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OLPC a Hit in Remote Peruvian Village
mrcgran writes "The Chicago Tribune is running a feel-good story about the effects of OLPC on a remote village in Peru. 'Doubts about whether poor, rural children really can benefit from quirky little computers evaporate as quickly as the morning dew in this hilltop Andean village, where 50 primary school children got machines from the One Laptop Per Child project six months ago. At breakfast, they're already powering up the combination library/videocam/audio recorder/music maker/drawing kits. At night, they're dozing off in front of them — if they've managed to keep older siblings from waylaying the coveted machines. Peru made the single biggest order to date — more than 272,000 machines — in its quest to turn around a primary education system that the World Economic Forum recently ranked last among 131 countries surveyed.'"
Which may worry some people in power when impressionable children have access to all kinds of corrupting influences. "Daddy, what is 'capitalism'?" or "Teacher, why don't I have freedom of the press like my friends in America?"
I predict some kind of censorship - under the cover of 'protecting' them, of course - within a year.
Education is extremely important. All those saying "well, what they really need is better medicine, food, etc." what I have to say is: Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life.
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Huh? I thought they'd concluded it was a meteorite?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I hate to be a buzzkill, but I think it's too early to start praising the success of the XOs just yet. Kids love new things, especially things that look like toys. It's no surprise that they're getting so much attention right now, especially since they just came in. Let's see a story in a few months or so about the Peruvian XOs and their educational benefits once the novelty wears off and the laptops start having problems that the kids will have to fix.
Some mean spirited folks have been praying the OLPC is a disaster. Yes the OLPC has competition now from Intel and ASUS, but those programs wouldn't have existed without the OLPC. I hope in years to come OLPC is a huge success. Negroponte deserves karma for trying something that can help many lives. The naysayers meanwhile can should back to their Plasma TVs watching American Idol.
Most of the talk on tech sites has focused on Microsoft trying to stuff their unwanted OS onto the laptop and getting the hardware specs increased to handle their OS, but there is a strange and sad reaction that I see to the laptop that mirrors the reaction to universal health care:
Poor people are supposed to be poor.
You can't have winners in life when there are no losers. Poor people are supposed to be sitting around in filth like Michael Palin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And poor people are supposed to sit around in public hospitals for hours waiting for substandard care and dying early. That's their job in life.
How can a white middle to upper class American feel smug about themselves when poor people are getting the same care as they are and have access to information technology to better their lot in life?
- Read articles about fishing in Spanish Wikipedia.
- Explore the articles' references.
- Teach yourself to fish.
- Catch fish.
- Sell fish.
- PROFIT!
Am I missing a step???Impact on students and teachers in Arahuay
I took as complete notes as I could talking with each of the teachers in turn (unfortunately, I forgot to get their names); translation slowed things enough that I believe the notes are pretty complete, though it may have also introduced errors. They echo Carla's excellent report, but are now months later:
Two children have come to the Arahuay school specifically because of the laptops who would not have previously attended.
The children are sharing much more: they take pictures and videos and share them.
The children are teachers too.
The teachers see much improved conduct. One child (who often arrives hungry) who has been sad and aggressive now loves to work on the OLPC. He is working more with other children and his behavior has improved.
One of the children has vision problems; is cross eyed and has one damaged eye (Carla will remember the child, I'm sure). Using the laptop has improved the child's ability to focus her eyes and work.
Another teacher noted that small children, ages 6-7, are learning much faster. The web browser is the most popular/important activity, followed by the camera.
The activities they use most are the browser, paint, calculator, write.
The children use the internet to find information of interest.
One child, who is from Lima, has learned much in Arahuay and is very happy about the OLPC.
Another teacher said the children have changed: they have more concentration, mental ability.
The children's concept reception is much better than before. Despite the use of US keyboards (all we had at the time), the children have had little problem adapting, and have figured out all they keys.
A third teacher said the internet is the most interesting.
The children are showing more abilities, are more creative, their behavior is better.
The children were selfish about the computers at first, but now share and discover with them, showing the teachers and other students what they have discovered.
Children who had previously been interested in power (bully?) have forgotten power and are sharing.
The children are showing better attention and organization.
Students are learning about the world, and now feel part of it. They are now interested in learning other languages, which they had not wanted to do before. Creating a web site on Arahuay has made them feel part of the world. Impact on the teachers:
They have started to research topics on the internet and have practiced to use the computer.
The teachers have more ways to plan and improve the class.
Another teacher said the computer was wonderful for her. Information on the internet had improved both her and the children.
Their jobs are easier now.
One of the teachers asked for mind-mapper software, which they have used. We should install freemind on the servers and explore how feasible it is for packaging as an activity (it is Java based).
But the high point was the eight year old girl who came up to me shyly and gave me a kiss....
BTW, if anyone speaks Quechua or Aymara (or other languages), please help at: https://dev.laptop.org/translate/.
Please come help!
- Jim Gettys, OLPC
You know, it's almost enough to make an old geek cry, imagining these kids learning about computers and becoming proto-geeks, who otherwise might have lived their entire lives without ever seeing a laptop or using the internet.
A communication link is not a toy. They can learn to read and write and pledge allegiance to their flag, but they previously only could learn what was fed to them. Now they can read EVERYthing. They don't need no, education... Not going to be a comfortable century for the Catholic Church and government censors.
The reason is that our press really is worthless now. They are VERY afraid of taking on the corruption within our gov. In particular, Sibel Edmunds has offered up all the info about the American Govs. interaction with Turkey, Afghanastan, pakastan, etc. So far, it has been shown that a number of congressman, and white house folks have taken money from Turkey. It supposedly includes, Delay, Rove, Cheney, Bush, Reid, etc. The problem is that W. and the DOJ have tied up Edmunds and prevents her from talking about it, or she will go to jail. She has OFFERED a 1 time deal to any major press of talking live about the issues. Why? Because she knows that she will do time after that, until the next president comes in. Edmunds would disappear (most likely to one of our off shore spots, and not the nice one at gitmo that was built for the press).
So, yes, the press in Peru were willing to report even when it meant their death, while NONE of the current American media is willing to simply broadcast Edmunds. They would not even be killed for it. IOW, our current American press is like you; a total coward. Oh, and Faux news does not even count as news. It is more akin to Pravda, than it is to any of the major news channel.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
I completely agree with the sentiment of your post. If I had to make up a short list of things Peru might need to better their educational system, it might include such novelties as:
* More teachers.
* Better educated teachers.
* Better teaching facilities (nice laptop, too bad you don't have a desk).
* Improved teaching materials (textbooks from 1843 don't really cut it, although good books don't have to be this year's edition, either).
I could always be wrong, but I don't think I am. Sadly, the short list above describes what's also needed in many inner-city school systems in the United States. Ever visited a public high school in south Atlanta? They probably need as much help as some third-world nations.
512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
The XO screen has a 200dpi grayscale reflective mode that's a lot like e-ink. Comparing my XO to my friend's Kindle, the XO has lower contrast but much higher resolution. Both are quite easy on the eyes.
What a sad cynical viewpoint you have.
Who are you to say what the educational needs of "these people" are?
Should they only be taught the skills they need to stay poor as another poster put it?
The goal of the OLPC and any good education program should not be to somehow inject students with information in the hope that they learn something but to enable them to discover the joys of learning on their own.
I think this is a great program because it mirrors my own early interest in computers. We were using the Commodore Pet computers in the computer lab in elementary school. Even with the primitive cassette tape drives and monochrome green monitors of the day it was enough to inspire me to want to have a computer of my own more than anything else in the world. Now did I NEED to have a computer? I don't think so. But as someone reading a site proclaiming "News for nerds, stuff that matters" the need to worship technology goes hand in hand with knowledge. Without a computer at that age I probably wouldn't have had the exposure to the immense amount of knowledge that pushed me in the direction that led me to become a professional developer.
With the OLPC which you called a "little toy," students can shoot photos, make movies, draw, create music and even learn to program. Given these opportunities that they wouldn't normally have I think there is a much better chance of the students growing beyond where they would be with only being taught the bare minimum basic education.
While I'm a fan of the OLPC project (I'm writing this on my own XO laptop), and think it has the potential to improve education dramatically, the article didn't say much about how the laptop has affected learning. Sure, the kids love them, but aside from mentioning that many of them aspire to be something other than farmers, there wasn't much evidence presented that the laptop improved education.
Elsewhere in this thread, you will find a comment by jg (Jim Gettys). It has many things that at first I believed to be exaggerations, or just a glowing review from an OLPC staffer.
But, I found that all of what he said is present in detail, and pictures, on Carla Gomez's OLPC in Arahuay.
Really eye opening. Keep up the good work all.
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My kid wants a OLPC. But you can't just buy one. My kid isn't a good, African kid, she's a bad, American kid.
Your 'American kid' has far more resources to draw on that the target audience of these laptops. You, the dad, has the resources and ability to basically build her a laptop for cheap. You already have a 24/7 internet connection, ready for this laptop to connect to. She has PC's in school...all her friends (and their parent) have PC's at home. She can very easily go to the local library to use the computers there. If you work in any medium size company, you can probably scam an older laptop for free (I have 3 such laying around).
You popping for a brand new, dual core, multi gigbyte HD laptop for under $600 is far less of a financial impact than an OLPC would be for any of the target audience.
Or...you popping for a $399 OLPC (and a tax deduction of $200) is far less of a financial hit as well.
Should we also be bitching because the 'good African kids' also get free rice and 'bad American kids' don't? Or that 'good African kids' get a well dug in their town by the Peace Corps, and YOU, the downtrodden, poor American, has to actually pay taxes for clean, filtered, unlimited, water delivered to the multiple taps in your house at any temperature you desire.
Oh...and if you happen to come across a cheap/free laptop, you (Mr. computer wizard) can install the OLPC image on it and your daughter can have almost exactly the same thing. (unfortunately, that image is outdated. I hope they publish a current one soon)
Quit yer bitching.
0. Roll out universal Internet connections to remote Andean villages.
Or did you think that internet connectivity was just a given. A bit of a "let them eat cake" moment there. Though yes you should be able to get a fair amount of information on the 800Mb of internal storage. I assume they come with a load of books pre installed.
Deleted
Looking back on grade school, having a desk and no laptop, no Internet...
...man that sucked.
But these kids aren't starving or dying off due to some easily treatable disease. Really, giving them $188 in food and medicine wouldn't help them that much, and would be pretty limited in the length of time it did help.
Providing the OLPC is something like providing a basic infrastructure like roads or water, except in this case it is information. Money for these things could always be spent in other ways to meet short term needs, but they are far better off investing in infrastructure that will have long term positive impacts for many years to come.
Just imagine what'll happen when they learn to send email!
;)
OLPC: Training the next generation of Nig 419 Scammers
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Going outside and kicking a ball isn't necessarily about going on the fast track to sports stardom. Just like being on a computer can teach a child a variety of skills, going outside and kicking a ball around can also do the same.
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Title of Summary: OLPC a Hit in Remote Peruvian Village
Title of OP: A shining path to success...
The first result of Google(shining path) is Wikipedia(Shining Path) which begins:
Perhaps when OLPC is complete, Negroponte should start OLP/.er.
We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are.
-- Anais Nin