Comments on: Students Strike Back

By: dskmag

dskmag — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:58:23 +0000

@Trevor – get those Linux machine, install Open Simmulator as a local virtual world, and get kids to solve some mathematical problems. Anyone who can install Linux is “real”. The firewall proxy war is over – the kids won – now lets get on with teaching them how to judge for themselves what is good, bad, nasty, pointless. The reality is that we have very low ‘issues’ with kid activity online. Of course we bad the obvious drug/porn/gamling/hate/warez/torrents … but we also use a Linux firewall that weights page content – not just basing its decision on meta-data – which is what 90% of school network admins do (understand). Get into battle Trevor! Be an advocate, the kids will thank you!

By: Trevor Meister

Trevor Meister — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:17:26 +0000

Two questions: Where physically is the school you teach at located, and are they looking for any teachers at the moment. (said only partially in jest). Very cool. After discovering Linux and the open source movement about 10 years ago, I redirected older machines from the “discard pile” to my classroom, installed linux and added them to the collection. Unfortunately as a math teacher, I was considered an outsider to the “real” computer people and network admins, and no one wanted to hear what could be accomplished in an open Linux environment. I would have given my right arm back then to be in a slightly more open and forward thinking school setting. I have to go back and read through some of your archives, it appears there are many other wonderful things happening;especially interested in some of the work that is happening in the Virtual World space. Cheers!

By: Sue Waters

Sue Waters — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:46:44 +0000

Absolutely brilliant — these students are learning and improving so many great skills. Would love to see this happen in all schools. As Judy says “this is conference material” — I hope you do tell people about the success of this program.

By: Jeff Agamenoni

Jeff Agamenoni — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:53:16 +0000

How engaging must that be for those kids. They are learning valuable, real life, skills that will definitely be applied later in their lives. This is an excellent example of what classroom activity needs to look like.

I’m with Jo…I want to play…ps…SL rocks on a big screen tv…

By: Judy O'Connell

Judy O'Connell — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:56:50 +0000

This is conference material – share this story because there are still too many ‘naysayers’ running our classrooms. So glad you finally wrote about this adventure What a different model you run – instead of being a ‘network nazi’ you are an authentic learning facilitator!

By: jokay

jokay — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:16:50 +0000

I think Dean – this might be the most inspiring thing you’ve facilitated yet! I love that the kids are self-directed, motivated and learning not only technical skills, but management skills and social skills too.

Congrats to you and to the kids…. and um.. can I be in the tournament!!?? hehe