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Re: [seul-edu] ISO & documentation...
Hi
I support the Killer How-To- Doc comment. Given the huge potential
for LTSP to run low cost school networks in Africa we would like to
see a good, straightforward How-to on LTSP. Perhaps include the LTSP
rpms? We will probably support an African initiative
(Linuxlab.org.za / Netday.org ) to develop an LTSP in schools
cookbook that is Africa focused but may be useful.
A few comments on the iso:
When compiling a CD with OS-Edu software for an African ICT
Workshop recently I found that grouping apps by target audience is
helpful. E.g. Pre-Primary / Primary, Junior-Secundary / Teacher
Support / Administration (or Management). A combined index
subject/target group would be ideal.
Finally, will the software be evaluated and will a short evaluation
paragraph acompany the apps on the iso? On the Europan schoolnet
website there is a repository of software (mostly not OS) where
each entry is rated by teachers and pupils (e.g. Teachers: *****,
Pupils * - where one star is bad and many stars is good).
On the side: Are there any OS Education Management Information
Systems (EMISs)? Currently most African countries use ss access or
other Ms Sql products to process statistics collected through school
surveys and questionnaires. This often involves both MS and some
proprietary Education database system. As a result each Education
ministry has to start from scratch or be locked in to a specific,
expensive overseas provider. It would be nice to have an OS based
database set-up with the basic features but free and customisable.
If you see a way in which we can contribute to the iso, we are open
for suggestions but our focus is Africa and the 'South'.
ciao - bas
___________ ___________
i m f u n d o
Bas Kotterink
ICT Adviser
Imfundo - Partnership for IT in Education
DFID
1 Palace Street
London SW1E 5HE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7023 0980
Fax: +44 (0)20 7023 0976
bas@imfundo.org - bkotterink@dfid.gov.uk
www.imfundo.org
>>> drloss@suscom.net 05/01/02 08:42pm >>>
"Stephen C. Daukas" wrote:
> Is there a list of who is doing what? Any ideas on what the CVS
structure
> should look like? Anyone make any progress on an installer (I
thought I
> saw someone asking Blue Tooth about this)? Do we think there will
be
> development, or do we think there is enough already out there that
this
> becomes a packaging issue only?
I haven't formally drawn up a list yet, but I'm keeping all the
email that =
people
send me saying they'll take part. By next week or so I'll put it
all toget=
her and
start asking people to take on actual "work" assignments. Matt
mentioned
something about Blue Linux's installer, but (forgive me) I don't
remember w=
hat.
Matt Drew from RedHat contributed these:
http://www.seul.org/edu/installer-1.0.10-1.src.rpm
http://www.seul.org/edu/autorun
I was waiting for Matt to make the announcement of them, but I think
it got=
lost
in the shuffle.
As for development, I think that's for the individual projects to do
on the=
ir own
software. Of course, if you want to help one project or another
develop th=
eir
apps, feel free. But for our ISO we need to take the apps as
presented, de=
cide to
include them or not, and then package them. At least that's the way
I see =
it.
>
> My questions may be premature (and you don't have to answer each
one), but
> I want to get an idea of where to jump in and when. Also, my new
school
> (where I'm teaching an elective) ends in just a couple of weeks
(college
> schedule), so if I am to try to get local resources for
development, etc.,
> then I need to move on this quickly.
The very first thing that we need to do is to go over the apps we
currently=
list
and evaluate them for inclusion. Some will obviously not apply;
some obvio=
usly
will. It's the ones in the fuzzy middle area that will take some
considera=
tion.
There are ~440 apps listed in our index. We need to divide them up
equitab=
ly and
have actual educators look at each of them and think about their
utility in=
the
schools.
> I think we could get along very well with a killer HOW-TO for
education
> that addresses system administration issues, etc., with suggested
> configuration options for small, medium, and large scale schools.
We
> should also include instructions for using the bundled educational
softwa=
re
> (whatever that ends up being) in each of those three settings.
The sysadmin doc is certainly doable. Instructions for using the
bundled a=
pps
could be a tall order if they aren't already written. Writing
clear,
understandable documentation isn't a trivial task. If we have
people here
interested in helping but who are neither educators nor coders, they
might
consider taking up this aspect of the project.
>
> What made me think of this is the work I've done in teaching a
Linux Cour=
se
> this term. I based the course on several sources of information
from tho=
se
> who have done this before (thanks again!). [snip]
>
> Given the success of the class is completely based on walking
through
> existing documentation (books, HOW-TOs, etc.), might it seem
plausible to
> explore this route?
TJ Miller wrote something like this (it's on the SEUL/edu website
somewhere=
; poke
at me and I'll find it). Perhaps you and he can collaborate on it.
--
Doug Loss All I want is a warm bed
Data Network Coordinator and a kind word and
Bloomsburg University unlimited power.
dloss@bloomu.edu Ashleigh Brilliant
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<DIV>Hi </DIV>
<DIV>I support the Killer How-To- Doc comment. Given the huge =
potential for=20
LTSP to run low cost school networks in Africa we would like to see
a =
good,=20
straightforward How-to on LTSP. Perhaps include the LTSP rpms? We
will =
probably=20
support an African initiative (Linuxlab.org.za / Netday.org ) to
develop =
an LTSP=20
in schools cookbook that is Africa focused but may be
useful.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A few comments on the iso:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When compiling a CD with OS-Edu software for an African
ICT =
Workshop=20
recently I found that grouping apps by target audience is
=
helpful.=20
E.g. Pre-Primary / Primary, Junior-Secundary / Teacher Support
/=20
Administration (or Management). A combined index subject/target
group =
would be=20
ideal. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Finally, will the software be evaluated and will a short
evaluation=20=
paragraph acompany the apps on the iso? On the Europan
schoolnet=20
website there is a repository of software
(mostly not =
OS)=20
where each entry is rated by teachers and pupils (e.g. Teachers:
*****,&nbs=
p;=20
Pupils * - where one star is bad and many stars is
good).</DIV>
<DIV><BR>On the side: Are there any OS Education Management
Information =
Systems=20
(EMISs)? Currently most African countries use ss access or other Ms
Sql =
products=20
to process statistics collected through school surveys and
questionnaires. =
This=20
often involves both MS and some proprietary Education database
system. As =
a=20
result each Education ministry has to start from scratch or be
locked in =
to a=20
specific, expensive overseas provider. It would be nice to have
an OS =
based=20
database set-up with the basic features but free and
customisable.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you see a way in which we can contribute to the iso, we
are =
open=20
for suggestions but our focus is Africa and the 'South'.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>ciao - bas</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>___________  =
; &n=
bsp;=20
___________<BR> =
&nb=
sp; =20
i m f u n d o<BR> <BR>Bas Kotterink<BR>ICT Adviser<BR>Imfundo -
=
Partnership=20
for IT in Education<BR> <BR>DFID<BR>1 Palace Street<BR>London
SW1E=20
5HE<BR>Tel: +44 (0)20 7023 0980<BR>Fax: +44 (0)20 7023 0976<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:bas@imfundo.org";>bas@imfundo.org</A> - <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bkotterink@dfid.gov.uk";>bkotterink@dfid.gov.uk</A><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.imfundo.org";>www.imfundo.org</A><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR>>>> drloss@suscom.net 05/01/02 08:42pm=20
>>><BR>"Stephen C. Daukas" wrote:<BR><BR>> Is there a
list of =
who is=20
doing what? Any ideas on what the CVS structure<BR>> should
=
look=20
like? Anyone make any progress on an installer (I thought
I<BR>> =
saw=20
someone asking Blue Tooth about this)? Do we think there will
=
be<BR>>=20
development, or do we think there is enough already out there that =
this<BR>>=20
becomes a packaging issue only?<BR><BR>I haven't formally drawn up a
list =
yet,=20
but I'm keeping all the email that people<BR>send me saying they'll
=
take=20
part. By next week or so I'll put it all together and<BR>start
=
asking=20
people to take on actual "work" assignments. Matt
mentioned<BR>someth=
ing=20
about Blue Linux's installer, but (forgive me) I don't remember
what.<BR>Ma=
tt=20
Drew from RedHat contributed these:<BR><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.seul.org/edu/installer-1.0.10-1.src.rpm";>http://www.seul=
.org/edu/installer-1.0.10-1.src.rpm</A><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.seul.org/edu/autorun";>http://www.seul.org/edu/autorun</A=
><BR><BR>I=20
was waiting for Matt to make the announcement of them, but I think
it =
got=20
lost<BR>in the shuffle.<BR><BR>As for development, I think that's
for =
the=20
individual projects to do on their own<BR>software. Of course,
if =
you want=20
to help one project or another develop their<BR>apps, feel
free. But =
for=20
our ISO we need to take the apps as presented, decide to<BR>include
them =
or not,=20
and then package them. At least that's the way I see=20
it.<BR><BR>><BR>> My questions may be premature (and you don't
have =
to=20
answer each one), but<BR>> I want to get an idea of where to jump
in =
and=20
when. Also, my new school<BR>> (where I'm teaching an
elective) =
ends in=20
just a couple of weeks (college<BR>> schedule), so if I am to try
to =
get=20
local resources for development, etc.,<BR>> then I need to move
on =
this=20
quickly.<BR><BR>The very first thing that we need to do is to go
over the =
apps=20
we currently list<BR>and evaluate them for inclusion. Some
will =
obviously=20
not apply; some obviously<BR>will. It's the ones in the fuzzy
middle =
area=20
that will take some consideration.<BR>There are ~440 apps listed in
our=20
index. We need to divide them up equitably and<BR>have actual
=
educators=20
look at each of them and think about their utility in=20
the<BR>schools.<BR><BR>> I think we could get along very well
with a =
killer=20
HOW-TO for education<BR>> that addresses system administration
issues, =
etc.,=20
with suggested<BR>> configuration options for small, medium, and
large =
scale=20
schools. We<BR>> should also include instructions for using
the =
bundled=20
educational software<BR>> (whatever that ends up being) in each
of =
those=20
three settings.<BR><BR>The sysadmin doc is certainly doable. =
Instructions=20
for using the bundled apps<BR>could be a tall order if they aren't =
already=20
written. Writing clear,<BR>understandable documentation isn't
a =
trivial=20
task. If we have people here<BR>interested in helping but who
are =
neither=20
educators nor coders, they might<BR>consider taking up this aspect
of =
the=20
project.<BR><BR>><BR>> What made me think of this is the work
I've =
done in=20
teaching a Linux Course<BR>> this term. I based the course
on =
several=20
sources of information from those<BR>> who have done this before
=
(thanks=20
again!). [snip]<BR>><BR>> Given the success of the class is =
completely=20
based on walking through<BR>> existing documentation (books,
HOW-TOs, =
etc.),=20
might it seem plausible to<BR>> explore this route?<BR><BR>TJ
Miller =
wrote=20
something like this (it's on the SEUL/edu website somewhere;
poke<BR>at me =
and=20
I'll find it). Perhaps you and he can collaborate on
it.<BR><BR>--<BR=
>Doug=20
Loss  =
; =20
All I want is a warm bed<BR>Data Network Coordinator and a
kind =
word=20
and<BR>Bloomsburg University unlimited=20
power.<BR>dloss@bloomu.edu &=
nbsp; =20
Ashleigh Brilliant<BR><BR><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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