There’s nothing worse than hearing how an entire school district is switching operating systems from Mac to Windows (or vice versa) because that’s what the “business” world relies on or some other blather. The costs associated with the transition are enormous and the whole ‘to do’ is unnecessary, because features on applications mimic one another. Additionally, it seems one option is Linux, which is open source and free.
The idea in technology (and education for that matter), is to teach concepts so the whole underrated independent thinking mode can kick in when little Johnny is tinkering with different programs. Then true exploring and true creating can occur and the operating system or program is of little consequence. Also, with a little time, most users, especially children, will be able to get around in the program and start creating. Since no one can predict which operating system will have the majority market share in the future it seems pointless to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars solely on that basis alone.
In that vein, below is a round-up of exceptional Linux programs for children which cater to their endless fascination with learning exploration and fun. Please check them out and let us know your favorites. And if you like them, be sure to share them with your friends >>>
Award winning drawing software program for children ages 3-12 with easy to use interface, sound effects and a cartoon mascot for help. There’s no real learning curve and kids can get started right away with discovering and creating works of art. The tools include basic geometric shapes, a pencil, paint can with lots of colors to select, an eraser, and an airbrush for cool effects. Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Explore the universe in three dimensions in real time. Celestia allows you to explore the vast universe from anywhere, not just the confines of earth. You can travel through the solar system and even beyond the galaxy. If the large catalog of stars, moons, planets, comets, etc. is not enough for you, you can add-on more. Runs on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
Educational software suite targeted for children ages 2-10 with over 100 learning activities, with many game oriented to make learning fun. Includes tools for learning algebra, science, geography, games like chess, puzzles of famous paintings, memory, etc. Runs on Windows and Linux.
Educational software suite for children ages 3-18 with a special user interface for young users. The suite runs on Unix, BSD, Linux and now available in beta on Windows. Contains unique programs like KStars, an accurate graphical simulation of the night sky, from any location on Earth, at any date and time. Others are listed below:
Kanagram is a neat language arts tool which mixes up words to create anagrams to help build vocabulary skills. Children have to guess what the correct word is as hints are provided.
KTouch - Since kids aren’t required to take typing in school anymore, KTouch is a nice alternative to the teacher with the beehive yelling “faster.” This program teaches touch typing.
KBruch -Nice fractions practice program. Provides students four ways to calculate fractions and enhance their fractions computing skill.
Kig is a program to explore geometric constructions and is aimed at high school students and teachers. It is a powerful utility which allows students to interactively explore mathematical figures and concepts using the computer and provides a WYSIWYG tool for drawing mathematical figures and including them in other documents.
Khangman - the classic hangman game with pupils try to guess a word, letter by letter. At each miss, the picture of a hangman is added to. After 10 incorrect tries the game is over.
GAMES
Linux has great games for kids. Below are some of our favorites.
Ri-li - Here’s an arcade game where you don’t kill anything to win. Basically, you drive a toy wood engine in many levels and collect all the coaches to win. Runs in Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Atanks - A game where you annihilate other tanks to earn money, then spend it on bigger and better shields and weapons to wipe out the opposition. Runs on Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.
PROGRAMMING
Programming language for children ages 8+ where they can create their own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art and then share them on the web. Scratch emphasizes 21st century skills such as thinking creatively, communicating clearly, analyzing systematically, using technologies fluently, collaborating effectively, designing iteratively, learning continuously. Runs on Mac and Windows and unofficially, Linux.
BEST ALL IN ONE
We saved the best for last. If you want it all, operating system, educational software, office software and graphics software, Edubuntu is the system for you. It’s a version of the popular Ubuntu Linux based operating system, but aimed for classroom use. Edubuntu comes pre-installed with a complete office suite, teaching and learning programs, pre-school resources and much more. Below are some of the installed applications which can also be downloaded separately for either Windows or Mac OS X operating systems or both. Some of these applications have been mentioned previously in this post.
OpenOffice.org – an office suite similar to Microsoft Office including a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database and drawing applications.
Scribus – a layout and desktop publishing software program similar to Microsoft Publisher.
GIMP – a photo retouching and image editing program similar to Adobe Photoshop.
GCompris - Edubuntu comes preloaded with GCompris an educational suite with over 100 educational activities.
KDE “Edutainment” software – Edubuntu comes with the latest KDE Education Project software.
Tux4kids – includes TuxType, TuxPaint and TuxMath programs. TuxType teaches keyboard strokes and TuxMath is a fun way to learn math facts beyond the tried and true flash card technique.
There are many other programs installed on Edubuntu and we just covered the highlights. The list as a whole is by no means exhaustive either. We specifically only included those Linux programs that were free, as in gratis and those that are still officially supported. Please let us know your favorites!
Posted by FA Editors at 11:54 AM PDT
