Software

We list software here that is (of course) open source and uses open standards, this means it’s accessible for students without high initial or ongoing costs or licensing concerns.

And for those so inclined, the source code can be explored and enhanced, bugfixes and documentation contributed, and so on. The educational activities are not restricted through a EULA (End User License Agreement) as is the case with most proprietary software.

The applications listed here are available for Windows, Mac OS-X, and Linux as well as some Android and iPad. They are free for download and use under their respective Open Source licences.

Basics (Digital Tech & more)

  • TuxPaint – drawing program for children. An absolute favourite!
  • Tux Typing – Tux the penguin is hungry, and loves to eat fish. But Tux can only catch the fish if you type the right letters in time! Can you help Tux? (directly addresses aspects of the English curriculum)
  • Tux of Math Command – lets kids hone their arithmetic skills while they defend penguins from incoming comets (directly addresses aspects of the Maths curriculum)

Applications

Note that you can start off “safely” within your current Windows or Mac OSX system.

  • Mozilla Firefox – excellent web browser. Much more secure than Internet Explorer.
  • LibreOffice – (aka OpenOffice) powerful office suite: word processing, spreadsheet, presentations, and more.
  • Mozilla Thunderbird – email and calendaring.

Audio Visual

  • Audacity – sound recording and editing.

Design

  • Inkscape – create 2D vector graphics (SVG is Inkscape’s native format!). Also ideal for designing for laser laser cutters.
  • OpenSCAD – create solid 3D CAD models – programmatically, using constructive solid geometry. An awesome resource for projects on spatial thinking and problem solving.
  • KiCAD – suite for electronics design and PCB layout.

Systems

Operating environments other than Windows  or Mac OS-X.

  • GNU/Linux – we reckon that Ubuntu is a good distribution that’s easy to start with. If you want, you can install it next to your existing Windows installation.

Schools

Tools deployed at school or education department level.

  • BigBlueButton – a complete Open Source replacement for Blackboard Collaborate. Mostly HTML5 including for audio, the video currently still needs Flash. Java is only required by a moderator if they do desktop sharing.