SMARTBOX

My boss at Mission Resource left this afternoon for Ghana carrying a very special package.

Earlier this week, Chris Rousseau from our friends at a ministry called Heart of Africa delivered a SmartBox to the Mission Resource office and gave a demonstration of its capabilities. We were amazed at the ingenuity and potential of this idea!

The SmartBox is the brainchild of Innovative Education International in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is a mobile, self-contained computer lab and school library in one - an “instant wireless classroom” - and it’s perfect for schools in the developing world.

I could picture it being incredibly useful in Haitian schools. It would be life-changing.

The SmartBox is a powerful solution to what is lacking in poor schools around the world (that we tend to take for granted in the US!):

• Electricity - the SmartBox has a 2-day battery which can be charged by solar power.
• Internet Connections - the SmartBox has its own curricula stored on a hard drive.
• Instructional Materials - the SmartBox comes with 20 Chromebooks (but can accommodate more than 50 devices simultaneously without lag).
• Even Teachers - among other materials, the SmartBox contains Khan Academy curriculum and all its self-guiding videos for kindergarten through 12th grade.

In addition, each SmartBox comes loaded with searchable encyclopedias, books at all levels of reading, typing programs, educational games, Bible resources, and more. And customized curriculum can be added via thumb drive.

Dave will be delivering this particular SmartBox to Precious Kids Academy, a school run by one of our Ghanaian Board members, Samson Dorkunor.

If you should happen to be interested in learning more about the SmartBox program, check out the excellent 3-minute video and other information on their website.