[Techtalk] improving computer usage in schools

[Lea de Groot]

We had an info session at my kids school last night on what they are doing 
this year, and I stuck my hand up to ask what they are using that shiny new 
computer lab for.
Well, the lovely teacher tells me, she's hoping to get the kids on the 
internet, and they have some nice spelling and maths programs.
*sigh*
I'm thinking they can do a lot better than that in teaching kids to really use 
their computers.
My initial thoughts were: 
- the school could deploy a wiki, and let the kids loose on it to see what 
they build
- the kids could each have an email address, but restrict it so that they can 
only get internal mail (the kids are from 5 - ~ 11)

I got into this, and I decided the best thing to do was to write a paper on 
just what they could do, how it would be deployed and what benefits it would 
get them.
I was wondering who here has experience in making this sort of proposal to 
their kid's school, and if anyone can think up anything else that would be 
fun and useful in using their resources?

The really downside is I'm pretty sure they are only running windows, but I 
figure one battle at a time...

TIA!
Lea