BRCKs in Schools – Part Two
Those of you that have been following our blog for a while know that a number of our partners work in the education technology sphere. Today, we went back to a school in Kawangware that we first visited in April with eLimu, a Kenyan edtech startup that introduced a tablet program to help primary school students prepare for their exams.
(Read the original post at: http://brck.com/2014/04/our-problem-is-internet-on-brcks-in-schools/#.VBbj3UtGzwI)
When asked how the tablets were working back in April, the school’s headmaster Peter told us, “The tablet program works very well, our problem is internet.” The school had a WiFi router/modem installed in the office, where a reasonably high-speed cable connection was available, but they were unable to get the signal in the classrooms. To use the tablets, students had to gather outside near the small office to get a strong enough connection. When the weather was bad or the sun was too bright, the tablets couldn’t be used.
Several days ago, Peter’s school got a BRCK. By running an Ethernet cable from their modem to the BRCK, they now have internet access in three classrooms. They can use the tablets when it is raining, when the sun is hot and bright, or even when the power goes out thanks to the BRCK’s battery and 3G failover. Today, the students were watching a video about the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the 1950s.
In Africa, it often seems that relatively small things derail big plans. Tablets can’t be used due to the sun’s glare, routers are rendered useless by voltage spikes and power outages. By addressing some of these small issues, we hope the BRCK can play a part in bringing bigger plans to fruition. We’ll bring you further updates from Peter’s school as they continue to try out new ways of learning from the worldwide web.
--- -- ---
Want to get involved? BRCK and eLimu are looking to scale up by connecting 50 schools to the internet and providing them with tablets for learning. We also want to develop a caching system on the BRCK that could cut the cost of providing the same content to multiple tablets from ~$3 per student to less than $0.10.
We’re looking for someone who can help fund this project, so if that’s you, let us know!
Written by paulbirkelo
Comments are closed.
Most Popular
Digitizing Mathare Valley With Africa’s Largest Mesh Network
Rwanda: Connectivity Challenges in a Coronavirus Lockdown
Eric Nyawara | April 17th, 2020
How Creatives in Mathare are Monetizing their Art on Moja
Loyce Chole | July 14th, 2021
Connectivity in Tsavo
Kurt Unger | May 24th, 2015
Search Blog
Categories
Pages
Archives
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- February 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- February 2018
- November 2017
- September 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- November 2016
- September 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
Categories
- BRCK Education (29)
- BRCK Excursion (8)
- BRCK Expedition (41)
- BRCK Testing (30)
- BRCK.org (3)
- Ideas (9)
- Interesting (9)
- Jobs at BRCK (1)
- Kickstarter (2)
- Last Mile (22)
- Manufacturing (7)
- Moja (7)
- MRTR (3)
- Strategy (19)
- Uncategorized (65)
- User Experience (9)
- Using BRCK (18)
- Video (12)
- 2015
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 2g
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 3dprinting
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 3g
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 3G hotspot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 4g
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- 4x4
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Adventure
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Aegis Graham Bell Awards
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- affordability
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Africa
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- africa cancer foundation
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- amboseli
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- amp
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- antenna
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- balloon
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- battery charger
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- battery extender
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- beer
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- borders
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brck
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brck education
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brck expedition
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brck office
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- BRCK ushahidi Kenya iot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brck.org
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- brckeclipse
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- BRCKpi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- bridge
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- broadband
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- business
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- business lessons
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- cancer screening
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- car
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Christmas
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- classroom
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- clinton global initiative
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- connectivity
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- coronavirus
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- covid19
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- crisis
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- crisis response
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Davos
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- design
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- digital
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- digital learning
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- disassembly
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- disaster
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- dr650
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- drones
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- east africa
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- eclipse
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- economic inequality
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Economist
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- edge
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- edtech
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- education
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- elders
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- electricity
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- eLimu
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- emerging markets
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- engineering
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- entrepreneurship
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Expedition
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- farm
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- field research
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- field work
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Fluke
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- funding
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- future thinking
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- gifts
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- groundshot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- gsm
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Hacker
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- hacking
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Hardware
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- health
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Holidays
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- hotspot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- how to
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- humanitarian
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- ideas
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- infrastructure
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- inmarsat
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- internet
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- internet of things
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- investment
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- IoT
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- irura primary school
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- isavi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- isp
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- itu
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- johannesburg
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- kakuma
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Kenya
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Kickstarter
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- kio
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- kio kit
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- korr
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- land rover
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- last mile
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- launch
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- learning
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- lions
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- loon
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- m2m
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Maker
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- maker faire africa
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- malawi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- manufacturing
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Marathon
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mathare
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Media
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mentorship
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mfa
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mfa2014
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- microserver
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mno
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mobile internet
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- modem
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- moja
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- moja wifi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- moonshot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- motorcycle
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- motorcycles
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mozambique
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- mud
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Nairobi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- network
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- new brck office
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- News
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- nfd
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- nivi mukherjee
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- northern kenya
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- offgrid
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- offroad
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- omnidirectional antenna
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- omo
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- OpenRov
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Pemba
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- picobrck
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- poptech
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- portable internet
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- power
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- power surge
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- production
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- race
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- railway
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- ranch
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- RaspberryPi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- registration
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- remote
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- report
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- research
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- rhino charge
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- rugged
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- rural
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- rwanda
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- samburu
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- satellite
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- school
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- schools
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Schwag
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- security
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- server
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- set up
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- ship
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- shipping
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Shirts
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- sibiloi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- solomon islands
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- south africa
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- spike
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Stickers
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- stuck
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Sugru
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- supabrck
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- tanzania
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- tear down
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- technology in schools
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- testing
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Tools
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- travel
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Turkana
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Uganda
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- update
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- user experience
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Ushahidi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- UX
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- vc
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- vehicle
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- venture capital
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- video
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Voltaic
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- vpn
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- water pump
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- WEF
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- Weller
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- wifi
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- wifi bridging
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- wifi hotspot
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- wildlife
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- wireless
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- world
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- You can do hard things
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- zambia
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK
- zimbabwe
- Interesting, Last Mile, Using BRCK