08:01:40 <michalrud> #startmeeting Fedora in the Classroom
08:01:40 <zodbot> Meeting started Wed Aug  3 08:01:40 2016 UTC.  The chair is michalrud. Information about MeetBot at http://wiki.debian.org/MeetBot.
08:01:40 <zodbot> Useful Commands: #action #agreed #halp #info #idea #link #topic.
08:01:40 <zodbot> The meeting name has been set to 'fedora_in_the_classroom'
08:01:53 <michalrud> #meetingname flock2016
08:01:53 <zodbot> The meeting name has been set to 'flock2016'
08:02:51 <michalrud> #topic Why do it?
08:02:57 <michalrud> First question: why not?
08:03:45 <michalrud> People ask if it's a problem. Mostly, it's a problem in Lebanon of finding people that are comfortable with Linux is way harder than people who can administrate Windows.
08:03:56 <michalrud> For many people it's the reason not to switch to Fedora
08:04:37 <michalrud> Also update treadmill, it's a lot of work to keep everything up to date, but it's getting easier and easier, F22 and F24 were skipped
08:04:48 <michalrud> using Ansible doing full system upgrade is not a big deal
08:04:56 <michalrud> main problem is that it's different
08:05:20 <michalrud> people don't like using LibreOffice instead of MSOffice that's used everywhere, and this seems like a valid complaint
08:05:29 <michalrud> So why do it?
08:05:40 <michalrud> Viruses are not much of a big deal
08:06:25 <michalrud> When we started updates could bring down the system
08:06:50 <michalrud> but for some last years this is not a problem anymore, Fedora was rock solid for last few years, so big thanks to QA
08:07:49 <michalrud> Licencing Fees: Lebanon is not a place where money is flowing, so we could either pirate and fail at teaching good values to students or spend a lot of money but we chose Fedora where it's not a problem
08:08:41 <michalrud> Fedora gives the power to open up the system, and being 12 they can use the computers without guidance as they have their own accounts and staff can keep an eye on them
08:08:54 <michalrud> so it allows them to give extra freedom in using computers for students
08:09:11 <michalrud> #topic Tools
08:09:38 <michalrud> freeIPA is a lovely way to store users, organize them and just keep track of what do we have
08:09:53 <michalrud> we even have plugins which allow to tie individual computers using DHCP
08:10:10 <michalrud> allows to change passwords without console, but there is also a console interface
08:10:12 <nardasev> next tool we use - iPXE
08:11:09 <nardasev> the great thing about iPXE we are able to choose different ways of booting
08:11:20 <michalrud> It has a build in HTTPS module, that you can use to make certain disk images with different usernames and passwords
08:11:32 <michalrud> so not everyone can have full access
08:11:37 <michalrud> another tool - Lesson
08:12:10 <michalrud> system which I've designed, it's on GPL but please don't look at the code :)
08:12:28 <michalrud> It allows to keep track of attendance, grades etc
08:12:42 <michalrud> another tool we use - Ansible
08:12:45 <michalrud> Ansible rocks.
08:13:03 <michalrud> Back in the old days Koji was used with configuration stored in RPMs
08:13:41 <michalrud> with every small files, spec file would have to be fixed, RPMs rebuild, repo regenerated... it was a 10 step process which took 15-20 minutes to make a small configuration change what was annoying
08:14:16 <michalrud> Ansible allows to do that using a small configuration file, and the beauty of this is that it gives us automation
08:14:31 <michalrud> #topic Teaching tools
08:14:43 <michalrud> LibreOffice, GIMP, GEdir, Blender...
08:15:18 <michalrud> LibreOffice is known by everyone
08:15:22 <michalrud> GIMP is more than enough
08:15:29 <michalrud> GEdit is simple, easy and works for simple editing
08:15:49 <michalrud> Blender - one of my favorite tools, students spend 0.5yr modeling
08:16:48 <michalrud> Scratch
08:17:06 <michalrud> Students enjoy Scratch
08:17:15 <michalrud> Python - final tool we use for teaching
08:17:22 <michalrud> #topic Curriculum
08:17:49 <michalrud> Memorization vs Comprehension
08:18:19 <michalrud> Memorization is an easy way to teach, when I want students to understand things I don't understand I can just give them book and make them memorize it
08:19:45 <michalrud> nardasev, hope I've helped :) feel free to help me since I can't keep up sometimes
08:20:12 <nardasev> Michal, thank you for the help, you did it better :)
08:20:17 <michalrud> Comprehension - if students would be teached to memorize Word 95, then Word 2016 would be useless for that
08:20:22 <michalrud> for them*
08:21:10 <michalrud> Layour of Word has changes, so anything that was memorized became useless, so it's an easy way to teach, but it's not a good way to teach
08:21:38 <michalrud> We are learning the concepts behind WHY do we something, it's harder but it's way more effective
08:22:03 <michalrud> but when students comprehend, they can use Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice...
08:22:22 <michalrud> Teacher requirements: Teacher need passion, knowledge and compassion
08:24:02 <michalrud> Curriculum: Touch typing - it's where memorization is important
08:24:06 <michalrud> Databases
08:24:14 <michalrud> Hardware - students know how computer works
08:24:32 <michalrud> we don't have books, we get a computer, we get a screwdriver and we talk about what do parts actually do
08:26:03 <michalrud> Image editing - what is an ethical change
08:26:16 <michalrud> we talk about licencing
08:26:41 <michalrud> we go beyond and talk about the whys
08:27:10 <michalrud> Spreadsheets - we are doing invoices, gradebooks, etc.
08:27:43 <michalrud> We do HTML, students work with HTML, CSS, so they can create web pages, on the end they create web pages in groups
08:27:57 <michalrud> Blender - my favorite thing to teach
08:28:17 <michalrud> some students may struggle with spreadsheets and other things, but they really love Blender
08:28:34 <michalrud> I have admit that I love Blender the most, but it's the one which I know the least
08:28:49 <michalrud> so I had students who were ahead of me in the beginning
08:29:34 <michalrud> so when students knew Blender, they were required to do something amazing in it but they were not required to pay attention
08:29:52 <michalrud> so one student made a 3D model of a school room
08:30:05 <michalrud> they learned how to do animations
08:30:17 <michalrud> (sinking Titanic animated video)
08:30:37 <michalrud> student who did the video didn't enjoy computers up to this point at all, so that was amazing
08:31:18 <michalrud> Students learn to program in Scratch, which is a graphical programming language, which is not very powerful, but one can create something very quickly
08:32:08 <michalrud> students games made in Scratch are publicly available on the internet and students know that
08:32:35 <michalrud> at the end students can learn Python and learn about functions
08:32:50 <michalrud> there is no time to learn about classes, unfortunately
08:33:28 <michalrud> Lecturer written a simple game engine where students write functions that control robots that can shoot each other
08:33:33 <michalrud> so it's a simple AI lesson
08:33:42 <michalrud> #topic Goals
08:33:59 <michalrud> we want students to understand the theory and what the applications are doing
08:34:22 <michalrud> now how to work with Word, Writer or something else specific, we want students to know how to use a word processor, how to create spreadsheets
08:35:02 <michalrud> Students are not required to give him an ODT file, but students know that LibreOffice will be used to mark the homework
08:35:10 <michalrud> and what they use at home is their decision
08:35:36 <michalrud> Fedora is the best tool about teaching students is about Ethics
08:35:50 <michalrud> we want students to know what they should be doing with computers
08:36:05 <michalrud> whether it has to do with hacking, or pirating
08:36:15 <michalrud> it's not whether you can do something, but whether you should
08:36:25 <michalrud> computer ethics is what we teach
08:36:36 <michalrud> #topic Questions
08:36:43 <michalrud> Q: Why Fedora?
08:37:16 <michalrud> A: I was using Fedora when we first starting looking at this, at beginning we looked at Ubuntu, but since I am more comfortable with Fedora we are using that
08:37:39 <michalrud> A: We are always using the newest software, but not bleeding edge, so we had no major problems for the last few years
08:37:58 <michalrud> A: The mindset behind Fedora is the one that I really stand behind
08:38:08 <michalrud> Q: How many computers are there in total with Fedora?
08:38:34 <michalrud> A: Probably 30-50, probably close to 60 but some are multiseat systems
08:39:16 <michalrud> A: we use systemd ability for multiseat systems, we plug multiple GPUs and the integrated GPU we have 4 seats out of one system
08:39:27 <michalrud> A: so we have over 100 seats with Fedora
08:39:49 <michalrud> Q: what age are the children
08:40:16 <michalrud> A: We have first lessons for 4 year olds, but not until 10 they learn some real knowledge about computers, all on Fedora
08:40:27 <michalrud> Q: are students installing Fedora at home?
08:40:35 <michalrud> A: not a lot, but a few each year, yes
08:41:11 <michalrud> A: I am cautious about not putting pressure at students, I tell them that I will install Fedora to them
08:41:52 <michalrud> Q: Aren't you scared that you'll have to support these students laptop later
08:42:28 <michalrud> A: I am a support anyway in my school, but I'd rather support Fedora thich is reliable and without viruses so I'm happy to do that
08:42:42 <michalrud> Q: how easily replicable is what you are doing?
08:43:36 <michalrud> A: Excellent question. It depends on the people, it takes someone who has the passion to get it done. If you have someone who's willing to put the time to do that, it's definitely repricable
08:44:00 <michalrud> A: All my configuration scripts are publicly available, so anyone who wants to make workstations like ours is free to do so
08:44:34 <michalrud> A: My IT dept is myself, my assistant, someone who works with younger students in the other building and the principal who was an IT teacher previously and who makes my life easier
08:45:26 <michalrud> Q: Did you document the process of what you did to install Fedora etc?
08:46:07 <michalrud> A: All ansible scripts and installation stuff is written down. I do not have and I am ashamed about this, but I have no proper documentation, we don't use books so most of what I use is from my head
08:46:21 <michalrud> A: what we do is either on school website or in GitHub
08:48:22 <michalrud> Q: Are there any events for educators to share this knowledge?
08:48:51 <michalrud> A: No, at least not that I have attended. OSS community in Lebanon is very small, and Fedora community is me and a couple of other guys
08:49:11 <michalrud> #endmeeting