Comments on: Computer Reuse and Assistance http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/computer-reuse-and-assistance Speech Applications, MySQL, Python, Soccer, Java, Beer and Incinerating Toilets Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:45:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marylouise JWS'66-'68 http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/computer-reuse-and-assistance/comment-page-1#comment-1069 Marylouise JWS'66-'68 Tue, 25 Jan 2005 03:00:08 +0000 http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/computer-reuse-and-assistance#comment-1069 <p>Your site came up when I googled for computer reuse wanting to find the recent Trib article on Oakland Technology Exchange. Badly in need of newer computers is an alternative boarding school in rural Nevada City, CA whose mascot is none other than the wombat! http://woolman.org/woolman_index.htm Formerly John Woolman School 4 year boarding, now Woolman Semester, one semester for HS juniors and seniors , focus on Peace and Justice work. They're a non profit so computer donations are tax deductable. I make frequent trips from the bay area to volunteer there and to recycle their ancient stuff at ACCRC, so I'm available to transport donations of working PCs, hopefully Pentium III. Anyway.... they are much in need of newer computers. They've managed to keep things running but could use both computers and some tech support for the one volunteer holding things together there now. Apologies in advance if I have posted this in the wrong place. No flaming please....</p> Your site came up when I googled for computer reuse wanting to find the recent Trib article on Oakland Technology Exchange. Badly in need of newer computers is an alternative boarding school in rural Nevada City, CA whose mascot is none other than the wombat! http://woolman.org/woolman_index.htm Formerly John Woolman School 4 year boarding, now Woolman Semester, one semester for HS juniors and seniors , focus on Peace and Justice work. They’re a non profit so computer donations are tax deductable. I make frequent trips from the bay area to volunteer there and to recycle their ancient stuff at ACCRC, so I’m available to transport donations of working PCs, hopefully Pentium III. Anyway…. they are much in need of newer computers. They’ve managed to keep things running but could use both computers and some tech support for the one volunteer holding things together there now. Apologies in advance if I have posted this in the wrong place. No flaming please….

]]> By: michaelm http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/computer-reuse-and-assistance/comment-page-1#comment-1066 michaelm Thu, 20 Jan 2005 06:18:52 +0000 http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/computer-reuse-and-assistance#comment-1066 <p>Hey Robert,</p> <p>Nice entry. My head is spinning with tangents... I'm actually that person at my school (tech point person, but also full-time 2nd grade teacher)</p> <p>I'm currently in the process of writing a grant request for my school actually. Besides books (#1 priority) I'm going to ask for a projector and multimedia cart, some software, Graphics Tablets for digital art (see http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.cfm) & maybe a usb microscope. I really really want to upgrade our computer hardware though, but I'm planning on hitting local businesses and organizations that may have reuse programs. I know that universities and such periodically upgrade, and a system a few years old would be light-years ahead of what we have...</p> <p>I need to check the specs on the boxes we got from a local org called "computers for families, but they're Win98, maybe 128 of RAM and i'm not sure of the processor speed... they're super laggy with any type of multimedia, and periodically crash...</p> <p>The best uses I've found for computers this year are 1) reading each others' journal entries on a group blog 2) living books (great product especially since they're often bilingual) 3) Math activities on the Harcourt Brace website 4) Dowloaded 15 minute Videos thematically related subjects via our subscription to something called "United Streaming". 5) I know there is a lot more that I can do, but as far as helping my peers, I need to either upgrade their machines or get them all soundcards (which would be a wasted investment in many cases because their machines are often sluggish). Even though much of what's available for educational software has minimal system requirements, its tedious to configure or do much of anything on a laggy system.</p> <p>As far as helping, anything you can do to create "stations" for kids to work on, (2 kids per PC is a good ratio in the early years) goto radio shack, buy headphone splitters, get them set up with the big Caliphone brand headphones (way more durable than the mini-jack walkman style). Help teachers brainstorm... Maybe even set up a blog for them and offer to do some data entry (ie. typing up elementary schooler's writing samples). People are ALWAYS running into simple problems with their computers in their classrooms in my experience. They often don't realize how easy things can be (although they require some time of which teachers often have little). Simply making the rounds and asking what teachers are doing with their computers... gosh I'm rambling I need to goto bed so I can get up and teach tomorrow, and I was trying to empty my head real fast, so this is the raw unedited free assosciation feedback comment... I'll keep thinking on it.</p> <p>Also, you could just pick a classroom, and start there. Find someone who wants help, build rapport with them, and seriously trick out their class, not with hardware necessarily, but by figuring out how to get the most out of what they have... if you can push one class to the edge of what's possible, chances are, you'll inspire other teachers at that school, and set up a chain reaction of demand for the same tricks. Teachers are most impressed by results rather than theoretical applications I think... making it happen nicely in one room is the first step.</p> Hey Robert,

Nice entry. My head is spinning with tangents… I’m actually that person at my school (tech point person, but also full-time 2nd grade teacher)

I’m currently in the process of writing a grant request for my school actually. Besides books (#1 priority) I’m going to ask for a projector and multimedia cart, some software, Graphics Tablets for digital art (see http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.cfm) & maybe a usb microscope. I really really want to upgrade our computer hardware though, but I’m planning on hitting local businesses and organizations that may have reuse programs. I know that universities and such periodically upgrade, and a system a few years old would be light-years ahead of what we have…

I need to check the specs on the boxes we got from a local org called “computers for families, but they’re Win98, maybe 128 of RAM and i’m not sure of the processor speed… they’re super laggy with any type of multimedia, and periodically crash…

The best uses I’ve found for computers this year are 1) reading each others’ journal entries on a group blog 2) living books (great product especially since they’re often bilingual) 3) Math activities on the Harcourt Brace website 4) Dowloaded 15 minute Videos thematically related subjects via our subscription to something called “United Streaming”. 5) I know there is a lot more that I can do, but as far as helping my peers, I need to either upgrade their machines or get them all soundcards (which would be a wasted investment in many cases because their machines are often sluggish). Even though much of what’s available for educational software has minimal system requirements, its tedious to configure or do much of anything on a laggy system.

As far as helping, anything you can do to create “stations” for kids to work on, (2 kids per PC is a good ratio in the early years) goto radio shack, buy headphone splitters, get them set up with the big Caliphone brand headphones (way more durable than the mini-jack walkman style). Help teachers brainstorm… Maybe even set up a blog for them and offer to do some data entry (ie. typing up elementary schooler’s writing samples). People are ALWAYS running into simple problems with their computers in their classrooms in my experience. They often don’t realize how easy things can be (although they require some time of which teachers often have little). Simply making the rounds and asking what teachers are doing with their computers… gosh I’m rambling I need to goto bed so I can get up and teach tomorrow, and I was trying to empty my head real fast, so this is the raw unedited free assosciation feedback comment… I’ll keep thinking on it.

Also, you could just pick a classroom, and start there. Find someone who wants help, build rapport with them, and seriously trick out their class, not with hardware necessarily, but by figuring out how to get the most out of what they have… if you can push one class to the edge of what’s possible, chances are, you’ll inspire other teachers at that school, and set up a chain reaction of demand for the same tricks. Teachers are most impressed by results rather than theoretical applications I think… making it happen nicely in one room is the first step.

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