One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
This morning I can across the an article on how the OLPC initiative is going 6 years after it was launched. Unfortunately does not seem to be bringing the benefits and advancements they hoped it would initially.
DeathWatch: One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
I was lucky enough to briefly meet one of the founders of the Cambodia NGO that runs the small remote village school these computers were first developed for. Each year some of their students come and try to pass the entrance exam (after they finished grade 12) for the Vocational training center I was working in at the time. Unfortunately, from what I understood, the percentage of these students that were successfully accepted into our programs was relatively low.
Posted in: General
ETEC522grp8 9:55 pm on October 24, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for sharing the link. The report provides an interesting perspective on whether or not OLPC has been able to deliver the proposed results. I had thought that providing a child with a laptop would open doors to learning on a whole new level. But what you’ve said made me realize that in order for programs such as the OLPC to be successful a child would still need to be able to do well on tests. The sad reality seems to be the fact that success ultimately depends on test results…
melissaayers 5:26 am on October 25, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, I have to agree its not great that its test based for the assessment as I am sure the students gain many valuable skills from having the devices that they would not have gained previously.
Patrick Pichette 7:08 pm on October 26, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I remember participating in a local program that encouraged students to create applications that would be used by the OLPC group. Unfortunately, not much was known on their education system and the program had many issues that prevented our students from truly creating the experience that should have been achieved. Additionally, I recall reading issues about the lack of infrastructure to provide students with the connectivity that would be required to make the OLPC initiative successful. All this leads to an investment that seemed doomed to fail from the onset. I almost wonder if there was someone who cashed in on this by securing certain distribution rights while the whole thing was on wobbly legs to begin with.
teacherben 5:15 pm on October 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Patrick, I would be interested to know more about the group that was making applications for the OLPC–what languages/tools were they working with? While I was at first really excited to see the OLPC loaded with with a Linux distribution, what they came up with was so vastly different from anything used in the real world that it may not have been all that helpful. While Windows machines with Excel on them may not quite be the ‘machines to think with’ that they imagined at MIT, they might give kids a chance to get into school or get a job.
Patrick Pichette 8:32 am on October 28, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
We were using machines called the XO. You can see a model that is likely the same or a derivative of it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XO-1
As for the languages and tools, most were using either Java or Scratch to create the games. This was for an introductory level programming course for grade 10 students. Most had no idea how to program while a few had been doing it on their own for the past 2 or 3 years. As the machines had limited functionality, these were the recommended tools for the students to create their mini-games.
Patrick Pichette 6:56 pm on October 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Odd timing.. I just heard a radio announcement this morning about the OLPC initiative. They were discussing how much of a success it had been in a small African community with no schools, teachers, or Internet. I’m a little unsure about electricity but I’ll assume there was some otherwise it will be difficult to get these recharged. 🙂 Anyhow, apparently they dropped off some boxes of these little machines loaded with a bunch of apps pre-installed and were researching how the children would adapt to them. According to the radio announcement, within just a few minutes, some of the children had opened the boxes and within the hour they had begun turning on the machines and seeing what they could do. Over the course of a few weeks and months, they gradually learned to use the computers and started teaching themselves things by looking through the applications. Needless to say that I’m in total shock now.. I’m unsure as to whether the OLPC initiative has turned into a success or if this is an isolated case. I’ll have to see if I can find out more as it looks like it may have turned out for the better in the long run if this isn’t an isolated case.