Children learn to build PCs

By PAUL BRISLEN

Ayla Murray from Opoutere School, near Whangamata, is not at all concerned about taking the lid off her computer.

While most adults would think twice about it, Ayla and 30 other pupils from Coromandel schools are rolling their sleeves up and happily building their own PCs from scratch.

"I've done this before with our computer at home," she says confidently - although admitting later that perhaps she shouldn't have.

Auckland PC recycling company The Ark and a cluster of primary schools have combined to give children from Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 and 2) the chance to build their own PCs from the ground up.

The Ark managing director Cory Dyer admits he would not have dared do something like that as a child.

"It takes a long time before you're willing to take the lid off, but they're right into it. It's great to see."

Matatoki School principal David Brock and school IT facilitator Wayne Howes worked with Dyer to come up with the idea, while trying to figure out how to get children interested in doing more than just playing games on computers.

Howes is thrilled with the result.

"They're all dead keen. They're all giving it a go."

The children stayed at the Motu Moana camp in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, last night and indulged their appetite for soccer, fast-food and 10-pin bowling as well as building their PCs.

They are far from the stereotypical computer nerds. One third of the group are girls, for a start, and most are exuberant, outgoing and energetic.

Competition is fierce, with some racing ahead while others are a little dubious as to whether the final product will work.

Technical assistance is being provided by polytechnic lecturer Robert Douglas, of WinTec in Hamilton, and when he calls for their attention, the youngsters fall silent.

As he talks 31 pairs of eyes peer into the innards of their machines and 31 screwdrivers are raised in anticipation. When he gives the word the bedlam starts as first the hard-drives are connected and then the sound cards installed.

"I need a flat-head screwdriver!"

"This one doesn't fit anywhere!"

"Why is this CD drive faster than that one?"

It is difficult to say whether the teachers and parent-helpers are able to keep up with their charges but everyone seems happy and by the time they return home each PC will have been tested to ensure it works.

The Ark is providing the hardware, most of which apparently comes from the police. Dyer said the company received second-hand PCs from various businesses.

The Ark was always looking for more computers to refurbish, he said, although they needed reasonable machines.

"The real problem is if they leave them sitting in a corner for a couple of years first. Not even we can do anything with those."

Some of the components used at the camp are new, such as modems and mice, but the other parts are refurbished. All the children will be able to take their PCs home at the end of the camp and while Dyer acknowledges that although they are not the latest and greatest, that will not matter to the children.

"It's a machine they've built, they've put together. It'll do email and surfing and word processing. That's enough for some of them."

The children will also install the operating system, in this case Microsoft Windows 98, as well as OpenOffice, the free word processor, spreadsheet and presentation package.

"We're loading Internet Explorer 6.0 and some anti-virus and anti-spyware stuff."

The children will also hear about online safety using a module developed by the Internet Safety Group.

Howes said the computer-building scheme had been such a hit that the schools were discussing enhancements for next time.

"We're considering more of the software side of things. Multi-media stuff, perhaps designing a web-page, something like that."

Principal Brock also has high hopes for the project. He believes it is the first of its kind in New Zealand and hopes the Ministry of Education will be impressed enough to recommend it to other schools.

Computer camp

* The two-day Constructa Computer camp cost $200 a child and was aimed at getting youngsters comfortable with using computers.

* Each child built and configured a PC and was then allowed to take it home.

* Certificates were awarded for those who got their PCs up and running.

* Computer refurbisher The Ark supplied PCs rescued from companies, home users and the police.

* Technical support was from Hamilton's WinTec.


The Ark

WinTec