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@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@posix.co.za - Mark J Elkins, Cisco CCIE / |/ |ARK \_/ /__ LKINS Tel: +27 12 807 0590 Cell: +27 82 601 0496
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