The Classroom Server Project
Based on Ubuntu 9.04
Released date: 08/15/09 Updated: 10/03/09
Welcome
to the Classroom Server Project. This FREE project emerged as a way to
increase "real world working experience and knowledge" for
students in secondary school IB and AP Computer Sciences and certainly
beyond. It can be a great compliment to your existing IDE
environment! As you may know, here in America,
there
appears to be a trend of declining student enrollment in computer
science. At Stony Point High School, TX (Round Rock ISD), we have
changed that trend! This year I had 220 plus students (grades 10-12)
apply for 150 seats in computer science having only started the
program 6 years earlier with just a handful! I attribute this
growing interest to the environment I have placed my students in. My
classroom emulates a “real-world” working environment. The
students login remotely to my classroom server and work in an
open-source, Linux operating system utilizing the "vim" editor. Aside
from learning how to
program, a major part of their excitement is due to learning a new
operating system and about the world of open-source software. They
learn something that the majority of the population is unaware of and
feel empowered by how it can be applied in their lives.
This concept would tend to make them "more
marketable" versus other students that have graduated, only
knowing how to "code" or work while in only one operating
system environment. Remote logins are everyday steps for the students
as well as programming in a remote environment. This page should
enable you to participate in setting up your own classroom server for
teaching any of the computer sciences. Please
download the 3 small files below and review each to get a better idea
of what this project is all about!
ReadMeFirst.txt
Introduction.txt
Acknowledgements.txt
The following four(4)
files, representing two(2) format types, simplify and provide "screen
shots" of the classroom server installation. These "Setup"
files are VERY useful for teachers having very little or no Linux
experience. We offer two different formats for your usage. Many
thanks to "PhloxLot" for creation of these files! The
"Classroom Server Config.txt" file, made for those techies
familiar with Linux, can be used instead of these four "Setup"
files.
Overview.txt
Our four guided setup files:
Server-Setup-01.odt
OR Server-Setup-01.doc
Server-Setup-02.odt
OR Server-Setup-02.doc
Server-Setup-03.odt
OR Server-Setup-03.doc
THEN use:
Server-Setup-04.odt
OR Server-Setup-04.doc
OR, .... If you are a bit of a Linux techie, you
can use the ".txt" file below instead of the 4 setup files above:
Classroom
Server Config.txt
Download our 2 tar packages used
in the installation process:
scripts.tar (modified 11/19/09)
lshell.tar (modified tar)
--------------------------------
The following "iso" files should be
downloaded and burned as a bootable image(ISO 9660) on
a new CD or DVD to become a Linux LiveCD or Linux LiveDVD. This
custom ClassroomCD/DVD is used as the classroom bootable operating
system. It is not installed, but runs in the computer's RAM. Students
boot up the ClassroomCD/DVD and open a shell. Students then "ssh"
onto the Ubuntu Classroom Server and begin their work.
This ClassroomCD/DVD are
restrictive by design(no
games) and will
not allow students onto the Internet, but allow them
to use the local LAN to access "the classroom server" by using the
epiphany-browser. Students cannot mount any usb
memory stick. This is set to keep students "on task"
and provide some "security" for teachers.
If you want your students to
have complete Internet access, then any Linux LiveCD will work.
Download those "iso's" at, http://distrowatch.com.
- The Classroom-CD-1.0.1
includes: C++, g++ compiler, vim,
medit, evince(pdf viewer), epiphany-browser, and the "OpenOffice Suite".
- The Classroom-DVD-1.0.1 includes: C++, g++ compiler, vim,
medit, evince(pdf viewer), epiphany-browser,
the
"OpenOffice Suite", Java6 JDK,
Eclipse(Java IDE), and
a wonderful Eclipse tutorial, generously
provided by Dr. David Powell from Elon University http://www.elon.edu/home/.
Classroom LiveCD/DVD isos:
Classroom-CD-1.0.1.iso *NEW* md5sum
Classroom-CD.iso
(older
version)
md5sum
Classroom-DVD-1.0.1.iso
*NEW* md5sum
Classroom-DVD.iso (older
version)
md5sum
--------------------------------
I have provided some Useful
Hints.odt or Useful
Hints.doc (updated
10/03/09)
which you
find help answer some unknowns and help the
teacher administer this system.
Please review our ChangeLog
(updated 11/19/09) once in a while to see what lovely changes are available to
you.
I've made available a "thank
you letter"
for your download and use. If you contact me, I can personalize it for
you and your administrators.
Please
post your feedback on our wiki's discussion board:
The
Classroom Server Project Wiki .
--------------------------------
Attention:
If you are a
Computer Science
teacher/educator and have some "C++" and/or "Java" lessons you would
like to
donate to this project, please contact me so we can make them
available!
***** Go
to the computer science
teacher/educators lessons, tutorials, et.al. pages.
--------------------------------
If
you have any comments, questions, need installation help, or would like
to contribute, feel
free to email me here:
jim_hogg AT roundrockisd DOT
org
--------------------------------
We hope this
server setup will be useful to you in your classroom and help you
strengthen your students' skill sets! :)
Jim R.
Hogg
Project Author
jim_hogg AT roundrockisd
DOT org
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