Introducing open source software to those who will teach future generations of computer programmers was a major theme at the ICT in Education Conference held in Cape Town last week.
DireqLearn, theShuttleworth Foundation and Hewlett Packard (HP) were the three major exhibitors at the conference, which was attended by about 600 educators from across SA.
The conference was organized by the Western Cape School`s Network, a non-government organization originally set up to supply local learners with an e-mail address.
Mark Shelton of DireqLearn says the shift towards open source solutions for school systems is becoming increasingly necessary as those institutions have to contain costs while ensuring that a premium education is delivered.
DireqLearn debuted its OpenLab3, which is a thin-client, diskless computer centre solution, based on Linux Terminal Server technology. The first system was installed in a Cape Town school last week.
HP showed off its 441 open source solution, which allows a multitude of different sessions to be run off a central server.
Kobus Carstens, the HP representative at reseller Sourcecom, says the system was developed specifically to meet SA school conditions.
"SA and other African school classrooms have very limited resources in terms of power points and other things that make a functioning classroom. Our system means that at least one box, plus four terminals can be installed for a very low price, compared to the usual PC solution," he says.
Jennny King, a director of the Western Cape Schools Network, told the conference that educators were taking to open source as a teaching solution for the classroom. However, they needed to be "trained up" in the technology.
"People have to be more computer literate when using open source and that is where many of the educators fall short. They need to have front line support close at hand," she said.
Looking to fill that gap is the Shuttleworth Foundation, which runs the School Linux User Group (Slug), which involves volunteers who go out to help schools with their systems.
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