[Sussex] Getting Linux into schools

Thu Jul 2 17:42:41 UTC 2009

Hi all,

I would just like to add that I have just completed my HND in Software Development at Chichester College and previously City & Guilds Lvl 3 in VB6, VB.Net and C++ at the same venue.

The College used solely Windows machines for everything on all courses I took, although they did a SuSE install in year one with use 'Just to show us Linux', although most of us had used it many times before and some of us use it for most things anyway. 

However now I find out that this year they are going to be 'considering' rolling out a few permanent Linux boxes (possibly dual booters) so people can choose their platform for certain things... it's a step in the right direction.
This is for the Computing students only though not the main College network, the main network is looked after by the very same ilk of people, that is Windows People not Computer People, and they have issues maintaining the Windows network let alone introducing Linux.. massive brain overload for them. Oddly the college networks' utilise Novells netware and the progression on that product is Novells SuSE based option, so perhaps it is only a matter of time for the switch over?

So, it basically has come about as the new network technician is a Linux fan and has been nagging the management since he started about at least rolling out *some* Linux boxes.
We got OOo installed on the windows machines too, at last, and alot of us chose to use LAMP for our web development projects over the ASPX option, not to mention an after college Java class being requested and implemented by me and one other too.
I happen to love C# and the Linux's C# IDE just don't cut it yet for me so I'm stuck having to use both O/S's for now, but that's ok.

It's taken a year for someone to get it moving in this direction as it was completely dismissed prior to that, but I think if the Colleges and Uni's start doing this, that is training it's degree level students to use Linux alongside/instead of Windows then the option to use either becomes a reality.
Once the professionals are using and recommending it then it's only a matter of time before it spreads properly to local schools and instituions.
It's a case of making the Windows professionals become Computer professionals. 

> So, the basic situation is, you've got a very few people calling for a 
> conversion to Linux (mainly from Science and Maths because the IT people 
> are all really WINDOWS people rather than COMPUTER people), and now is 
> pretty much their only opportunity because if the new academy pays out 
> for a Windows site license, they're going to be highly resistant to the 
> idea of switching afterwards. They've made the case already that Linux 
> is more reliable (vital in modern schools where most lessons run off 
> interactive whiteboards - essentially a big touchscreen + projector), 
> more secure (even more vital with nearly 2000 children using it daily), 
> and more educational (no brainer), and also can draw upon the fact that 
> the Windows app that they're told they can't live without is decidedly 
> unpopular and unreliable.

Perhaps if the option to dual boot is given then Linux's brilliance could be proven and rolled out. Failing that it would give the people who prefer Linux the choice to use it.

> It seems to me that most of what it does, and more besides, would be 
> easily in the reach of any good CMS, but things like generating 
> timetables and registers is where it starts to get complicated and 
> outside of my experience.

As for the CMS part, although I am unable to reference this, I think there was a moodle addon that dealt with these sorts of things? Perhaps someone else might know.

Just my opinions and expereinces but there you go.

Craig 

touchbase at logicshock.co.uk

________________________________
From: Paul Tansom <paul at aptanet.com>
To: sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk
Sent: Wednesday, 1 July, 2009 3:04:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Sussex] Getting Linux into schools

** Dominic Humphries <linux at oneandoneis2.org> [2009-06-29 12:29]:
<snip>
> The main objection being raised against the conversion is that old 
> favourite: Windows-only applications. The school uses a system called 
> SIMS ("Student Information Management services") which holds information 
> about each pupil, their timetable, and the electronic registers that 
> teachers use at the start of each class. It is (I speak from experience) 
> a fairly dreadful application, as it crashes a lot and has a very arcane 
> interface. But it's all they've got, and there's not really any 
> alternatives (on any platform) that they know of.
> 
> It seems to me that most of what it does, and more besides, would be 
> easily in the reach of any good CMS, but things like generating 
> timetables and registers is where it starts to get complicated and 
> outside of my experience.
> 
> So, the basic situation is, you've got a very few people calling for a 
> conversion to Linux (mainly from Science and Maths because the IT people 
> are all really WINDOWS people rather than COMPUTER people), and now is 
> pretty much their only opportunity because if the new academy pays out 
> for a Windows site license, they're going to be highly resistant to the 
> idea of switching afterwards. They've made the case already that Linux 
> is more reliable (vital in modern schools where most lessons run off 
> interactive whiteboards - essentially a big touchscreen + projector), 
> more secure (even more vital with nearly 2000 children using it daily), 
> and more educational (no brainer), and also can draw upon the fact that 
> the Windows app that they're told they can't live without is decidedly 
> unpopular and unreliable.
> 
> If anyone has ANY suggestions for how those few people could overcome 
> the Windows loyalists, I'd like to hear them. Any information of 
> Linux-based alternatives to the SIMS application would be very helpful, 
> as would details of any other schools that have trialled Linux 
> successfully or of people/companies in the West Sussex area that would 
> be able to help with a BIG switchover. I know Ubuntu has the Edubuntu 
> branch, but have never used it - how much support is available from 
> Canonical/the community when it comes to large organisations switching 
> to their distro? I've only ever encountered Ubuntu as something to 
> install from CD to PC, not to a huge network..
** end quote [Dominic Humphries]

I don't have any personal experience, but since I remember reading about a
Linux / open source package of this sort a while back I had a quick dig around.
You may like to take a look at the Schoolforge site, or more specifically their
page specifically on this sort of software [1]. They have a few listed there,
although ClaSS, Centre and SchoolTool are the only ones that look to be active
still (from a quick look). There also openSIS [2] that may be of use. It all
depends on what features are used, and how well the integrate into the
reporting process required outside the school. I know I've worked with
charities who consider the expense of purchasing a new PC with Windows and
Office far more cost effective than any thought of Linux or even just
OpenOffice on the desktop. This comes down to the fact that they don't want to
annoy their volunteers by insisting they use software they don't use elsewhere
(although that can cut both ways I guess!) and a lot of fund raising data is
supplied in Excel spreadsheets with awkward formulae/macros in. Personally I
consider it short sited - a little bit of effort for a lot of gain, and
volunteers should be willing to do whatever it takes to save the charity money,
and could then say they know how to use 'a word processor' rather than just
Word which should count for something (much like being able to drive a car
rather than just an automatic).

Anyhoo...

[1] http://schoolforge.org.uk/index.php/Management_Information_and_Administration_Systems
[2] http://opensis.com/index.php

-- 
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