On (14/05/06 20:41), Ian Lynch wrote: > On Sun, 2006-05-14 at 17:30 +0100, Simon wrote: > > Been a while since I posted here. My last post was about a > > Linux/Computer club I was going to start in the secondary school I teach > > ICT at. Been going very well. Thanks for the help. > > > > I keep going on about Linux & FLOSS at school. The school has now been > > granted ICT & Math Specialist Status and intends to spend a day next > > month celebrating this. My Head of Dept, (ICT) has asked me to come up > > with an idea for entertaining about 50 year 10s (14 - 15 year old) for > > about 1hr - 1 1/2hr with "something to do with Linux". HELP!!! He wants > > to show the kids that there is more out there that WinXP (as if he knows > > any better $¬[) > > First, are you a member of Schoolforge UK? www.schoolforge.org.uk. If > not that would probably be a better place to ask since its the > definitive place for those interested in free software in schools. > > > > We have a small budget available, almost unlimited support, a shed load > > of WinXP boxes (bolted down by RM but possible to boot to a "Live CD") > > and a cupboard full of our old Win'98 machines. I can do what I want > > with them (within reason), but time is the major player for me. > > > > Any suggestions would be very gratefully received. > > You could give them the criteria from part of the Gold INGOT "setting up > and managing computers". Gold INGOT will become a L2 VRQ next year if my > current efforts with QCA keep on track so it will provide the equivalent > of a GCSE in IT. Here are the criteria > > I can install an operating system on a computer and get it working on a > network. > > I can install Office software applications on a computer and configure > them appropriately for the particular environment. > > I understand the need for regular back ups and how backup strategies > work. > > I can repair a computer with a simple hardware fault by swapping > components. > > > Get them in groups of say 4 to a windows 98 computer and show them how > to install a linux distro. That hits most of the criteria :-) >
Good luck Simon and all power to you :) > Here is a story from Japan. See if they can see any parallels with the > IT industry. Ask over at Schoolforge, they might have some better ideas. > > A long time ago, there was a tree in a field close to a village > This tree bore a lot of delicious fruit > > The villagers harvested all the fruit because of its delicious taste > > Many people liked the fruit so much that they would cut a branch off the > tree and take it home > > This was too much for the tree and it died after a short time. > > In the village there was a clever merchant > > He took a cutting from the tree before it died > > He fertilised his cutting and produced a new tree, nurturing it and > making sure it was strong and healthy. This took many years but he > thought is was a worthwhile thing to do. > > Then the tree bore fruit and he sold it and made a lot of money. > > But he was a real worrier and so he built a fence around the tree and > guarded it day and night. > > The merchant was not only a worrier, he was also a hard worker and his > care of the tree made the fruit even more delicious so more and more > people bought it. They made jam from the fruit and sold it. > > The merchant had the only tree that had fruit good enough to make jam > and so all the people who made jam had to buy their fruit from the > merchant. This made the merchant less careful and his tree became > infested with parasites. > > When people said to him there are many worm holes in the tree he would > not hear of it and said "the fruit is cheap, stop complaining". > When asked if he used any harmful fertilisers he replied that it was a > company secret and he would not answer the question. > When another merchant asked to buy a branch from the tree he replied he > did not want competitors and refused to sell. > > More and more people bought the fruit, selling to others, making jam and > the merchant became the richest man the village had ever seen. > > The merchant increased the price of the fruit to make as much money as > he could even though the price of other food was going down. He could do > this because he had the only tree that made fruit suitable for making > jam. > > A young man in the village who loved fruit was poor and could no longer > afford the high price. So he found another tree that bore fruit but the > fruit was sour and not good for making jam. The tree was older and had > been neglected but the young man looked after it and over the years it > became healthy and strong. He invited his friends to help and soon they > had more fruit than they needed. > > They put a sign by their tree which said "Free Fruit" > Some people just took the fruit but some also helped to maintain the > tree. The young man and his friends didn't mind because they had all the > fruit they needed and enjoyed helping the tree grow. > > More people came to help because they liked what the young man and his > friends had done and understood that this tree would not die like the > first one and the fruit was getting better and better all the time. > > Soon there were more people wanting fruit than this tree could sustain > so the young man let people take cuttings to grow their own fruit trees > as long as they put the free sign next to their tree. The villagers paid > the young man and his friends for advice on how to grow good trees and > the young man and his friends were no longer poor. > > All the fruit from these trees had the same delicious flavour as the > fruit from the young man's tree but there were subtle differences that > gave the people more choice and variety for making their jam. The people > shared their ideas for improving their trees and there were no parasites > so the trees grew strong and the fruit got better and better. The fruit > became the most popular in the village and was used to make a rich > variety of jams that people bought and sold throughout the village. > > The villagers started to sell their fruit and jam to far off places and > they were happy and content. The young man and his friends were pleased > and continued to maintain the original tree because they really enjoyed > their work and their help and advice was in big demand. > > So what of the first merchant that did not share his tree? At first he > tried to discredit the young man and his friends saying that their fruit > was no good. If it was any good he would not be giving it freely to > others. But eventually the villagers stopped buying his fruit so he had > to change. At first he found it very difficult to be more open and share > his tree and fruit but eventually he did and he still made enough money > to keep his family. In the end there was no difference between the young > man and his friends and the merchant. They all made money from providing > advice on their trees and their fruit and the people enjoyed the best > variety of fruit and jam that they could imagine. > > Everyone lived happily ever after. > Great story Ian, do you mind if I use this on my site? Regards Clive -- www.clivemenzies.co.uk ... ...strategies for business _______________________________________________ Fsfe-uk mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-uk
