Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Teacher builds computer lab... For free.

I don't normally just link to another blog/article but I couldn't pass this one up. It is a story that needs to be told and spread as much as possible...

Everyone knows that these days technology has become a huge part of education. There are tons of schools using laptops, iPads, digital whiteboards, etc. in the classroom now. Computers are an essential part of getting the younger generations ready to compete in the current and future job market. Without at least a basic set of computer skills there are many jobs that will simply be out of reach to them.

Unfortunately, there are still many schools that simply do not have the budget for a computer lab or other equipment to help their students get a head start on learning to deal with computers. Such was the case at ASCEND, a "small arts K-8 school in Alameda County School District" in California. With no budget for equipment, one teacher took it upon himself to make sure the students at his school had the basic tools they needed to jump-start their education in technology. With the help of donated computers and some Open-Source software (Ubuntu Linux) Robert Litt, a sixth-grade teacher, set up a full computer lab for his student for the grand total of $0.

To read the whole story, check out: "How One Teacher Built a Computer Lab for Free" at ifixit.org.



How One Teacher Built a Computer Lab for Free
Donated Computers

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How One Teacher Built a Computer Lab for Free
Open Source Operating Systems

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How One Teacher Built a Computer Lab for Free
A Free Computer Lab!

10 comments:

  1. I knew Linux was invovled. Somebody had scanned a old letter from some school. It was a teacher/parent crazy that this other teacher put Linux on all the school computers which didn't have an OS. Stating there was no such thing as "free" software.

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  2. That is amazing! He deserves an award or something.

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  3. Hoorah for teacher Robert and his resourcefulness!!! Shame on an education system that allows such inequalities to survive! Take care
    x

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  4. Awesome teacher and awesome observation on the part of the blogger. We need to value such people and blogs can help us encourage this kind of work.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog. My reading and writing part of brain has slowed down quite a bit and I am sixty two. I am worried, but we'll see. I have hopes that this is just a phase.

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  5. haha this made my day. following b/rrr/ooo/th/eeeer.

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