[K12OSN] New SmartBoard and Edubuntu...I'm truly impressed!

Fri Feb 8 14:26:57 UTC 2008

While I am also not personally enamored of smartboards for my own use, I
have seen them used very effectively not just to record notes, but also as
really slick way to actively demonstrate how to use a software application
by projecting on it and calibrating the board to the screen being projected.
It's pretty impressive when done well.

For my part, I've for several years now been an advocate of tablet pc's.
Paired with a projector, a small, lightweight tablet pc equipped with both
wireless Internet and (wireless) video capabilities is the ultimate teaching
tool. Unfortunately, for now this has left me turning back to M$ (at least
for the teacher's computer). Could anyone point me to a device/distro combo
in Linux that can provide tablet pc-like functionality? It would be
especially cool if such a device were available as a lightweight, solid
state, thin client tablet.

Cheers,
Mark

On 2/8/08, James P. Kinney III <jkinney at localnetsolutions.com> wrote:
>
> I have yet to see anything done with a smartboard benefiting the
> educational process that can't be done more broadly and actively with
> Linux thin clients and a collaborative workspace like fl_teachertool.
>
> In my mind, smartboards developed from the business culture of doing
> boring presentations that needed to be recorded so the presenter could
> justify their inflated paycheck. The board makers have not been able to
> sell them into business as well and they hoped once the bean counters
> realized the overall uselessness of the technology.
>
> So they branched into education which has a horrid reputation of buying
> nearly any techno-jejaw gizmo in an attempt to improve things. At NECC
> last year the smartboard makers booths were the biggest, loudest,
> gaudiest, most over the top showboat monstrosities in the entire floor.
> We have laws to protect children against predators. We need something to
> protect educators from these shows! :)
>
> The money spent on a smartboard buys an activity for a single person at
> a time while the others sit passively. This is the same failure mode
> that was in place with filmstrips, movies and EDU TV. The technology is
> changing but the practice is nearly identical. The streaming video junk
> from UnitedStreaming is just filmstrips done on a more expensive player
> (that school can't keep due to licensing <gag!>).
>
> For the same cost of a single smartboard, multiple Linux thin clients
> can be installed in the classroom. Imagine the learning that can happen
> when students can actively participate in doing things instead of being
> a passive observer.
>
> Yes, the technology is slick. Yes it is cool to be able to write on a
> whiteboard with a special marker and have the computer projector "draw"
> it on the board and record it for later viewing. But that passive
> process for the others in the room is only barely usable for the adults
> that suffer through those types of presentations in the boardroom
> meetings.
>
> I don't like even the whiteboards and their stinky markers that run out
> and smell bad and get thrown away. I can _eat_ a stick of chalk if I
> have too (Rolaids) and a reusable holder is just fine. Besides, the
> S_C_R_E_E_C_H across the board is a useful tool for the snoozer on the
> back row :)
> On Fri, 2008-02-08 at 00:28 -0500, Vern Ceder wrote:
> > The Linux versions we've used have all been Java-based. To make the
> > install self-contained, they even packaged a JVM in the installer
> > package. I'm not sure, but I think the Mac version may be Java as well.
> >
> > But like the man says, it the Linux version works well and has all of
> > the functionality of the Windows version.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Vern
> >
> > Tom Hoffman wrote:
> > > On Thu, Feb 7, 2008 at 9:38 PM, David Trask <dtrask at vcsvikings.org>
> wrote:
> > >> Recently I was able to purchase an interactive whiteboard called a
> > >>  "SmartBoard" for our school.  I have several more in the budget for
> next
> > >>  year, but this one gives us an opportunity to learn more about how
> to use
> > >>  one.  I was excited to find out when I ordered it that it would be
> > >>  compatible with Linux, but I had my doubts.  Often times
> manufacturers
> > >>  make claims to be compatible with Linux, but generally with a loss
> of
> > >>  features or a very difficult installation.  I was a little nervous
> when I
> > >>  stuck in the CD to the drive on my Edubuntu desktop….and I couldn't
> get
> > >>  the installer to execute.  So…I went to the web site and downloaded
> the
> > >>  installer from there.  The installer was a breeze to work
> with!  It's an
> > >>  autopackage that simply asked me a couple yes or no questions…and
> then
> > >>  VOILA!  That was it!  Suddenly the SmartBoard software launched and
> we
> > >>  were in business!  The total install time took less than 2
> minutes!  Guess
> > >>  what else?  Everything works!  Every feature from the notebook
> software to
> > >>  the screen captures and more!  I'm truly impressed!
> > >
> > > Do you know if they're using Wine or is this a native (GTK?) port?
> > >
> > > --Tom
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > --
> > This time for sure!
> >     -Bullwinkle J. Moose
> > -----------------------------
> > Vern Ceder, Director of Technology
> > Canterbury School, 3210 Smith Road, Ft Wayne, IN 46804
> > vceder at canterburyschool.org; 260-436-0746; FAX: 260-436-5137
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> --
> James P. Kinney III
> CEO & Director of Engineering
> Local Net Solutions,LLC
> 770-493-8244
> http://www.localnetsolutions.com
>
> GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics)
> <jkinney at localnetsolutions.com>
> Fingerprint = 3C9E 6366 54FC A3FE BA4D 0659 6190 ADC3 829C 6CA7
>
>
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