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Finally, all laptops and netbooks have a variant of Ubuntu Linux running.  Our first lesson focused on using the command line and apt-get for updates.

(Ubuntu eee on the projector)

Past Ubuntu Linux Articles at AIS:

• Ubuntu Linux Install Week at AIS Picture Gallery
• Using Ubuntu Linux at the American International School
• Another new Ubuntu User

AIS Linux Related Articles:

• My Students using the Asus Eee PC
• AIS Linux Lab Redesigned
• Using TuxType with my Vietnamese Students
• First Day of Python for my Vietnamese Students
• Linux Mint in the Classroom
• My Computer Lab Nearly Ready
• Introducing my Vietnamese Students to GIMP
• Students Using PCLinuxOS in Vietnam

It all started at the beginning of last week.  I wanted my American International School 11th and 12th Grade ICT students to start using Ubuntu Linux on their laptops/netbooks at the beginning of the second quarter.  I knew it would take me nearly two weeks to get them working Ubuntu Linux systems on their laptops or netbooks.  Tommy (11A), Michael (11A), Cindy (11B), Tyler (11B) and Wade (12) were instrumental in helping me get all the Linux systems running.

My students had four options to run Ubuntu Linux on their laptops or netbooks.  They could:

1. Use VirtualBox running an Ubuntu Linux virtual machine,
2. Install Ubuntu Linux in Windows with the Wubi Installer,
3. Install Ubuntu Linux through a dual boot with Windows, or
4. They could purchase a netbook and install Ubuntu eee.

Only a couple students used the VirtualBox option.  Most of my students were using Windows Vista wished had some issues running VirtualBox.  Others were running different versions of Windows XP which, due to hardware issues, was not fast enough to run VirtualBox on.  It took forever for them to install and eventually boot Ubuntu Linux.  Kids these days are quite impatient so I decided to give them other options.

For most, install Ubuntu Linux with Wubi proved the easiest and most successful way to install Linux.  I had no idea it was that easy to use.  They just installed it and never asked me any questions.  After the initial installation, my students rebooted and Ubuntu loaded up and finished the installation itself including the partition.  The Ubuntu Developers should be patted on their back for this one.  Finally, they gave something back to the Linux community worthy of praise.

So Remember, USE Wubi to install Ubuntu Linux for Window users.  It will save you time and headache.  Dual partitions can be a pain, even with the Ubuntu Installer.  I think I would have saved a couple of days if I had chosen Wubi initially.  The Install CD is great but even the partition graphic user interface can confuse the advanced Linus users.

At least one of my students accidentally loss her entire Windows partition when she installed Ubuntu right over it (she was the only one that did not ask for help.  Yes, my instructions were clear, BACK UP everything!!!).  Several laptops had errors during the installation yet they were able to get a successful install when using Wubi.  Interesting….

Finally, the last group of students had netbooks already, mainly Eee PC 1000s, Asus Aspire Ones, and MSI Winds.  My new bright student, Katherine, installed Ubuntu 8.10 herself without even asking me.  Yeah, that makes an IT teacher proud.  The rest used Ubuntu eee with my LiveUSB.

Several students have not finsihed installing yet.  They know by next week, they had to have Ubuntu Linux installed or I would deduct points from their grade.  My first lesson will focus on using the command line to update their systems.

This should be an interesting year.  Below are many pictures from this week.  This is my first time seeing many Ubuntu Linux systems in one room at a time outside of a Linux User Group meeting.  I get a chuckle out of this one since I am not a fan of Ubuntu Linux myself

Picture Gallery and Previous American International School Linux posts below:

(Ubuntu eee on Eee PC 1000)

(Ubuntu 8.10 on Sony laptop)

(More Ubuntu laptops - This was lost it’s Window’s partition)

(Ubuntu 8.10 on an AMD64 Asus laptop - Had some problems)

(Nice Ubuntu Install Picture)

(Another Eee PC 1000 Ubuntu eee install)

(Taking turns using the Ubuntu Install LiveCD)

(Finally got the Ubuntu LiveCD to run on an unknown brand laptop)

(My Korean student, Jinn, got Ubuntu running in Korean)

(Joanna installed Ubuntu herself using Wubi)

(Another Wubi Ubuntu installation in progress)

(Three new Ubuntu users in the back, they are first time users of Linux)

(Eagerly waiting for the Ubuntu Linux installations to finish)

(Fresh Ubuntu install with Wubi)

(Gwen installing Ubuntu herself, thanks Wubi)

(One Ubuntu installation finishing, another one close behind)

(My last Ubuntu eee install of the day)

Previous Using Ubuntu Linux at AIS entries:

• Using Ubuntu Linux at the American International School
• Another new Ubuntu User

AIS Linux Related Articles:

• My Students using the Asus Eee PC
• AIS Linux Lab Redesigned
• Using TuxType with my Vietnamese Students
• First Day of Python for my Vietnamese Students
• Linux Mint in the Classroom
• My Computer Lab Nearly Ready
• Introducing my Vietnamese Students to GIMP
• Students Using PCLinuxOS in Vietnam

Back in September, American International School, where I teach ICT part-time, required students from the 9-11 Grades to purchase the Asus Eee PC 1000.  Due to strong resistance from students, parents, and faculty, this requirement was dropped.  Some students still opted to purchase the Eee PC themselves at the school discount.

One of the biggest complaints they had about the Eee PC was the GUI.  You could not do much with it.  It short, it was too boring.  Some were successful in getting the Full KDE Desktop environment to work but others decided to just install Windows XP Lite.

On Friday, I was so surprised to see one of my 8th Grade Students, Candy, using the simplified desktop with her Eee PC.  She was even using StarOffice, the propriety version of OpenOffice, with little difficulty.  Linux is difficult, eh?  Well, I doubt she really could tell the difference between Windows and Linux anyway

I am considering asking my students in the 8th Grade to purchase the Eee PC, with both Windows and Linux, for the remaining school year.

Yesterday was Halloween in Saigon.  My ICT students celebrated their second Halloween at the American International School.  Last year’s Halloween was more organized.  The decorations actually represented Halloween.  This year a was a little different:

(Toilet paper was widely used as decoration this year in my two classrooms)

(We are not sure what the ripped newspapers were for)

(We had no idea what the ripped trash bags were for but most fell down after about 10 minutes after I took this shot)

(Yeah, you do see a pumpkin in the background)

(How I dealt with the Halloween schedule)

Luckily for the students, the cleaners were the one responsible for the clean up.  This was a very unusual Halloween for most of the teachers this year

My 8th Grade ICT students at AIS must really love me this week.  I finally gave them their first exam.  It was just a 33 question multiple-choice exam focusing on the key terms from three different chapters.  We are using the Learning with Computers (Orange Level) textbook which is based on the ICT curriculum in the US.  Questions focused on how to use Microsoft Word.  We got a couple more chapters to go before moving on to Powerpoint which is what they are looking forward too.

The good news is that my students did not cheat.  The bad news, many did not study.  No problem, I just want them to get a feeling of what an American ICT exam is like.  All the students who studied in the West did very well.

Well, last weekend my Linux Lab at the American International School has been redesigned.  It is now less cluttered and utilizes the U-shaped design which I prefer for a computer room.  The old design made it difficult for me to manage the class as a whole.  I also could not give any one-on-one time since it was too difficult to move been the desks.

This will mean less ‘game’ time for my students since they will no longer be able to ‘hide’ behind their monitors.

Yes, some of you will see Windows XP installed on the desktops.  Well, starting with the new school year, 9-12 graders will be required to purchase the eeePC 1000.  That means most of my students will be using them in my lab instead of the desktops.  All of their eeePCs will run just Linux, not Windows.  Good news for me

I plan to spend at least one more year at AIS teaching IT.  I find it enjoyable.  It will be interesting to see what my top IT students will do with the eeePC.  I think many will have Ubuntu installed within a week.

Amazing, got another student to use Ubuntu. Actually, he chose to install Ubuntu himself which greatly impressed me. Today at AIS, I watched him install Ubuntu himself. I helped a little with the partitioning but most of the work was performed by him There were some issues at the end. Windows Vista would not boot up but then we found out he was booting the wrong Vista partition. Everything was A okay.

Another student, after watching us, plans to install Ubuntu on his computer at home as well. This could become a new trend among my students, I hope. I hope to teach at least one more year before switching full time to my company, maybe I can get some more Linux converts

One issue that I feel that needs to be addressed in regards to Ubuntu is that they should make their CDs more country specific. For example, scim should be installed with working Vietnamese fonts as default for Vietnam. Maybe the community in Vietnam can prepare more remastersys LiveCDs with Vietnamese support in the future…

(Successful install of Ubuntu!)

(Time to update his Ubuntu system)

I started teaching Flash to my AIS Immersion students last week.  I decided to take advantage of one of my Teaching Assistants, Michael Pham, and had him prepare the Flash tutorials for the class.  He has done an amazing job and my students love his tutorials.

Michael is a natural to graphic designing.  He prepared the promos for Qeeboa, a product we and another student are working on.  Expect to see his name more often in the near future.

Michael teaching Adobe Flash to Vietnamese students at AIS

Flash Demonstration of the overhead projector

My students are very interested in Flash

Below is Michael’s Promo for Qeeboa:

Just an update, over 50 of my students signed up for Twitter accounts.  They are addicted.  I was impressed at how popular it became with them.

Unfortunately, due to the bandwidth problems in Vietnam, Twitter is down at times which can be frustrating.  Downtimes occur during the afternoon here.

Here is my Twitter account if you are interested in adding me:

http://twitter.com/saigonnezumi

Tomorrow I will introduce my Vietnamese computer science students to Twitter.  One of the nice things about being a computer teacher is that you can introduce new innovations to students.  I think they will love Twitter.

My goal is to add 50 more Twitter users in Vietnam tomorrow