Sparx

Contact: Glenn Woodcock <glenn@sparx.co.uk>?

School students increasingly use tablet or mobile devices to access online content or submit work, but these depend on network infrastructure. The goal of this project is to create a local content hub that allows students to collaborate with others in their class, but without needing an internet connection (for example, in developing countries or rural locations). You will use a Raspberry Pi as the basis for a WiFi hotspot that has a built-in educational content platform, allowing students themselves to collaborate in building the content. This could support in-browser creation of shared executable scripts (check with Ian Davies), or even shared composition of a piece of digital music (extending Sonic Pi) that would be played from a speaker on the content hub.

Idea 2:

Running a classroom of tablets in a school over their wireless system can be pretty volatile.

In order to teach a dynamic lesson with 30 students using individual iPads, can we create a wireless, router-less system? Can we create a network of tablets without needing a router? How many can we connect at once? What are the distance limitations?

The implications of this for Sparx could be extensive, because if you have a group of cheap mobile devices, but no other infrastructure – as is the case in many developing countries- this solution could be the difference between accessing education and not.

Idea 1:

“You might not know this, but over 40% of 16 year olds fail their GCSE maths, in Britain, each year. KPMG has calculated that this costs the UK, £2.4 billion every year.

Sparx has been working for two years with 15 and 16 year olds to find out how we learn, and how to improve performance. We have been developing a platform which can teach them in the way that they respond to best.

We know that for many of the students we have worked with, they don’t have basic number sense or their times tables locked down as “learnt’ yet. Can you create a game which would appeal to the 11 – 16 year old market, which would teach times tables, whilst helping the teacher to understand what is and isn’t secure in their learning? Can you develop a game that improves their learning and can give feedback to them and the teacher and can extend each student, in a personalised and adaptive way?"