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

Summary: 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.