Refurbishing and webcams for success

At Inspiredu, the primary goal of the tech team focuses on repurposing and recycling devices with prior use – a process we like to regard as refurbishing previously enjoyed equipment. Those refurbished devices are thoroughly reviewed, and if they are salvageable, they enable our team to bridge the digital divide we readily see throughout our communities.

Some of the challenges the team comes across when reviewing these devices is the difference in scope of capabilities. For example, around the fall of 2020 about 5% of the devices distributed this year highlighted challenges that come with virtual learning, including webcam compatibility, which is a core component of offsite learning. Addressing the rising challenges of virtual learning, our tech team installed recommended applications such as Google Meets, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

After working with different drivers, the team was successful in enabling certain webcams to work, while others had external webcams adjoined. Many teachers responded with great praise. This year, we have had enormous success reporting that current devices in stock do not use external webcams, due to improvements to our refurbishment processes. Many teachers and employers require webcams that will allow access to classes and interviews that will help dictate the success of our youths' career paths.

These upgrades to previously used technology create an opportunity for family learners to continue their movement forward toward digital learning and correlated goals