to get another ubuntu mailing list going that can 
> be dedicated to education?

I know of
==============
http://www.edubuntu.org/Community
edubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com

  Edubuntu Mailing Lists
The Edubuntu mailing lists serves as the official communication forum 
for developers and users. The list server can be found at 
http://lists.ubuntu.com
==============

these are worldwide (english) not uk specific.

> I'd like our school to be a reference site for floss, but that's a 
> selfish goal of mine as I like using Linux. However it would be really 
> good to offer our students a choice between Linux and Windows at bootup. 
> I've toyed with the idea of using Edubuntu and our current PC's as thin 
> clients, they can all boot using PXE, I'm not sure if it's possible to 
> configure either grub or some other boot manager that will either boot 
> via PXE or HDD.
> 
> Also I'm not sure about Edubuntu, is it aimed at younger kids? Ours are 
> 11-18, might they see it a bit immature, or can it be tailored to suit?

Edubuntu has a live CD which is similar to the user workstation.


this is useful to look at:
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/
'OSS Watch promotes awareness and understanding of the legal, social, 
technical and economic issues that arise when educational institutions 
engage with free and open source software. It does this by providing 
unbiased advice and guidance to UK higher and further education.'

also:
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/beginners.xml



> Lastly, another idea. About a week ago I came across a link to a floss 
> program called iTALC. It allows teacher to monitor, control and perform 
> demonstration to a classrooms with PC's. It is practically the same as a 
> product used in schools called NetOP. Just this year we paid nearly 
> £3000 for just two rooms for NetOP! Imagine my reaction to iTALC. Anyway 
> this led me on to think, unless you're in the know about floss and you 
> keep up to date how do you know what is out there that can be used in 
> schools, I know of Schoolforge's software directory but it's clearly not 
> the be and all of floss. I added iTALC to it btw.
> 
> Could it be possible to create a newsletter / magazine etc that would 
> focus on floss, reference sites etc and be sent to UK schools to educate 
> their IT managers/Coordinators? In my school we get the freebie papers 
> like IT weekly, Networking etc but they don't cover any aspect of floss 
> in education.

might be useful:
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/softwareexamples.xml
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/digitallearners.xml

> 
> When I'm back to work, I'll work on the IT teachers.

What area of UK are you in?

good luck
-- 
Kubuntu user#10391