[Year 12 IT Apps] $100 laptop story...

[Donna Benjamin]

On Mon, 2007-11-12 at 00:27 +1100, Margaret Lawson wrote:
> If you missed it, here it is:
> http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/69/one_laptop_per_child

It's really exciting. I've been following the progress of the project
for a while now.  One of my favourite features is the "view source"
button.

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Human_Interface_Guidelines/The_Laptop_Experience/View_Source

This is great. That's exactly how I first learnt to create web pages,
look at the code, change it, tweak it, customise it. Branch out and
experiment...

They aim to make all the workings of the computer that transparent.

Of course the project has it's detractors - and very real problems - but
I believe it could bring about fundamental change. I believe it's
revolutionary.

Rethinking education ey? Books and Teachers... sure, but what about
resourcing kids to create their own knowledge, share their own ideas and
creativity, and give them access to the world's knowledge...

The OLPC has 'activities' rather than programs and encourages kids to
play with sounds and images as well as reading and writing words.

Books are expensive too.  Some African education sectors tried to get
permission to print textbooks locally - because it was cheaper - but
western publishers said no, that violates our copyright.  In the
knowledge economy we've grown to recognise that knowledge gets dated -
giving people access to networking, with minimal infrastructure means
they can access knowledge, old and new, as well as make their own
contribution to the global knowledge bank.
 
Hands up who still goes to the library to look up encyclopedia
britannica?

Voicemail is more popular than texting in areas where literacy is low.
Visual and audio communication is just as important as reading and
writing. Modern technologies facilitate the ability to communicate, and
share knowledge, without necessarily having to learn to read and write
first.

If everyone has a video camera in their pocket, and a connection to
global networks to publish their work... doesn't that change the
paradigm?

The OLPC has a built in camera...  More power to them.  I've read a lot
of the arguments against the project - and there are some valid
concerns, but this project fills me with hope and optimism. It could
change the world. It gives me goose bumps. If it works, it will be the
moon landing of our time.

-- 
Donna Benjamin
Conference Co-ordinator
2007 VITTA Conference and Expo
Rethinking Education: You say you want a revolution?
19-21 November, The Grandstand, Flemington Racecourse
http://www.vitta.org.au/2007

Victorian IT Teachers Association Inc
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