[Linux-aus] Student Run ICT

[Glen Turner]

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