I would like to propose to my school that we switch to Ubuntu

[weirdlookinguy]

OK, before anyone says anything, I know this is next to impossible.

now that that's out of the way....

My friend (who goes by Garrapata on these forums) and I both attend High School in San Diego, and we know the main tech guy pretty well. We drop by his office every now and then just to talk, and sometimes we help him with some of the work he does. My friend Garrapata runs Kubuntu on his PC, and I run Ubuntu.

well, our school has very old Dell PC's and some of them are starting to get replaced. Coincidentally, Dell has also started shipping systems with Linux. What my friend and I would like to do is to make a killer presentation on Ubuntu, Linux, Open Source, and how Linux is superior to running windows, and also how the school can save some money by not paying for windows. What I would like to do....

1) I know that getting the school district to consider Linux is going to take much more than a "please". I know it will require many, many presentations, support from others, and a killer reason why Linux is superior

2) I need to make a killer presentation.

I have started making a slide show in OpenOffice impress, and it starts by explaining what an OS is and what it does. Can you guys help me go from here?

Thanks for your support, I am very excited to start this "project"

[brent113]

Try taking some ideas from http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/

Keep in mind though, one main reason the school district uses Windows is for Active Directory. For that argument you should read http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1563

Good Luck!!!

[bbzbryce]

I think it is a great concept, but unless you are just trying to get them to switch from one flavor of linux to another, it probably isn't going to happen. Most likely they have already spent tons of money on the software licenses for their Window's Servers and the grading programs that they use.

I say go for it, but don't expect much out of them.

[weirdlookinguy]

I didn't think about that, all the money they poured into servers and software licenses. I know that the school's main servers run Novell's version of linux. I will talk to the tech guy and see what he thinks. The main problem will be the grading software. since the school uses Making The Grade

http://www.venturaes.com/index_new.asp?http://www.venturaes.com/klein/index.html

I will talk to the tech guy anyway

[brent113]

Rather than focussing on changing then entire school, focus more on getting maybe a few computers changed (for instance in a computer lab). That way they can run different software, provide a platform for learning, etc, etc, and if they like what they see then it will be easier to get big changes.

Case in point: My college uses primarily Windows, but they have dozens of linux computers scattered in labs across campus for use. Aim for something like that.

[aysiu]

Well, believe it or not, your being students may work to your advantage. Sometimes change brought about by students is viewed as being inspiring, while change brought about by a faculty or staff member is viewed as disruptive or unnecessary.

You have to use the proper channels and proceed with caution, though.

The main thing you should always do is consider all counter-arguments seriously and be very open to compromise and concessions.

Start off slowly. Do not recommend an immediate change to Linux. Start by getting the school to trust open source. Work with the principal and tech director to implement Firefox, OpenOffice, GIMP, and other open source Windows programs on existing computers:
http://www.opensourcewindows.org/

This is a good low-commitment way to get the school staff, administration, faculty, and students to start trusting open source software.

Do not propose replacing all or even most of the computers with Linux. Change has to start slowly. And you may not know all the software that's needed in order to run the school. A lot of times, particularly in administration, there are Windows-only programs that get used for grades, database management, publications, and finance. Even for teachers, OpenOffice may funk up the formatting on old saved Word documents they have.

Find advocates. Try to get people on your side one by one--other students, faculty, staff, PTA members... anyone you can get.

Do not ask the district to spend any money on this project. If, in fact, your school has very old Dell PC's and some of them are starting to get replaced, then how about installing Ubuntu on those old Dell PCs that are being replaced? Use what's there.

Get a target audience. Start with the library with locked down Ubuntu kiosks or start with a computer lab that's mainly for word processing and web access. Do not try to convert the whole school en masse.

Have definite goals and define explicit benefits for the district. Do your research. Include saved dollar figures and estimates of long-term five-year and ten-year savings. Money savings will convince the school board, not flashy Compiz/Beryl graphics. At the same time, be honest about the migration costs and cultural adjustments. If you hype up Ubuntu as a cure-all for computing problems, the school board and administration will likely be skeptical.

[ugm6hr]

This is admirable.

Just to give you confidence - it has been done on a small scale before. As your school are replacing old hardware (is it leased or bought?), you might like to consider proposing a demonstration lab (e.g. internet surfing machines for a student common room etc) running open source by recycling the old hardware.

That way, you will get the rest of the students on-side (by providing an extra set of internet access computers), and introduce them to Linux / Ubuntu at the same time.

I remember reading this:
http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/redbridge/schools/parkhill-jnr/homepage%20pages/Internet%20Research%20Room/Research%20Room%20week%201/?backto&verb

[weirdlookinguy]

Thank you so much for the replies, it will help us a ton with what we are trying to do. You guys are right, switching the ENTIRE school over to linux would be impossible. There are 15 student machines in the library, I think a good start would be presenting our idea to the principal and suggesting we switch a few of the library computers to Ubuntu/Edubuntu or since these computers are so limited, maybe Xubuntu.

EDIT: The school's computers are bought.

[lisati]

I don't know if it will help, but there's a video clip in the Examples folder that talks about Ubuntu.

[aysiu]

Check out this thread, too:
The Governments and Schools moving to Linux Thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=368210)

You may want to contact some schools in the US that have switched to Linux. Testimonies from other schools would be a great help in convincing the school board that Linux is a viable option for schools. They may also have tips for you on how to get this implemented.

[nutz]

Check out this thread, too:
The Governments and Schools moving to Linux Thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=368210)

You may want to contact some schools in the US that have switched to Linux. Testimonies from other schools would be a great help in convincing the school board that Linux is a viable option for schools. They may also have tips for you on how to get this implemented.

+1

That will be your most powerful argument. Use the many instances of other schools doing the same thing as an example.

Also try to convice them of the benefits of exposing students to Linux. Such as what they will be able to do and learn with it...

[aysiu]

By the way, if they try to use the whole "Oh, we need to teach people applications that people are using in the 'real world'" argument, ask them what applications they learned when they were in high school.

Seriously.

I'm not that old, but when I was in high school, I used Windows 3.1 or Mac (God, who knows what version) in school, some VAX computers that were all terminal. We had no internet (dial-up or otherwise). We did not use web browsers. We did not use Microsoft Office. We did not use Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator. Our computer science classes taught Pascal.

In other words, anyone who learned "applications" or "operating systems" in my high school would have had no directly applicable knowledge that would work for them fifteen years later in "the real world."

Education, especially when it comes to technology, is not about memorization or familiarity with what's current. It is about concepts and flexibility.

[tentwelveeight]

What High School do you teach at? I'm in SD as well and I'm moving our charter school over to Edubuntu this fall. I just finished the move to Google Apps for Schools on Friday. It's FANTASTIC! I can't believe how we trudged through last year (my first year at this school). I'll be blogging my experience with the changeover to linux if you're interested in using it to persuade your admins. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with. jhartman(at symbol)aeacs.org. Cheers! -joe

[UbuWu]

2) I need to make a killer presentation.


Lots of presentation material can be found here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Presentations

[matthewboh]

It seems that the San Diego school district is moving towards open source already - here's an article from June 2007

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=7178

My company is focused on bringing open source to schools, so if there's anything I can do to help, let me know