Ubuntu Classroom Podcast

[Prospero2006]

Hello Everyone,
My name is Josh Beck, and I run a middle school computer lab in San Antonio Texas that runs Ubuntu exclusively. We're a magnet technology school called iMAK. (Interactive Meda Applications at Krueger.)

I'm putting together a series of student interview podcasts that deal with what kids think about Linux. Here are a couple:
(I'm still tweaking the audio. It's not perfect, I know. But it's a new sound board. )
http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/120407final.mp3
http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/113007final.mp3
http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/112907final.mp3
http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/1129071final.mp3

The podcast feed is:
http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/rss.xml

My class page is:
http://tw.neisd.net/webpages/jbeck

Thanks, I figured there would be some community members here interested in hearing what the kids in my class think about using Ubuntu.Email jbeck@neisd.net with comments and I'll share them with the kids. They'd love to know people are listening!

[XVII]

That's a great thing you're doing for your class. I listened to the podcasts and those kids are very well educated. Keep up the good work.

[sajro]

You are the ultimate tech teacher. Mine is a WinSlave who doesn't know $##& about computers besides that she can control them with her "doohickey program". One DOS prompt took care of her access to the computer...passwords in Windows are a joke.

I would like to know: are you really this cool (installing Beryl (now Compiz-Fuzion) was really a good idea) or do you do a few of the evil teacher things like VNC and over-restriction? If not, I will say you are the best Tech Ed teacher I've ever heard of.

I'm in middle school. Been using Linux about 6 months or so and I can't stand Windows. What really grinds my gears is when I forget to save .doc from Writer and the teacher gets all mad. "M$ Office is the standard!" they say. I just think "How can it be a standard if it's proprietary and thus difficult to develop a program to work with it?"

So, just wanted to congratulate your use of Linux. You may just be the coolest teacher ever.

[Prospero2006]

Well, thanks.
It's always nice to hear any young person who appreciates the value of technology education. Try not to get too frustrated with your tech teacher. She's in charge in there, and any way you cut it, it is her lab. Her word is law.
Education is, after all, something you do for yourself. Not something that is done to you.

To answer your question, yes. Linux actually provides me with more classroom control than the teachers who use windows. I can do things like disable the usb modules and power down the monitors in the whole room with a single click. I log network traffic, use remote desktop control, you name it. Am I the coolest teacher in the universe? Probably not. Would you learn something in my class? Definitely.

Thanks for listening!

BTW: Carry a copy of portable Open-Office on your pen drive. Then, when you forget to save in .doc format, you
can fire up open office off the usb and make the change. (You have a ton of options for manipulating your data under
the radar.)

[-grubby]

Am I the coolest teacher in the universe?


I would love to have Linux at our school (which makes you the best teacher ever) but only Windows is here

[Prospero2006]

New Episode. Just for fun!

http://www.neisd.net/imak/Beck/podcasts/Beck/121807final.mp3

Have a great Christmas everyone!