Re: [Linux-aus] Student Run ICT

[Glen Turner <glen.turner@aarnet.edu.au>]

James Purser wrote:
> I've had a request from one of our international friends for ideas on
> student managed infrastructure in Universities/TAFE/High Schools.
>
> The basic concept is the students take over the running/management of
> part of the ICT resource as part-time employees, responsible to a
> manager from the Edu org. Thus giving the students some real world
> experience.
>
> If anyone has any stories or knows of anything like this then please
> send it through to this list.

It's pretty common, a lot of university colleges do
their student Internet access that way.

The issues are:

 1) continuity of information

    Why was this done, what is the service identifier, when
    do warranties expire, etc.  All of which needs the sort of
    documentation that students dislike.

 2) enthusiasms

    I saw one college do a complete AppleTalk rollout, even to
    the PCs.  LocalTalk being such a superior networking technology
    that PC users would one day see the light and give up on that
    ethernet silliness.

    For a more recent example, Linux on the desktop has aspects
    of being an enthusiasm.

A lot of US universities make great use of paid students to
provide help desk and similar services.  One of the better ones
I saw had a student-staffed drop-in center where you could
take your laptop, demonstrate your problem, and get it seen
to.

--
 Glen Turner         Tel: (08) 8303 3936 or +61 8 8303 3936
 Australia's Academic & Research Network  www.aarnet.edu.au