Bridging the Digital Divide in Argentina’s Public School
with the Samsung Netbook PCs for Education
Samsung recommends Windows®.
“We recommend other educational institutions consider Samsung
for their educational computing
initiatives.”
– Cristian Jensen,
Program Manager Conectar Igualdad
Overview
Challenge
Provide robust, durable, and secure netbooks to students and teachers in order
to prepare the next generation for the
information-based economy.
Solution
Samsung education netbooks with hardware and software solutions specially
designed for educational computing.
Impact
Samsung netbooks embraced by students
and teachers for their quality, durability and
performance.
CASE STUDY
About the Client
The Government of Argentina has embarked on the massive Conectar Igualdad
(Equal Connectivity) program to provide
three million netbook computers to every
student, teacher, and administrator in the
country’s public high schools and teaching colleges. By investing in a dedicated
netbook for every student, the Government
can prepare its young citizens for the information and communications based economy. The Program also enables new teaching models that focus on creativity, problem
solving, and team work.
Developing a Bridge to Digital
Equality
The Conectar Igualdad program is one of
the largest one-to-one educational computing programs in the world. “Our public schools are managed by the provincial
states and attended by a sector of the
population with lesser means,” explains
Mr. Cristian Jensen, Program Manager
for Conectar Igualdad. “The program was
designed to provide these students with
digital equality so that they would have
the same opportunities as students with
more financial resources.” The program’s
success would largely depend on selecting a netbook design that would meet the
educational needs of the students as well
as the security and budgetary needs of
the Government.
Developing a Bridge to Digital Equality
Samsung recommends Windows®.
The Government organized a multi-department committee to
develop rigorous netbook selection criteria, including:
• P
erformance: Students would be using the netbooks for
a variety of learning applications, so the netbook needed
dual OS/boot capability (Linux and Windows®), robust
processing speed and rich multi- media experience.
• D
urability: The netbooks would be highly mobile – whether
at the school, in the home or in the community. They had
to be engineered and built to handle the “wear and tear”
at the hands of young and active students.
• S
ecurity: In order to minimize data loss and deter physical theft, the netbooks would need hardware and software
security features.
• A
ffordability: Acquiring and supporting so many netbooks a
significant investment of public funds. The netbooks would
need to deliver a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over
many years of use.
Samsung Netbooks –
The Ideal Choice for Students and Educators
The Samsung education netbook is specially designed to meet
the demanding needs of students:
• P
owered to Perform: Students would be using the netbooks
for a variety of learning applications, so the netbook needed
dual OS/boot capability (Linux and Windows®), robust processing speed and rich multi- media experience.
• D
urability by Design: Designed with active students in
mind, the netbook can withstand a 70mm drop and resist
liquid spills on the keyboard (up to 200cc).
• E
rgonomic for Students: At just 1.33 kg (2.9 lbs), the
Samsung education netbook provides maximum portability and stowage in backpacks. It also has a retractable,
easy to carry handle so it can be carried like a briefcase.
“When we began to design the technological solution, we conceived of a portable computer that wasn’t just a toy, but had the
processing capacity, security, and stability that we would need,”
says Mr. Jensen.
• S
ecure and Safe: Includes Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
security for data security.
• L
ow Cost of Ownership: The netbook is built with high
quality components and engineered for reliable and hasslefree performance.
After a thorough review of netbook suppliers and models, Samsung and its Argentine partner Air-Computers were select ed as
key suppliers to the Conectar Igualdad program.
Given these benefits and features, it is not surprising that the
Samsung netbooks have become the most popular choice for
students and teachers.
He continues, “With Samsung, when we visited their central office, we learned that they had a dedicated team of engineers
working specifically on our requirements, and their quality, technological response, and support was highly satisfactory,” says
Mr. Jensen.
CASE STUDY
2
Modernizing the Teaching Model and
Connecting Communities
The Learning Hub
The Samsung netbooks have become the central hub for student
learning. “With the Samsung netbook, I can access the Internet
anytime, write faster, study in less time, and carry it anywhere
and use it for a long time without recharging,” explains a student
at the Carlos Pellegrini Commerce High School in Buenos Aires.
“The computer becomes a central part of a student’s digital life
– it is used in the school and taken home so that the family,
neighbors, and friends can also use it to connect, learn, and
share,” says Mr. Marcelo Aloy, Senior Manager at Air-Computers. “When the students graduate, the netbooks become their
property. If they go to college, they will go with a computer; if
they go into work, they go with the appropriate technology.”
“Watching the students open the computer
box for the first time – with their parents and
community around them – is an amazing
experience. They know this is their future.”
Modernizing the Teaching Model
Another major objective of Conectar Igualdad is to transform
the teaching model through a connected classroom. Teachers
receive training in computer skills and teaching methodology
so that they can integrate the Samsung netbooks in their daily
lessons.
– Marcelo Aloy, Air Computers (Samsung partner)
“Samsung netbooks have enabled students to participate in
learning projects that emphasize problem solving, joint work,
and other skill building exercises,” explains Mr. Jensen.
Connecting Communities
Conectar Igualdad also provides netbooks to graduate students at teacher training colleges and school administrators.
This holistic approach ensures that the entire education system
is on a common teaching platform.
The Conectar Igualdad program has strengthened community
ties while also extending technological opportunities beyond the
students. “Every time we distribute netbooks at a high school, we
have a big celebration,” says Mr. Jensen. “The netbook becomes
the entry point for the family, neighbors and friends into the digital
world.”
“Samsung and Air-Computers efforts have given the Conectar
Igualdad program very positive and favorable results,” says Mr.
Jensen. “Our team has seen Samsung’s R&D facilities, manufacturing processes, and quality control systems and we are totally
satisfied with the netbooks. We recommend other educational
institutions consider Samsung for their educational computing
initiatives.”
CASE STUDY
3
Legal and Additional Information
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor,
telecommunications, digital media and digital convergence technologies, with a 2011 consolidated sales revenues of US$143.1
billion. Employing approximately 222,000 people in 205 offices
across 71 countries, Samsung Electronics operates two separate
organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units:
Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display,
Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital
Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging business; and Device Solutions, comprising Memory, System LSI, and LCD businesses. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across
a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung
Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology
company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
For more information
To learn more about how Samsung notebooks and Slate PCs can
help your educational institution take learning and teaching to the
next level, visit: www.samsung.com
This case study is for informational purposes only. Samsung makes no warranties,
expressed or implied, in this case study.
Copyright © 2012 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. Samsung is a
registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Specifications and designs
are subject to change without notice. Non-metric weights and measurements are
approximate. All data were deemed correct at time of creation. Samsung is not liable
for errors or omissions. All brand, product, service names and logos are trademarks
and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized
and acknowledged.
Intel, the Intel logo, Ultrabook, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside
Logo, Atom, Pentium, Itanium, Intel vPro, Viiv, and Xeon are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other
countries.
Microsoft, PowerPoint, and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States, other countries, or both.
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E-mail:
Website:
[email protected]
www.samsung.com
CASE STUDY
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