Open Source software in the classroom.

Technology Roadblocks, don’t keep teachers from utilizing technology in their classrooms. Recently I started a project with my Special Education students to explore the use of open software for classroom learning.
I found that the school district I am teaching in has created technology roadblocks. In their attempt to control what students are able to access online they have created problems for teachers who are trying to integrate technology into their classrooms. For example when I try to download open source, or free source software more than 50% of them will be blocked requiring an administrator’s access in order to download the programs. Even the programs it does allow can run into other problems when students are attempting to utilize the software. For example, students cannot access their email form school. Most free software requires email verification after registering in order to fully utilize it.
I have attempted to download some open source software having students download “Evernote” open source from the website. Here we run into problems that students needed to have an email address in order to create an account. Some of the students do not have email addresses and none of them can access their email from the school computers. So I have to rely on them accessing email from home in order to complete the account. This will create more problems since not all of them will be able to do this or remember to. Regardless I will move on possibly having students work with partners who were able to complete their accounts in order to utilize this software program. A few days later I found that after entering your user name and password, you can bypass the request for a confirmation code and still access the program.
It’s important that school districts and teachers continue to push forward with technology in the classroom. Students need to have the most up to date technology education that we can provide them. Somehow we need to balance the need to monitor and protect them with the access to technology. I will continue to search and use what programs I can find that will work through the school district that I teach in. The roadblocks will not keep me from utilizing technology!
www.evernote.com