This is a session I did with Michael Gras and Miguel Guhlin at TechForum Southwest in Austin, TX, November 2008. It was a panel session discussing opensource software in the public school.

1. OPENSOURCE SOFTWARE
Photo Credit: taniwha
Scott S. Floyd & Michael J. Gras
White Oak ISD, White Oak. TX
floyds@woisd.net and grasm@woisd.net

2. BIG IDEAS FOR BETTER
SCHOOLS:
Students Schools
1. Engage: Project-Based 7. Adopt: Technology
Learning 8. Reorganize: Resources
2. Connect: Integrated
Studies
3. Share: Cooperative
Learning
4. Expand:
Comprehensive Assessment Photo Credit: chuchyd03
Community
Teachers 9. Involve: Parents
5. Coach: Intellectual and 10. Include: Community
Emotional Guide Partners
6. Learn: Teaching as
Apprenticeship
Source: Edutopia

3. SCHOOL USES
Instructional
Informational
Network
Photo Credit: pagedooley

4. INFORMATIONAL USE
Photo Credit: chough
Audacity
Joomla
osTube

5. INSTRUCTIONAL USE
Audacity
Moodle
osTube
Wordpress MU
OpenOffice 3.0 Photo Credit: mrtea
Firefox

6. NETWORK
Photo Credit: afsilva

7. REVIEW
Involve: Parents
When schoolwork involves parents, students learn
more. ... Schools should build strong alliances with
parents and welcome their active participation in the
classroom. Educators should inform parents of the
school's educational goals, the importance of high
expectations for each child, and ways of assisting with
homework and classroom lessons. - Edutopia

8. REVIEW
Adopt: Technology
The intelligent use of technology can transform and
improve almost every aspect of school, modernizing
the nature of curriculum, student assignments,
parental connections, and administration. Online
curricula now include lesson plans, simulations, and
demonstrations for classroom use and review. ...
Schools can reduce administrative costs by using
technology tools, as other fields have done, and
provide more funds for the classroom. - Edutopia

9. Photo Credit: schoschie