[ale] ALE CENTRAL for Feb. 9, 2006 -- Open Source Benefits in Education

[aaron]

Just a little reminder for tomorrow....
   ... and remember, it's bring a teacher night! 
Educators and their associates get in FREE!
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"Evangelizing Open Source Benefits for Education"
   presented by
   Daniel Howard, President and CEO, Quadrock Communications
 
Background:
    After years of frustration trying to keep Windows legacy computers 
functioning at Morris Brandon Elementary School, two parent volunteers 
recommended to the principal and the PTA leadership that the school move
to a Linux thin client server system employing the K12-LTSP package. The 
proposal was accepted, with the result that all of the school's computers are 
now fully functional and over 50 donated PC's have been converted into useful 
Linux thin clients. Some of the teachers are now considering what they could 
do with a computer for every student.  Initially, the school  district 
technology personnel were staunchly against the system, but they have become 
believers after observing the success and benefits of using open source 
software first hand. 

Synopsis:
   This presentation will cover the decision process for moving to open source 
software, the challenges of convincing legacy locked administrators of the 
benefits of an open systems approach and, most importantly, how the teachers 
have used their new Linux systems effectively in their classrooms.
 
Bio:
   Daniel Howard was the Associate Director of the Broadband 
Telecommunications Center at Georgia Tech, and is now an entrepreneur. 
His first startup company was Digital Furnace, a cable modem technology 
company, which was acquired by the Broadcom Corporation in 2000.  His 
current startup efforts are in the area of interactive television 
software.  He has been a parent volunteer at Morris Brandon Elementary 
School for over two years, and is now the chairman of the Brandon 
eParents, a group of computer-savvy parent volunteers who are all being 
introduced to the Linux operating system as a result of the new 
technology initiative at Brandon Elementary School.

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As usual:
 Meeting time is 7:30 to ~9:30.
 Directions and maps available at  http://ale.org

Thanks for your attention!
peace
aaron