While many schools invest in Chromebooks and iPads, a growing flock of Linux-forward institutions is mapping an alternate route. I recently caught up with one innovative educator and IT leader from my home state. Aaron Prisk[1] is the network administrator at West Branch Area School District[2], a small rural school an hour north of State College, Pennsylvania. Aaron told me how Linux and open source software is transforming teaching and learning at West Branch and explained the role of CorvOS[3], his custom Linux distribution for schools.
Charlie Reisinger: How did you find your way into educational technology?
Aaron Prisk: In high school, I worked under the school's technology director, Lance Bunnell, as a technology assistant. I was able to see firsthand the challenges and opportunities that a school IT department presented. It was a great experience, and I went to college aiming to work in a school or university eventually. Shortly after getting my degree, I was hired at West Branch and got to put it all into practice.
CR: What problems has Linux solved for your school? Why is it a superior choice for students?
AP: Initially, Linux helped revive a significant number of legacy computers—many of them more than five years old. The computers slowed with every Windows release and became more of a nuisance than a helpful tool. Today, 80% of our computers run Linux. There is far less time wasted on troubleshooting the operating system and more time getting work done. The technology change became coupled with a new curriculum that focuses on teaching kids higher-level skills, not how to use a specific version of proprietary software. Education is about exploration and freedom to experiment, which makes it a perfect fit with open