Education
PROFILE
K-12 schools, colleges, and universities provide students with a great amount of electronic resources. From homework , to parents-teacher communication, to tests, to class plans, to papers and team collaboration – computers are becoming an integral part of the educational environment. Schools are experimenting with computerized classrooms where the daily work is done with the help of computers on every desk.
The biggest obstacle however has been and remains the IT and maintenance expenses of the traditional personal computer platforms along with security, vulnerability, energy costs and complexity.
NEED
Educational establishments are looking for a computer platform that will allow the faculty and students to take advantage of the latest tools and technologies offered by the internet age, but without the costs and hassles associated with maintaining traditional personal computers. They are looking for solution that will be small in size in order to fit into tight spaces, green to support energy savings, safe, reliable, and manageable.Usage Examples
Computerized Classroom
Having a computer on every desk creates unprecedented possibilities for collaboration between the students working on team projects, researching the topic , finding and analyzing the data, testing, working on papers, or solving problems.Computerized classrooms also add another channel for teacher-student communication without creating disturbance for other kids, as well as quick and error-free way of testing the students.
Distance Learning
With today’s technology, classrooms can be easily extended out to home. Virtual classrooms act as extensions of the real classroom by placing the student on par with their peers in classroom. Having a distance learning setup at home eliminates missed instruction during the sick days or school closures. By providing a window into the classroom and directly to the teacher, students stay up-to-date with material and assignments. Distance learning also provides an answer for home or hybrid schooling.
SOLUTION
Xpack cloud thin client is a miniature computer that was built specifically for public areas including school environments, taking into consideration space constraints, noise factor, software reliability, system robustness, aesthetics, environmental concerns and manageability. Moreover, Xpack was made from the ground up for working with internet resources and applications, and was designed to offer a very simple and friendly user experience.Hardware
Moderro Xpack is a small (size of a paperback), low power, silent mini-computer. It weighs around 3 lbs and consumes on average 13W of power. Xpack comes with custom-designed keyboard and mouse, CAT5 and VGA cables, and mounting hardware. Xpack can be placed in a cradle that can stand along-side the monitor, or be attached to the back of the monitor using the VESA bracket (included). The unit comes with optional WiFi connectivity. CPU speed and RAM are configured appropriately for the usage. The keyboard has a built-in USB hub, which provides left or right-side mouse connection and USB media storage drive slot. Xpack is a solid state device, meaning that there are no moving parts (aside from a back-up fan) inside the enclosure.
Management System
Moderro offers hosted and on-premise management options. With the hosted option, there’s no server to install, or upgrades to maintain - the administrator simply logs on to the site to manage Xpacks remotely.
Maintenance
System maintenance can be performed automatically and does not require physical access to Xpack. Management system takes care of the upgrade. There is no risk in software incompatibilities as the upgrade images come pre-packaged with tightly integrated system components.Software
Moderro Xpack is powered by Moderro Browser OS. This innovative OS is built to provide a “desktop-in-a-browser” environment, giving the users a familiar feel of the desktop when interacting with internet resources and applications. Moderro Browser Desktop is compatible with all major internet sites and gives the user a very intuitive and simple way of interacting with web-based content and applications. Each internet resource runs in its own window and is represented by an automatically updating thumbnail ribbon on the bottom of the screen. The user interface is designed for ease-of-use and simplicity. In addition to web browsing the software supports internet telephony client, Java, and PDF viewer. While Xpack itself does not store the files locally, it allows for a USB mass media storage or a camera with USB interface to be connected for file download and upload.
Installation
Installation is quick and straightforward. Administrator sets up and configures the settings for the set of terminals.
Once the Xpack and the monitor are connected, Xpack will register itself with the service and pick up its settings online. It will also identify its location and pick up the local settings for clock and weather. Xpack can be connected over CAT5 or WiFi networks. Recycling
Recycling is easy. There’s no user data stored on the system, so hard disk separation is not needed (unlike personal computers). The whole system can be disposed by sending it back to Moderro. Xpacks are designed to last 5 years or more. Applications
Web-based applications in Education range from education-specific ones, like Moodle, Blackboard®, to office application suite from Google that includes email, and Google Docs. In fact, most educational establishments are already heavily using web-based syllabus and class management solutions. It is this switch to browser-based application that allows for new and innovative products like Xpack to address reliability, vulnerability, security, and compatibility issues of the past.
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