FOSS in ICT Integration into Education…
Wheew!!!
I attended the Asia Policy Forum on ICT Integration into Education held in Crowne Plaza Quezon City, Philippines. In fact, i have just arrived (here I am sitting and taking a good rest @ home). While in the forum, I have observed that there are many opportunities that are already in place for ICT integration into education. Most of these are already mature technologies and solutions which will address issues related to ICT integration.
One thing that really got my attention was the openness of educators and solution providers to utilize Free and Open Source Software and Open Content as a solution for most of the problems met in ICT integration. One participant from Thailand shared their experience about utilizing open source portal to share resources and post relevant information for both teachers and students. And they are successful…
Another, was in the utilization of LTSP as a solution for efficient and cost effective deployment of computers in a community. JHAI Foundation, presented a classic example of making use of LTSP in a community center. With a flash driven server and a very thin client (all of which can be battery operated) they have setup a working computer laboratory in a community without electricity (in Laos). Finally, a solution I have seen in the breakout session and demonstration is a solution from Intel called Classmate PC (the same as Negroponte’s) … Man, this PC really rocks… built for toughness and built to perform with minimal footprint. The OS is loaded in a 2GB SD Card to be inserted at the back of the cute little PC… and mind you, they have loaded PCLinuxOS and it’s running smoothly with all the necessary applications the student/teacher needs. They have also presented a Classmate PC having a M$ operating system loaded however the installation is very minimal and with little applications loaded. With that, most of the participants were amazed with the power of FOSS (small footprint @ no cost)…
Booting up with PCLinuxOS… Good thing and very fast…
Look at that… Classmate PC running PCLinuxOS… Oh boy!!! What a mighty PC indeed.
