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One Desktop per Child - miniPCs for Schools?

Posted by Cliff on from the uncomplicated-unobtrusive-computing-for-class dept.

gwjenkins asks: "I'm a teacher in charge of IT in a small school. We would like to bust out of the computer lab model but don't want a trolley of laptops wheeled from class to class. I've drooled over wi-fi PDAs but just can't afford a set for class (and the batteries drain too fast). In a classroom, space is at a premium and teachers won't use a technology that takes too long to set up. Most of the time the kids are just researching (Google), or typing (Google Docs), the rest of the time they can go to a lab. I would love to have a desk-based solution. Can you run a wi-fi mini-pc (sitting under the desk) from a 12-volt rechargeable battery (also sitting under the desk) with a 7" LCD (sitting on the desk), that boots from flash card into FireFox? No wires! No setup time! Has anyone done this? How? Alternatively can anyone say why this is silly?"

1 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Why it's silly by Baricom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We would like to bust out of the computer lab model?
    What's wrong with the computer lab model? It's cheaper because desktops are almost always cheaper than comparably-equipped notebooks. Besides, childhood obesity in the U.S. is at staggering levels - a short walk to a lab won't hurt.

    but don't want a trolley of laptops wheeled from class to class.
    What's wrong with a trolley of laptops? It's portable, easy to set up, and inexpensive when you factor in educational discounts.

    I've drooled over wi-fi PDAs but just can't afford a set for class (and the batteries drain too fast).
    Wi-Fi PDAs don't run Firefox and they don't run Office/OpenOffice.org/Google Docs.

    In a classroom, space is at a premium and teachers won't use a technology that takes too long to set up.
    MacBook setup: 1. Hand out notebook. 2. Open screen.

    Most of the time the kids are just researching (Google), or typing (Google Docs), the rest of the time they can go to a lab.
    So you have a lab, but you don't want to use it? I'm confused.

    I would love to have a desk-based solution. Can you run a wi-fi mini-pc (sitting under the desk) from a 12-volt rechargeable battery (also sitting under the desk) with a 7" LCD (sitting on the desk), that boots from flash card into FireFox?
    How do you propose to get the signal from the computer to the monitor and A/C to the battery? More importantly, why not a laptop? It's a computer with a built-in battery and screen. It sits on the desk, but doesn't take up much space at all.

    No setup time!
    I can't see how setting up two pieces of equipment is faster than setting up one piece of equipment.

    Alternatively can anyone say why this is silly?
    Okay, here's why it's silly. Unless there's something you're not telling us, you've just proposed to throw away the two best solutions to your problem (a lab and a laptop cart) for no reason other than the geek factor. I'm sorry, but I just can't see what your aim is.