Rock on! That is so sweet. I'm curious, of course, about the grades (elementary?) and what apps the teacher's are stoked about.I'm also wondering about what web resources and non-Edubuntu resources they are using.
-Jordan On 8/27/07, David Trask <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi! > > Today was a great day! Today was the first day of school....for the > teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning). Why was it so great? I > finally had the opportunity to really show off our new "system" where we > now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and thin-clients. I also had > the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival of "the digital > natives" to our school. Yep....the children of today....the digital > natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content delivery to > accomodate their "world". The excitement was electric. I was a bit > nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. Yes...we've been a > predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but this was the biggest > step forward we've taken. We no longer have any classroom machines that > boot to Windows. As part of my "dog and pony" show....I showed them > Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual field trip via > Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect research via Google > Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able to put a TON of > clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the extensions from > OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things. Once I was > finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement about the new realm > of possibilities. Shortly after I went around to each of the "team > meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after all...they are one of my > "customers" so to speak). I was inundated with requests for more > thin-clients and computers. I was shocked. I had no idea the impact that > had been made, but I was ecstatic. But...I'm ready (that's the key)...as > soon as the new monitors arrive later this week. I have a bunch more > workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can deploy to an > already "well-stocked" school. I'm so psyched! The teachers are already > asking me about workshops to learn all of the new programs available to > them. Edubuntu is LOADED with them! The combination of Web 2.0 apps and > the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very exciting combination > and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference in the delivery of > content and teaching at our school. Several computers and thin-clients in > every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that already exist. > Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself! Access! That's what it's > all about! > > Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they were pretty > excited). You can bet I'll be blogging and photo-blogging all of the > smiling faces! Gosh I love this job! :-) It's Open Source and free of > encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new magic every school > year! This is SO COOL! (When no one tells you what and how you have to > do something...and you are free to do what you know is right and what will > work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!) > > Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight! :-) > > David N. Trask > Technology Teacher/Director > Vassalboro Community School > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > (207)923-3100 > -- edubuntu-devel mailing list edubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-devel