Using RPi in an "ICT Classroom"

[grumpyoldgit]

You can always use "Live" Linux CDs or memory sticks. They won't affect the existing hard drives at all.

[brian_reiter]

steveking said:


alexeames said:


Same position with monitors in our IT suite. For those who are locked down, have you considered booting from a memory stick or CD with a bootable linux installation on instead of Windows? Or is that a sackable offence?


I certainly hope not!  We have a class set of bootable usb drives and a linux server they authenticate against. The network manager knows about the server, but I'm not sure he knows about the usb drives...



I've heard tales of school and college IT managers banning access to all USB based devices, CDs and floppies because of the risk of viruses etc, This applied to all staff and students.

[flyerblade]

Another idea thanks Grumpyoldgit - will investigate if it"s possible (politically I mean!).

I never quite understand these "USB=virus" style bans, as 9 times out of 10 the same machines are connected to the internet and if the antivirus can cope with that it can cope with the odd memory stick being inserted

[brian_reiter]

Especially as email could be used in its place. Just ZIP things up and change the extension.

[flyerblade]

Indeed.

Having said all the above, I do think the RPi + Gertboard (or similar) + battery power could, in the future, be very interesting for more advanced school projects (rovers etc.)

[gimliflea]

How about using remote network connections into the Rpi's. SSH gives you shell access and should work o.k. There are also options for X sharing which should be able to work. You might even get the to work over USB so you wouldn't have to put your Pi's on the LAN.

[morphy_richards]

flyerblade said:


Another idea thanks Grumpyoldgit - will investigate if it"s possible (politically I mean!).

I never quite understand these "USB=virus" style bans, as 9 times out of 10 the same machines are connected to the internet and if the antivirus can cope with that it can cope with the odd memory stick being inserted


I'm working on using virtual computers at the moment. The idea is that you will have running on the actual host computer a virtual (in my case win XP) computer. At the moment I'm building an image to use on "VirtualBox" that will have some of visual studio express.

When it's finished I will disconnect the virtual machine from the network and lock it, so that in essence you can give students full admin access to, and allow programming to take place on a virtual computer which is in all regards sealed in a locked environment where there is no risk of it being used to propagate a virus , hacking, packet sniffing or denial of service attacks...

I cant see anyone having an issue with this as the software is totally free and if it's done right there is zero risk.

I'll be happy to share this with anyone who is interested in due course

[morphy_richards]

morphy_richards said:


... the software is totally free


Well, with the slight exception of Win XP which isn't free... I suppose as long as your school has a site license there wont be a problem :-S

[steveking]

brian_reiter said:


I've heard tales of school and college IT managers banning access to all USB based devices, CDs and floppies because of the risk of viruses etc, This applied to all staff and students.


We have the student optical drives physically disabled (the power is unplugged) as they don't need them and the kids seem to enjoy pressing the button to endlessly open and close the drives. I don't blame them for doing that as it's probably more interesting than my lessons!  Floppies? Are you kidding me? in 2012?  They were doomed from 1998 (? It was sometime around then) when the iMac came out, and none of my classroom computers have had floppies for about 6 years.

In terms of viruses, they're all dealt with automagically by the av and I can't remember the last time a kid came to me with a virus related issue