Socio-Technical Insights Deploying Rural Solar Computer Housings for Informal Learning and Information Access

The deployment, maintenance, monitoring and long-term support of information and computing solutions in rural and under-resourced environments requires innovative thinking and an integrated approach to addressing the multi-faceted challenges of such an undertaking. This paper presents recent developments and ongoing challenges faced after an extensive period of real-world interactions with multiple solar-powered computer housing deployments in rural South African communities. The solar housings are complex cross-disciplinary socio-technical systems providing a versatile digital library and physical access to computer terminals. Technical, social, and external challenges need to be understood and overcome for the installations to have a meaningful impact on the communities. Examples from field deployments are described in order to highlight lessons learned and corrective actions that could be implemented to reduce socio-technical difficulties in both existing and subsequent deployments.