Introduction
Kenneth W. Chapman Copyright © 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Click here to go to the chapmankids.net Technology and Homeschool Linux home page.
The Goal: The goal of this little project is to write step-by-step procedures about how to set up and use an inexpensive, but great homeschool computer using Linux and other open source software. This includes specific recommendations on computer hardware, software, internet communication, PDA’s, etc., etc. Explanations will be targeted at computer illiterate and technophobic homeschool parents.
The bias will be toward specific, generally available solutions that anyone can install and use. To that end, will will buy a new low-end computer from a major computer vendor. We will install, from scratch, the latest and greatest version of the Linux distribution that best meets our needs. We will connect to the internet, hook up the peripherals, network the computer to our Windows computer, install additional software packages, and do whatever else is required to turn our system into a primo homeschool administration, education, and communication workstation. Most importantly, we will attempt to describe it all right here in great detail.
The purpose of this first post is to provide a little context for what we are trying to do. Our family is on the verge of finishing our second (non-consecutive) year of homeschooling. Over the past school year, our use of the computer evolved to the point where we now have some opinions about what works for us. It will not work for everyone, but it will probably help some. We have a broad set of criteria for selecting technology. Questions we ask when selecting technology include:
Is it cheap? Lots of homeschoolers live in single income households. Resources are finite. Cheap is good. Is it interesting in a way that will help our homeschool? The point of homeschool is to teach stuff. Stuff is a lot easier to teach if it is interesting. Does it do something we need to have done? There are lots of cool things out there. Coolness by itself is not enough when resources are finite. Does its administration require more effort than the benefit derived from its use? Time with the wife and kids is more important than time with technology.