Blue Team
David Ballentine
CS 410
2007.09.17
Student School Equipment:
- Books
- Notes
- Calculators
- etc.
Not taking advantage of new electronic technology
Possible Solution, Laptops:
Laptops are becoming an important tool in school
In a Study in 2007:
-80% of undergraduates have laptops (1)
-39% of these bring their laptops to class (1)
“One Laptop per Child” (OLPC) program (2)
(1) http://www.d.umn.edu/cehsp/technology/survey/index.html
(2) http://laptop.org/
Societal Problem:
Instead of doing the coursework, students use laptops to
play games, text message friends, play on the internet,
and access pornography during class. Because of this,
schools and instructors may not even allow students to
have this piece of technology in their class room.
This problem especially pertains to high schools and
middle schools.
Solution, S-Top System:
The S-Top:
- A very inexpensive laptop
- Runs a custom (Linux based) OS
- User Friendly
- Connects, via Wi-Fi, to the S-Top servers in the school
- Connects, via Wi-Fi or USB, to another computer to
transfer files
S-Top System Diagram:
S-Top System Costs:
S-Top Software ~$150,000
Hardware development ~$50,000
Goal:
Each S-Top ~$200
S-Top Server System ~$25,000 (plus service plans)
S-Top System Probability:
Is this system possible? Yes
- All technology that would be used is in existence
Is it wanted?
- As of 2005 only about 10% of public schools have a
system to loan out laptops to students (1)
- Only about 15% of public schools have wireless. (1)
- These numbers haven't changed since 2002 (1)
(1) http://scottmcleod.typepad.com/dangerouslyirrelevant/2006/12/today_ki
cks_off.html
S-Top System Probability:
(1) http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/maine2006/figure1.html
S-Top System Problems:
- Typical wireless problems
- Every student would be required to have one
- Instructors would have to make use of them
- Training
- Not 100% foolproof
Questions?
Works Cited:
http://www.d.umn.edu/cehsp/technology/survey/index.h
tml
http://laptop.org/
http://scottmcleod.typepad.com/dangerouslyirrelevant/2
006/12/today_kicks_off.html
http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/maine2006/fig
ure1.html