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Re: linex & skolelinux.es & debian-edu



Tirsdag 13 juni 2006 01:29, skrev Holger Levsen:
> In Extremadura there has been a short discussion between Knut and one
> of the non-technical people (Pablo?) behind LinEx, the linux
> distribution also used in schools in Extremadura. Knut, can you
> please give a short summary on this?

I've got 15-20 minutes talk with José L. Redrejo Rodríguez. He is the
person that is in lead coordinator the LinEx distribution project in 
Extremadura (correct me if I'm misunderstood this, but i don't know 
what Desarrollador stands for, that is hes job title).

We talked about three things: 

1. Cleared away the misunderstanding that Skolelinux is just an
   LTSP-solution. Where that perception came from was unclear to me,
   but it's not always easy to get the message through when you are
   talking to technical persons who has little or no interest for the
   every day usage of computer programs in a learning environment. 

   This misunderstanding is probably why it has taken time to
   implement this joint statement[1] from the summer in 2004: 
   1. 
http://www.skolelinux.org/portal/press/press_releases/joint_statement_20040702

   Skolelinux has more precise reports what the project is doing both
   at EU[2][3] and from debconf[4]. That should be read to get an 
   more updated picture of the projects goals and results:

  2. http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/3373/470
  3. http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/3355/469
  4. http://developer.skolelinux.no/artikler/2006-04-02-debconf6.pdf

   The Norwegian public ICT advisory organisation states in a report
   from 2003:

     One of the basic concerns for the project has been that ICT in
     the schools should be based on pedagogical principles and not be
     guided by whatever software is most widely used.

   Yes, some persons tend to forget this. So it's time to refresh our 
   memory. The ICT in schools should be based on pedagogical 
   priciples and not be guided by whatever software is most 
   widely used. José know that now :)

2. José demonstrated the different desktops made for schools in
   Extremadura. We talked about exchanging and translate beginners
   guides for pupils that uses the tailor made GNU/Linux desktop.  

   The Skolelinux effort and LinEx has exactly the same challenges
   both pedagogically and technically. Extremadura has done more on
   the teaching material and with the desktop for the lower
   graders. This is what also Skolelinux is aiming for, but we have
   not had the same resources and money that Extremadura has had since
   2000. Anyway, the desktop is now our main concern, and we have also
   had some sucsess with pedagogical software as e.g. stopmotion [5],
   "popularity contest" and the interaction with the teachers picking
   the programs. 

   5. 
http://developer.skolelinux.no/info/studentgrupper/2005-hig-stopmotion/

3. On the technical side we talked about enterprise configuration,
   especially when upgrading. To prevent that configs is breaking or
   don't works as a part of the required services when upgrading.

   We also talked about the operational an maintenance cost pr
   computer and the investment cost.  We also talked about the big
   difference having a state driven free software project in the
   schools and having a marked driven project as Skolelinux where we
   compete without central political decisions and budgets. Whit
   Skolelinux in Norway most of the decisions is done in the locally
   in the municipalities, not on a state level. It's regular sales
   activety - and we are pretty good at it :)

The conclusion is that we now will cooperate more closely. We should
translate documentation that is in use in the schools of
Extremadura. English is probably the best for a start, and from there
to Norwegian, German, French and other languages. We should help each
other with technical issues concerning handling of enterprise
configurations. Issues with debconf and such. José OK-ed this. So now
everything should be more easy to do :)

Regards 

Knut Yrvin


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