[Bradford] E-Petition - non-microsoft schools

[David Carpenter]

Hi Andy

I'm interested. I think schools really is a key area. Especially as free
software in particular is about sharing knowledge and learning from and
with each other!

I'm not active in education, but perhaps a role of the LUG could be to
pull together those examples of good practise. Isn't Oak Bank in Keighly
using Linux?

I'd also love to hear more about the Music Studio - do you have any
links?

I suspect the group might also be interested to know more about your
experiences as a trainee teacher, and your past (were you at Smart?)

Thanks Andy
David

On Tue, 2009-02-10 at 16:52 +0000, Andy Coulson wrote:
> I am a trainee Primary Teacher and have previously worked with
> Audio-visual Installations in Education.  I am reasonably familiar
> with BECTA and as far as I am Aware they do not recommend Microsoft as
> the Only solution in Schools.  However, they have clearly been well
> and truly infected by the Microsoft marketing virus... There are
> references to Mac and Linux and Open Source software on The BECTA
> Site, but it's well buried.  I would not wholly agree with the wording
> of this, but certainly with the intention.
> 
> I think the biggest barrier to acceptance is the lack of technical
> support for ICT in schools, and that that support is predominantly
> Microsoft knowledgeable.  In order to change the education market,
> there is a depressingly large hearts and minds operation to do both in
> schools and at LEA level.  There are great examples of local activism,
> such as  a recent Linux User article where someone cannibalised
> obsolescent PCs (From an MS point of View) and built a fantastic Music
> studio using Linux Studio32 for negligable cost.  We need more of this
> sort of activism to change minds.  The only organisation involved in
> open Source in Schools is Schoolforge which seems depressingly quiet.
> One good sign, although not Open Source, is that Smart make their
> software available on MS, Mac and Linux simultaneously.
> 
> Is there anyone else in the group who is involved in Education and is
> interested in this?
> 
> Andy Coulson
> 
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-- 
David Carpenter

nornir

E: david.carpenter at nornir.co.uk
Skype: carpenter.david

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