Back To School Linux Applications

As far as I know, I am one of the few, if only, Linux users in the faculty on my campus. This comes up from time to time, often when someone walks by my laptop and doesn't see the usual Apple/Windows interface. I have discussed Linux with some of my colleagues; many are interested in how I do the things I do with it for school.

This is a list of Back To School apps for faculty who use Linux. I use each of these on a day to day basis and I would not be as productive as I am without them. Good news for Windows/Apple users: Many of these are cross-platform applications you can use too.

Tomboy: Tomboy is my note taking program of choice. I have a variety of uses for Tomboy: I keep a "to do" list that also loads on Conky (see below) plus numerous notes for each day of the week, ideas for projects, and other assorted randomness. The biggest use as a faculty member for me is having portable notes with lists. I have a pre, and post, semester list. I have a running list of things that need to be added to my annual report. In the summer, I draft and map my classes for the year via Tomboy notes. Tomboy can be synced over a number of computers via the cloud or, what I do, by syncing the folder my notes are in over a number of computers using Spideroak (look down).

Spideroak: I moved to Spideroak about a year ago after issues with a few of their competitors. Spideroak is an extremely secure backup program (see the Security Now! podcast episode about it) that backs up your work and can be synced over a number of devices. It is also cross-platform. I use Spideroak on my home desktop (Linux Mint 15), the laptop I bring to work (Ubuntu 12.04), another laptop running Ubuntu 11.10, and my Android phone and tablet. I can also access it via the web on my office desktop (which I run using Portable Apps...see below) One caveat: You cannot upload files to your Spideroak archive from the web ala Dropbox. I have been told by someone at Spideroak this is for security reasons.

Calibre: Calibre is an ebook manager that can also swap your books between various formats. Depending on your ebook reader, you may want books in .mobi, .ebook, or PDF (I had a student this summer who had a Nook, I think, and wanted everything in PDF) or a multitude of other format options. Calibre lets you transfer between these formats with relative ease to keep up with wherever your books are going.

Conky: Conky is a lightweight system monitor that allows a user to visually display information from their computer. As I said above, I use Conky to display my task list from Tomboy. I also display a monthly calendar, my daily Google Calendar, and various information about what is going on within my computer (CPU. Memory, What Song is Currently Playing). Conky is fairly easy to set up, UbuntuForums have a number of tutorials that users have created, although you don’t have to be a user of Ubuntu (personally I run Linux Mint for the most part) to use them.

LibreOffice: LibreOffice is a great alternative to Microsoft Office that I use on a day to day basis. Many of my students, not willing to put down the amount of money Microsoft wants for their products, also use LibreOffice. LibreOffice allows users to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, etc. I have used various forks from this project for about 10 years and have never looked back at Office. It’s not perfect, but good enough for me.

Portable Apps: While not Linuxcentric, I use Portable Apps on my work computer a lot to make sure I can use the programs I want. I do trust my IT Department and like them a lot, but I am not that interested in using Microsoft Office or Internet Explorer. I carry a flash drive in my bag with Google Chrome, LibreOffice, and a handful of other programs. I also run HTTPSEverywhere in Chrome to make sure my connections are secure on our Wi-Fi Network.

Linux Boot Drive: Even if you are not a Linux user, I think every academic should have a copy of some form of Linux on a flash drive or CDR. Most forms of Linux allow you to run a "live" version of the OS before you install it. Normally, users would use this to test compatibility and make sure hardware and drivers (I had a laptop years ago that had problem with the rather infamous Broadcom wireless cards) work in Linux. However, this can also be used to, potentially, recover files from a broken Windows system. Say your Windows XP laptop crashes. Depending on how your OS failed, there is a decent chance your files are fine. Booting into Linux could allow you to recover your files before reinstalling. Of course, this is why you should be backing up (see above).

Center For Learning & Instruction: Working With Students Who Have Low Technology Skills

Here are my notes from the lecture I gave to BCC's Center For Learning & Instruction in the spring of 2012. Sherrie Block, our paralegal program director took these notes, which I have added some hyperlinks to for further information. If you want to watch the video of my lecture, look below.

Working With Students Who Have Low Technology Skills – William Wend, English Lecturer Center for Learn and Instruction: Thursday, April 5th, 2012 Presentation

  • Mr. Wend is constantly hearing from BCC faculty dealing with students who possesses low technology skills; he, for example, wishes students would do page breaks before starting their citation page

  • Topic was voted for at Conference; At ThatCamp, there is no planned schedule until the morning of the conference. Participants suggest topics and they are democratically voted on.

  • William ran panel and had nice hour and half chat there and is now bringing this presentation back to BCC (a more final version). He hopes to do this more in the future.

  • He found that many attendees faced common issue,  dealing with them on a day-to-day basis:

    • Finding ways to remove hindrances to learning; easy for students to fall behind if they cannot put together a document properly on a computer

    • Example Student: had low computer skills...almost dropped William’s class

    • Met with student: “this is a mouse”

    • Technology skills are important not only in class, but also in the job market

  • Digital Citizenship is something that is important; this is a workforce issue that will set you apart from the rest of job applicants (know how to use word processor, etc. – jobs won’t train on this anymore- resources , money, and time wasted for employer)

    • Mother’s best friend tried to apply at Wal-Mart  a few months ago – application had to be filled out on computer – she never used a computer before and she was dumbfounded; they had to sit there and walk her through app – she didn’t get the job

    • Mr. Wend teaches word processing skills in his English classes

    • Building template in MLA style paper for his and other classes (header, page numbers, page-break before citations) – formatting on name – emails to them so that they have for future papers

    • That is a good percentage of his classes’ paper grades (this template)

    • Students learn how to do APA template for Psychology classes, etc. (Chicago Style, etc.)

    • Need to know what proper form to use in the specific class

    • Email Assignment at the beginning of the term – Students send Mr. Wend an email (counts as quiz grade) from BCC account so that there is proof that they know how to use email (if password needs to be reset , etc., this will be resolved very early in the semester). Email account needs to be checked frequently – proposed that this be done institutionally.

  • Mr. Wend’s classes are heavily based on technology.

    • An instructor in the Liberal Arts Division sends Study Guides to students’ email but does not always tell her students; it is their responsibility to check (BCC sends job listings on the mymail account, etc.).

    • At ThatCamp talked about a 1 credit technology class that students can test out of, but would need to take – possibility at BCC perhaps?

    • Another issue – in English dealing with Information Literacy (talking with Martin Hoffman and Dave Peterson) – What is next step after mandatory ENG 101 Library Session? - What can they do with resources?

    • Mr. Wend’s class does a follow up exercise after the mandatory library day

    • At ThatCamp, talked about students who have a hard time deciphering what good sources of information is online (students click on sponsored link not knowing that this was paid for and may not be the correct link for them; search Othello for example and Spark Notes is the second link)

    • Students in Mr. Wend’s class cited from Yahoo Answers (comes up first often doing using a Yahoo and/or Bing search – versus using Google)

    • Mr. Wend will create a blacklist to get rid of some bad resources so that students know not to use; proposes a mandatory Library Day in ENG 102 – next steps for evaluating sources or citing properly (second year research)

    • Concern from Librarians to not just outsource this to Library – this is a collaborative effort with them

  • Idea also to do Coffee Sessions with Faculty to gain more allies in various disciplines to become go-to people for these sorts of issues

  • This does not have to come from the classroom; should come from the curriculum-end,  as well

  • Panel: List should be given to students as to what students need to know in terms of technology skills by the end of this year (this would be decided on a school-by-school basis)

    • Mr. Wend proposes that this technological information should be built into the handbook that students have, to check email on a regular basis, etc.

    • Students need to be in email so that they are aware of deadlines as they come and not find out after because he or she read the email too late

  • Panel: Some schools have technology across the curriculum (like writing across the curriculum); some schools require instructors use a content management system (whether the schools or their own, Blackboard, Wiki, etc.)

    • – Digital aspect to a class - to get from Flintstones (print; analog) to Jetsons (21st century) – Teachers must be comfortable with technology

    • Requirement of Information Literacy in K-12 curriculum

    • Panel: we can reach out to local school districts (principals, etc.) regarding curriculum, to open up dialog.

      Mr. Wend proposes also that students with high technology skills help other students with lower skills (formatting, computer skills, etc.); students can buddy up and help one another or if not happening naturally, instructors can help to formalize this. If students are struggling to put together a paper, etc. this leads to plagiarism and lower success. (Mr. Wend interviews these students and 1 in 5 don’t know how to evaluate sources or put together.)

  • Schools, discipline coordinators, and individual instructors of classes can do surveys to gauge students’ technology skills and gear class with this information in mind (Google survey in class, survey at time of registration maybe, etc.)
  • Online students – the list of what needs to be known to be successful in class can be handed out as well, surveys can be given
  • Citation managers (Moodle, etc.); Portable Apps can be used if they do not like what is in computer lab –  Mr. Wend shows in Secondary Level classes
  • Students do not all realize that they can put BCC email on their phone. In class, Mr. Wend will take time to help them set this up while students doing class exercises.
  • Students these days communicate through Facebook, Skype and text messaging. They are resistant to going on the web. Everything is app based for them. They do not need a separate mental note now o remind them to go check email.
  • Mr. Wend emphasizes task managers in class (Remember the Milk is one Mr. Wend uses, etc.)
  • Add Calendar to phone, as well (Google Calendar, etc.) to get into routine; task management. Foolish to not take advantage of this.
  • BCC should publish Academic Calendar to ICS file (Google file) to students’ calendars. – Should be public not just on web. Can be on phone. Students do not always see paper posters of events.
  • William Wend, Sherrie Block, and Gina Yanuzzi will start doing technology presentations for the student body (monthly maybe) – building a word processing template for papers – students use of Gmail accounts- not all know they have access to Google Docs and Google Calendar as well. Teach the students how to use these resources. (Student requests) – Also, Mr. Wend to present additional topics for Faculty at CLI presentations, such as this.
  • Please get in touch with us if you want to be involved in this project!!
  • Online Video on this presentation and Google Doc will have links for you.
  • We have pieces in place but we need to connect the dots. Let’s collaborate and work together on improvements to improve student success.

Professor Wend: The First Few Weeks

I thought it would be nice to post an update about my first few weeks teaching at Burlington. First off, I have to say my colleagues and the support staff have been extremely helpful. When I run into professors from the English program they offer help, guidance, and anything else I need. The secretaries in the Liberal Arts department offices have gone above and beyond to help me and answer my often idiotic questions. The print shop, which is a post in and of itself, has aided me and, during that first week, really went out of their way to help me as well. Which leads to…

When I got home the first day of classes, the dean of my department called and asked if I would be willing to pick up an additional course. So now I am also teaching a section of Eng102: Composition II. Unlike Eng101, which is more of a mechanical, and technical, English course, 102 allows me to teach short stories, plays, and later in the semester some poetry. I am really enjoying this class. The conversations have been lively and I have had my brain picked by a few future English majors after class almost every session.

Since the semester began, I have already gone through a few Google Calendar revisions. Originally I was going to allow students to set up meetings with me from 9am-noon when I am off, but I have shrunk that down to 9am-10am because I am doing prep work for my other classes during those other hours. I found a computer lab I am using as an “office” and so far that has worked out fine. The campus is pretty small, so if a student needs to find me they usually can without a lot of pain. I store all of my lecture notes, handouts, etc in Google Docs so I can access them at any time. I’ve also created a very detailed spreadsheet to keep track of grades and attendance. At the end of the semester I will post the templates I have created, once I finish tinkering with them.

So far, I have not had to make a lot of changes to the syllabus or schedule. One change I have made is to add more group work to my 101 classes. Students seem to responding more to working in small groups than they do to me lecturing for an hour. That is fine with me; whatever helps them learn is what matters.

On the sidebar to the right, I have added links to the syllabus, schedule, and course weblog for both of my classes.