IMSA Service Model Research Project

Problem Statement

Acknowledging the lack of a repair model for the G1 launch in the United States, as well as foreseeing difficulties in many of the G1 launch communities world-wide, we, the students of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy OLPC Chapter, hereby propose a short term research project to identify repair problems and propose effective methods for developing educationally based repair centers world wide.

Proposal

Model

We propose a multi-track repair model. One track will go directly through the chapter—n [number] of machines will be assessed, diagnosed, and repaired by members of the chapter. Another track will go through classes—the Computer Science and Emerging Technology and/or the Electronics students will assess, diagnose and repair machines. The remaining n machines will be repaired by students together with local engineers and computer scientists. Members and non-members of the chapter will be partnered up with professionals to assess, diagnose and repair the machines.

We hope to base the model off of what we believe will happen when XOs need to be fixed outside of the US. We are working to make the reparis student led (for more information on student-led support, ask April-Hope. This way, we can use our findings to help schools that are not in a place to get instant repairs.

We have requested 10 broken machines and 2 hopeless machines, as of now, to begin our project with. That means our n is now 12.

• The opportunity to assess, diagnose, and repair machines in the Computer Science and Emerging Technology and Electronics classes is pending*

Working together

If you/your community are/is also participating in this project, we would love if you would help us by providing us with information on each repair case. We would like to compile diagnostic and repair methodologies from as many XO repair centers as possible. All of this information will be compiled into a research paper that will provide local as well as global communities with information to start their own repair centers. All this will be based on our findings and discussions of repair-center models.

Please contact Kevin or April-Hope if you are interested in working with us. We would love to work with you!

Time line

It is our hope to complete the repairs and log all the relevant data by the end of the 2007-2008 school year. This means that by May, 31 2008, we will have completed all possible repairs and entered all the data into a database. At this time, we will begin the write-up of our methods, results and findings.

Write-up

We will write up our methods, results, and findings as well as propose an effective model (or two or three) for a repair center. We will target the write-up to other educational institutions in the US and worldwide. It is our hope that this study will help others decide to build their own repair centers and help them model them. We also want to propose a list of must-haves on a greater scale for any sort of grass roots repair model to work.

We will have each student that does a repair fill out a 'file' on each XO and will format one section of the paper like a case study. This will include the diagnostic approach, findings, methods of repair, assistance, things to be done differently for future repairs and any other notes. Then, we will also look at a somewhat quantitative study of success, working with other repair test centers (more on this later) to include there data and distribute a report to all that participated.

It is our hope to have other centers participate in the research methodology of our inquiry, using forms we are generating and giving us access to the 'case studies' they conduct. We will, of course, give credit to all and publish a very helpful repair center manual that can be distributed globally as the small G1 communities begin to emerge.

Questions

• What number makes this test significant?
• How do we get parts?
• Can we translate this into many languages?

Progress

Since we recieved the broken machines so late in the school year, it was difficult to start the project. However, we were able to loan some of the machines to specific members of the chapter. Check [Illinois Math and Science Academy Chapter|The IMSA Chapter Page] for details. As of now, all the machines are back up in IMSA Information Technology Services, randomly being worked on by April-Hope.

People

Kevin, April-Hope and the other fine folks at the IMSA Chapter.