[kictanet] School visit

[S.M. Muraya]

Excellent stuff, but how do we make sure the actual devices get to the
children, even if lost within a month?

Maybe some electronic signatures/transmissions registered in a database
using classroom or public wifi / internet?

Asset management it is.


On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 2:21 PM, Mark Elkins <mje at posix.co.za> wrote:

> On Thu, 2013-04-11 at 17:01 +0200, Mark Elkins wrote:
> > Today, Thursday 11th April, 2013, I visited the Sunward Park High
> > School, Sonskyn Rd, Sunward Park, Boksburg (Johannesburg).  The school
> > has recently embarked on a one tablet per child project.  My purpose
> > was to simply visit the place to satisfy my own curiosity.
>
> Some more thoughts on the subject...
>
> I always assumed that a traditional laptop would be the best device to
> use. For Schools, its difficult to argue against a 10" android tablet.
> They are light weight, last for a full school day and can run open
> source software. If its Android based, there are no ugly licence
> agreements and restrictions that Apple applies. Android devices can run
> flash easily - unlike iPads.
>
> Cons would be their child-proof-ness.....
> If provided in a reasonable case, perhaps with Bluetooth keyboard - then
> they become more durable. The most break-proof device I ever saw though
> is the One-Laptop-Per-Child device. I didn't really like the OLPC
> software though.
>
> Charging is an issue - regardless of the device. There was talk at the
> school that a new "Solar Shelter" was going to be built in the
> playground, build from solar panels. Solar charging makes sense - even
> when the School is connected to the grid.. Learners can also use the
> roof as a shelter from the elements.
> Perhaps in the future, the protective covers of Tablets could also be
> made of a flexible solar cell? Tablets need less power than laptops and
> can probably be manufactured at a lower cost. The screens could also be
> replaced with the flexible plastic displays - which would negate their
> primary problem of broken glass screens. If there is a need of a million
> units a year, then at least do local assembly.
>
> --
>   .  .     ___. .__      Posix Systems - (South) Africa
>  /| /|       / /__       mje at posix.co.za  -  Mark J Elkins, Cisco CCIE
> / |/ |ARK \_/ /__ LKINS  Tel: +27 12 807 0590  Cell: +27 82 601 0496
>
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