Moving at the Speed of Creativity by Wesley Fryer

Podcast334: One to One Learning with Open Source Netbooks is Practical, Affordable and Powerful – Learn Why

One to one learning with wireless, digital devices in the hands of every learner in the classroom is the future. With netbooks running over 100 free educational applications on Ubuntu Linux, that dream can be a reality in your classroom and school district today, not tomorrow. As I explain in the introduction to this podcast featuring two interviews, I have lost NONE of my enthusiasum for Apple and Macintosh computers, but I think it would be foolish to ignore the powerful and affordable computing and learning opportunities now offered by netbooks as well as open source software. After sharing a plug for the upcoming FREE K-12 Online Conference in December and an introduction to these interviews, this podcast includes an interview with Warren Luebkeman. Warren is a co-founder of the Open 1:1 Nonprofit organization, which is based in Maine and provides a FREE Ubuntu image for netbooks loaded with over 100 educational and productivity applications. That recording was made at the ACTEM 2009 conference in Augusta, Maine in October. The second interview is with Alex Inman, who has been implementing and supporting 1:1 initiatives for over 8 years in Milwaukee and St Louis. Alex shared a presentation at the One to One Institute’s November 2009 conference called “Saving Money on Your One-to-One Program.” In this interview Alex specifically addresses the viability and power of Ubuntu as a platform on netbook computers for student learning. He discusses powerful open source solutions like iTalc (for desktop monitoring) and iFolder (for cross-platform remote file sharing.) Additionally, he addresses the importance of support for “cultural change” in schools for 1:1 laptop learning initiatives. That buy-in from top leadership all the way down the classroom is even more important for laptop initiative success than the platform / hardware.

Show Notes:

  1. K-12 Online Conference Blog (presentation video posts and annoucements)
  2. K-12 Online Conference Ning (learning community)
  3. K-12 Online Conference Wiki (info to get started)
  4. K-12 Online Conference Twitter
  5. K-12 Online Conference Facebook
  6. Warren Luebkeman
  7. Resara (Warren’s company focusing on Linux deployoment in schools)
  8. Thoughts on Macs and Netbooks (my blog post 27 July 2009)
  9. The Maine Netbook Consortium Wiki
  10. Learning about Netbooks in 1 to 1 Learning Projects from Maine Educators (blog post 30 Oct 2009)
  11. Open 1-to-1 (Maine-based nonprofit, free access to education-specific Ubuntu distribution available)
  12. Sharon Betts’ blog
  13. Ubuntu
  14. Ubuntu Netbook Remix
  15. ACTEM: Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine
  16. Linux and Open Source: The epitome of 21st Century Skills (Alex Inman’s blog post from 4-26-2008)
  17. Saving Money on Your One-to-One Program by Alex Inman (my blog post 9 Nov 2009)
  18. iTalc (free / open source desktop monitoring software for Linux and Windows)
  19. iFolder (free, open source remote storage solution, works with Linux, Windows and Mac)
  20. Revolution Linux (Canadian commercial company providing Linux support for Whitfield Schools)
  21. Educational Collaborators (provide PD specific to 1:1 learning environments)
  22. One to One Institute
  23. OLPC / XO Laptop Wiki
  24. Storychasers
  25. Google Workshops for Educators
  26. Free & Open Source Software in Education website
  27. Contact Wesley
  28. Follow Wesley on Twitter

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2 responses to “Podcast334: One to One Learning with Open Source Netbooks is Practical, Affordable and Powerful – Learn Why”

  1. Jeff Johnson Avatar
    Jeff Johnson

    I have been wondering when a stable, open-source netbook model would emerge in K-12. I too am a big fan of Macs and Apple in general – they make excellent products that work well for the staff and students in my 1000 student K-8 school district.

    It would be very interesting to have a TCO comparison of MacBooks and open-source netbooks.

  2. […] 5 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2009/11/23/podcast334-one-to-one-learning-with-open-source-netbooks… This interesting article discusses the use of netbooks and open source software to make 1-1- […]