8 ms·

It's still like that. Everything is locked down, locked up and entirely filtered. It's like a computing prison. A couple of years ago, my then 8 year old daught

by meaty 14y ago

It's still like that. Everything is locked down, locked up and entirely filtered. It's like a computing prison. A couple of years ago, my then 8 year old daughter (!!!!) was actually told off for using the Run dialog (to fire up notepad) in Windows XP because they removed it from the start menu and was accused of hacking! I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation. I'm now a school governor to make sure that these morons don't take over the planet. The kill pretty much every bit of interest there is straight away for most students.

jiggy2011 14y ago
I could certainly tell plenty of stories of our exploits (literally and figuratively) with the RM branded computers that our school used. The focus from what I remember was very much on the "computers as tools for business" angle. Databases were taught by designing forms in MS Access, not a single line of SQL. It might be interesting to see how they use the pies though, hopefully they will assign them to students individually and let them change the Window manager/install quake3/install nmap to their hearts content.
keithpeter 14y ago
"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." I'd watch the blood pressure there (I've been teaching for 24 years). As you are now on the management: Is there (safe, filtered) Internet via wifi and BYOD for the older pupils? Cheap android tablets for shiny media but also hackable? Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/) on the PCs? Basically what policy innovation/leadership have you contributed? Not challenging here, I'd really be interested to know. Having documented examples to point at really helps in situations where you have to be diplomatic with idiots.
- meaty 14y ago
  I calmed down pretty quickly :) Changes so far: stopped mass iPad purchase to use as cameras (!?), different acceptable use policy (which stops people being hung without good reason), open systems policy I.e. no single vendor, fired RM PLC, halfed expenditure on consultants, new smartboards which don't fall over every 3 months, got rid of LGFL Fronter, two new IT staff. All in 9 months.
  - josephlord 14y ago
    What is your Fronter replacement recommendation? And can you suggest good Schools ISP or filtering solution?
    - meaty 14y ago
      Moodle+exchange (still cheaper than fronter which was £40k+. MS will bend over for educational contracts. Exchange supports the staff better as well. Smoothwall guardian filter
  - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
    Would be interested to learn more about your involvement - the school, how you pushed for the changes, why these things are being managed at school level ...?
    - meaty 14y ago
      I'll write it all up and post it to HN shortly (will check with other members that they are happy to publicise it first). Its an academy school so they are more flexible and have 3rd party funding. Basically, the governers have a greater stake in the school.
      - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
        Do you have a financial stake in the company (ie school) then. Does it trouble you in any way that your volunteer effort is going to someone else's profit instead of entirely to the children of the school?
        jiggy2011 14y ago
        Academy schools are non profits. They are not private schools in the normal sense and there are no tuition fees charged. They are basically an experiment to run a school with less dictates from local government so do not have to follow as many rules. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school)
freehunter 14y ago
In my university, the computers are locked down so much that literally you cannot lock the screen. Which means when you get up to go to the printer or run to the bathroom, there is no way to protect what is on your screen short of logging out completely. The IT director for the school saw nothing wrong with this.
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  That's a shame, when I got to uni most of the comp sci computers were Linux based. I got to use fluxbox as my primary environment for 3 years.
nagrom 14y ago
"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." No you didn't ;-)
cabalamat 14y ago
> The kill pretty much every bit of interest there is straight away for most students. What's your opinion of the new CS curriculum they are talking about introducing. From what I've read of it[1], it seems a big improvement over the old "learn to use MS Word and Excel". 1: http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCurric.pdf http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCu....
- meaty 14y ago
  I have seen various curriculum proposals, but the main problem is between the department of education and teaching unions. Teachers who can teach that curriculum are just not available. This threatens the teachers who clam up and whinge at the unions, who then moan at the department of education who back down and the cycle begins again. This is entirely self-destructive. Remove the unions and hire ex industry people on a good salary with training and things will get better, but the current teaching standards across the board is just incompetent dross (bar about 5%). Teaching is not a profession at the moment. It is simply an easy career path for certain types of personality. I include my wife in that statement as well and she would agree (she is an art teacher and there is very little space for her in society as a traditional creative person). So summary: great idea, lacking any likelyhood of being executed unless they destroy the unions and hire better people.

by meaty 14y ago

jiggy2011 14y ago

I could certainly tell plenty of stories of our exploits (literally and figuratively) with the RM branded computers that our school used. The focus from what I remember was very much on the "computers as tools for business" angle. Databases were taught by designing forms in MS Access, not a single line of SQL. It might be interesting to see how they use the pies though, hopefully they will assign them to students individually and let them change the Window manager/install quake3/install nmap to their hearts content.

keithpeter 14y ago

"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." I'd watch the blood pressure there (I've been teaching for 24 years). As you are now on the management: Is there (safe, filtered) Internet via wifi and BYOD for the older pupils? Cheap android tablets for shiny media but also hackable? Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/) on the PCs? Basically what policy innovation/leadership have you contributed? Not challenging here, I'd really be interested to know. Having documented examples to point at really helps in situations where you have to be diplomatic with idiots.

meaty 14y ago
I calmed down pretty quickly :) Changes so far: stopped mass iPad purchase to use as cameras (!?), different acceptable use policy (which stops people being hung without good reason), open systems policy I.e. no single vendor, fired RM PLC, halfed expenditure on consultants, new smartboards which don't fall over every 3 months, got rid of LGFL Fronter, two new IT staff. All in 9 months.
- josephlord 14y ago
  What is your Fronter replacement recommendation? And can you suggest good Schools ISP or filtering solution?
  - meaty 14y ago
    Moodle+exchange (still cheaper than fronter which was £40k+. MS will bend over for educational contracts. Exchange supports the staff better as well. Smoothwall guardian filter
- pbhjpbhj 14y ago
  Would be interested to learn more about your involvement - the school, how you pushed for the changes, why these things are being managed at school level ...?
  - meaty 14y ago
    I'll write it all up and post it to HN shortly (will check with other members that they are happy to publicise it first). Its an academy school so they are more flexible and have 3rd party funding. Basically, the governers have a greater stake in the school.
    - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
      Do you have a financial stake in the company (ie school) then. Does it trouble you in any way that your volunteer effort is going to someone else's profit instead of entirely to the children of the school?
      - jiggy2011 14y ago
        Academy schools are non profits. They are not private schools in the normal sense and there are no tuition fees charged. They are basically an experiment to run a school with less dictates from local government so do not have to follow as many rules. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school)

freehunter 14y ago

In my university, the computers are locked down so much that literally you cannot lock the screen. Which means when you get up to go to the printer or run to the bathroom, there is no way to protect what is on your screen short of logging out completely. The IT director for the school saw nothing wrong with this.

jiggy2011 14y ago
That's a shame, when I got to uni most of the comp sci computers were Linux based. I got to use fluxbox as my primary environment for 3 years.

nagrom 14y ago

"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." No you didn't ;-)

cabalamat 14y ago

> The kill pretty much every bit of interest there is straight away for most students. What's your opinion of the new CS curriculum they are talking about introducing. From what I've read of it[1], it seems a big improvement over the old "learn to use MS Word and Excel". 1: http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCurric.pdf http://www.computingatschool.org.uk/data/uploads/ComputingCu....

meaty 14y ago
I have seen various curriculum proposals, but the main problem is between the department of education and teaching unions. Teachers who can teach that curriculum are just not available. This threatens the teachers who clam up and whinge at the unions, who then moan at the department of education who back down and the cycle begins again. This is entirely self-destructive. Remove the unions and hire ex industry people on a good salary with training and things will get better, but the current teaching standards across the board is just incompetent dross (bar about 5%). Teaching is not a profession at the moment. It is simply an easy career path for certain types of personality. I include my wife in that statement as well and she would agree (she is an art teacher and there is very little space for her in society as a traditional creative person). So summary: great idea, lacking any likelyhood of being executed unless they destroy the unions and hire better people.