[K12OSN] Curriculum Problems (Please Help Me...)

[Shawn Powers]

I have a big request.  I know you folks are all busy, but any help would 
be greatly appreciated.

Would the folks that have LTSP in use be willing to send me their 
district's curriculum plan, or technology plan, or some documentation 
regarding how thin clients fit into your curriculum?

Several teachers in my district recently dug up a curriculum plan from 
1996 (I kid you not), which is long before my time at the district, 
which quotes specific "tinker toy" applications that are no longer able 
to be used in the classrooms.  This document is now the "Holy Grail" and 
has been used to file multiple grievances, etc, regarding the use of 
linux and thin clients.

Mind you, the current principal has never even seen this document 
before.  Anyway, I would like some examples of the *proper* way 
technology is described in schools using LTSP, so that this old document 
looks as silly as it is.

If you have time, could you also let me know how you are currently 
addressing the following issues in your district:

1) Printing.  Do you have printers connected to the thin clients in 
classrooms?  Are these Lasers or Inkjets.  If laser, how is the problem 
of "no color" addressed?

2) Scanning.  How does a classroom teacher scan things?  Are scanners 
available in your classrooms?  Some of them?  All of them?  If in a thin 
client environment, how are you doing that?

3) Digital cameras (with USB connections, floppy drives, or flash cards 
and readers).  How do your teachers get the pictures into the computer? 
  *D0* your teachers get photos from cameras into the computers?

4) Saving files.  How many folks are using remote floppies?  USB 
keydrives?  Anything else?  How do you manage the transportation of 
files to and from home?

5) Elementary "Edutainment" games.  (NOTE: I personally think many of 
these games are a farce... but we're not talking about my opinions 
unfortunately)  These are especially desired in the elementary.  How do 
you handle requests like these?  If the answer is some sort of 
emulation, is it stable?

6) Please briefly explain how a teacher takes/submits grades to the 
office.  Do they magically get rosters of students into a program, or do 
they have to type the student's names in?  When the end of a marking 
period comes, do they have to copy the grades from one program into 
another, or are the grades automatically exported?

7) Sound.  Does sound on websites (especially flash) work on thin 
clients?  How about things like quicktime streaming media, or windows 
media player stuff?

8) Video streaming. Videos via streaming media from our ISD is going to 
be the only way to get videos for classrooms in a few years, and I need 
to know how to manage that.

9) Training.  How do you train your staff?  Mandatory paid training? 
Voluntary after school training?  Where?  In a lab of thin clients?

10) Are your thin clients for staff use only?  Student use only?  In a 
lab environment, or in "mini-labs" in the classrooms?


I know that's a lot of questions, but I'm looking for official backing 
from other schools that will reiterate the things I'm saying in my 
district.  Thank you VERY much for answering any of the above either on 
or off list.

-Shawn


-- 
Shawn Powers
Technology Director
Inland Lakes Schools
PHN: 231-238-6868 x9174
FAX: 509-356-7024
spowers at inlandlakes.org
http://techcorner.inlandlakes.org

--<Disclaimer, now required for frustrating reasons>--
The views, opinions, visions, thoughts, comments,
sarcastic whims, forecasts, poetic outbursts,
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OS preference, curricular insight, ice cream preference,
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I say, do, think, or imply with punctuation should be
considered my own delusions, and ignored completely.