Open source software can make a big difference in schools, but very few schools choose to employ it. The Penguin Corps, Aspen Academy’s Linux club, uses open source software to recycle computers for their fellow students. When Aspen Academy shut down due to COVID-19 in March of 2020, the school needed this team to close the Digital Divide.
The presentation explains how the school addressed its COVID-19 induced digital inequity problems through the use of open source software and recycled computers. This enabled Aspen to provide over 300 computers for students in need for distance/hybrid learning at home at a cost of less than $7,000. This closed their digital divide, providing necessary technology for all. This game changing work was performed by the Aspen Academy Penguin Corps, the school’s middle school Linux club. This club gives students a hands-on service learning experience and teaches them “in demand” technology skills. What's more, Stu Keroff releases his instructional documents under a Creative Commons license, so other teachers can use them, too. Come hear Stu Keroff and his students talk about how they used open source to make a difference, and how you can, too!
After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
- Attendees will have examples of how free open source software (FOSS) can be used effectively in K-12 education
- Attendees will have a working understanding of the purpose and activities of student tech teams
- Attendees will be able to identify necessary components of a school open source program in order to start their own
