Comments on: Astounded in Arahuay http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay Code. Culture. Clarity. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:26:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Cherie Johansson http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-673 Cherie Johansson Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:01:46 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-673 These results are consistent with the results I had as a teacher in the late 1980s - early 1990s using IT in the early stages in the classroom. A particularly fabulous project was engaging the community - as this example indicates - the buy-in and endorsement by parents further cements the excellent work of the young people and the leaders making this happen....well done and how can I help? These results are consistent with the results I had as a teacher in the late 1980s - early 1990s using IT in the early stages in the classroom. A particularly fabulous project was engaging the community - as this example indicates - the buy-in and endorsement by parents further cements the excellent work of the young people and the leaders making this happen….well done and how can I help?

]]> By: Luis Fernando Sánchez http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-366 Luis Fernando Sánchez Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:21:12 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-366 I am really impressed, this is a great experience that I want to develop in our school in Colombia one day. Thanks for helping to educate children of the world. I am really impressed, this is a great experience that I want to develop in our school in Colombia one day. Thanks for helping to educate children of the world.

]]> By: Andrew McMillan http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-365 Andrew McMillan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:37:41 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-365 The anecdote about the child who was previously disruptive is very interesting, particularly the fact that he was the first to figure it out. That sort of behaviour is not all that unusual among very bright children who are bored with the regimented as-fast-as-the-slowest pace of factory-style schooling. Thank goodness the OLPC arrived to provide an outlet for that boy to learn at his own pace, and to gain respect from the others. The anecdote about the child who was previously disruptive is very interesting, particularly the fact that he was the first to figure it out. That sort of behaviour is not all that unusual among very bright children who are bored with the regimented as-fast-as-the-slowest pace of factory-style schooling.

Thank goodness the OLPC arrived to provide an outlet for that boy to learn at his own pace, and to gain respect from the others.

]]> By: George Correa http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-364 George Correa Sun, 23 Mar 2008 02:20:10 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-364 There is Hope! A small contribution for forgotten kids that will be marked in some positive way by this philanthropic effort! "There is no Energy Shortage. There is no Energy Crisis. There is a Crisis of Ignorance". -R. Buckminster Fuller There is Hope!
A small contribution for forgotten kids that will be marked in some positive way by this philanthropic effort!

“There is no Energy Shortage. There is no Energy Crisis. There is a Crisis of Ignorance”.

-R. Buckminster Fuller

]]> By: Mary Lue Peck http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-301 Mary Lue Peck Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:46:29 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-301 This article is a much-needed reminder of the goals and successful accomplishments of programs such as OLPC. So many of us take our lifestyles for granted – especially Internet access, “basic” computers, easy access to places and information and, as students, the luxury of focusing only on school (not on work). The education and understanding of technology this program provides is outstanding. It’s also amazing to hear about all of the other benefits this program encourages, such as enabling parents to envision a better future for their children, encouraging teamwork, and allowing a “troubled” youth to find the confidence and a path to not only express himself, but to help others. It’s also wonderful that the children want even more knowledge (e.g., they want to learn English) and that they are teaching their parents about technology. Again, we take so much for granted and this article serves as a reminder and as inspiration. Thank you for taking the time to go to Peru and write this article! This article is a much-needed reminder of the goals and successful accomplishments of programs such as OLPC. So many of us take our lifestyles for granted – especially Internet access, “basic” computers, easy access to places and information and, as students, the luxury of focusing only on school (not on work).

The education and understanding of technology this program provides is outstanding. It’s also amazing to hear about all of the other benefits this program encourages, such as enabling parents to envision a better future for their children, encouraging teamwork, and allowing a “troubled” youth to find the confidence and a path to not only express himself, but to help others. It’s also wonderful that the children want even more knowledge (e.g., they want to learn English) and that they are teaching their parents about technology. Again, we take so much for granted and this article serves as a reminder and as inspiration.

Thank you for taking the time to go to Peru and write this article!

]]> By: Edgar A. Ceballos http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-300 Edgar A. Ceballos Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:04:19 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-300 Ivan, Great article. I am very proud to be part of this project. Edgar A. Ceballos Director, Program Implementations OLPC Brightstar Corporation Miami, FL USA Ivan,

Great article.

I am very proud to be part of this project.

Edgar A. Ceballos
Director, Program Implementations OLPC
Brightstar Corporation
Miami, FL
USA

]]> By: Dhashen Naicker http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-292 Dhashen Naicker Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:43:53 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-292 About the dictionary on the laptop - I've followed http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=145949&highlight=offline+dictionary to have the dictionary run local. You can install thesaurus and various languages. Works for our educational setup. Its great to hear about the success of this program. Thank you for sharing. About the dictionary on the laptop - I’ve followed http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=145949&highlight=offline+dictionary to have the dictionary run local. You can install thesaurus and various languages. Works for our educational setup. Its great to hear about the success of this program. Thank you for sharing.

]]> By: Andrey Gerasimenko http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-291 Andrey Gerasimenko Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:00:25 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-291 Thanks for the excellent report from the field. I have read the Carla Gomez-Monroy's report as well. As far as I understand, the OLPC project is an attempt to provide cheap laptops earlier than it would happen naturally, due to market forces, using the scale economy and the purchasing power enjoyed by governments, even those of poor countries. The success of the plan will be beneficial to everyone, so, if the result of the test deployment is considered positive, it is very very good. The problem, as I see it, is that no limited scale deployment can tell if spending about $150 per child on XOs is the best possible investment. The Arahuay case proves obvious things: free Internet is good, wealth improves manners, kids may be more eager to go to school to play than to study. Using a laptop and Internet to write home work has obvious drawbacks, starting with the shallow nature of Internet "knowledge" and downloading of someone else's work. Learning while playing may be welcomed by both kids and teachers, but if I have a serious medical problem, I will be happy to know that my doctor studied in a more traditional way. The only reported change to the educational process is "teachers doing research on the web". Would a $400 desktop be a better tool for that? I hope that the OLPC project will bring a $200 laptop to me (in fact, I think Asus EeePC should cost $200 right now). I also hope that when Peru deploys thousands of XOs, the things will change. Teachers will know that any student may be as smart as a Google search and start "doing research". When all students are equipped with a computer, the learning process may be optimized and a healthy ecosystem of school servers, scanners, and printers created. Elder students will get better free laptops. Computers will be used to teach things only they can teach, like formal analysis and computers, not "physics at very basic level" . If that happens, I will say XOs are the best possible investment. Once again, no small deployment can tell if that will or will not happen. BTW, is there any example of a good US school that requires that all students own laptops and benefits from that? Thanks for the excellent report from the field. I have read the Carla Gomez-Monroy’s report as well. As far as I understand, the OLPC project is an attempt to provide cheap laptops earlier than it would happen naturally, due to market forces, using the scale economy and the purchasing power enjoyed by governments, even those of poor countries.

The success of the plan will be beneficial to everyone, so, if the result of the test deployment is considered positive, it is very very good.

The problem, as I see it, is that no limited scale deployment can tell if spending about $150 per child on XOs is the best possible investment. The Arahuay case proves obvious things: free Internet is good, wealth improves manners, kids may be more eager to go to school to play than to study.

Using a laptop and Internet to write home work has obvious drawbacks, starting with the shallow nature of Internet “knowledge” and downloading of someone else’s work. Learning while playing may be welcomed by both kids and teachers, but if I have a serious medical problem, I will be happy to know that my doctor studied in a more traditional way.

The only reported change to the educational process is “teachers doing research on the web”. Would a $400 desktop be a better tool for that?

I hope that the OLPC project will bring a $200 laptop to me (in fact, I think Asus EeePC should cost $200 right now). I also hope that when Peru deploys thousands of XOs, the things will change. Teachers will know that any student may be as smart as a Google search and start “doing research”. When all students are equipped with a computer, the learning process may be optimized and a healthy ecosystem of school servers, scanners, and printers created. Elder students will get better free laptops. Computers will be used to teach things only they can teach, like formal analysis and computers, not “physics at very basic level” .

If that happens, I will say XOs are the best possible investment. Once again, no small deployment can tell if that will or will not happen.

BTW, is there any example of a good US school that requires that all students own laptops and benefits from that?

]]> By: Thomas Wanhoff http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-290 Thomas Wanhoff Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:44:04 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-290 Amazing story, got this from a friend and will spread it hear in Cambodia! Thx for sharing your experience and for your work there! Amazing story, got this from a friend and will spread it hear in Cambodia!
Thx for sharing your experience and for your work there!

]]> By: Christoph Derndorfer http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-289 Christoph Derndorfer Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:58:01 +0000 http://radian.org/notebook/astounded-in-arahuay#comment-289 Excellent write-up, definitely amongst the best reports from the ground when it comes to an actual OLPC deployment! I wanted to head back to Peru this summer (I lived and went to school in Trujillo, about 8h north of Lima, from 2000 to 2001) but unfortunately I won't be able to make it. Well, maybe early next year... :-) Excellent write-up, definitely amongst the best reports from the ground when it comes to an actual OLPC deployment!

I wanted to head back to Peru this summer (I lived and went to school in Trujillo, about 8h north of Lima, from 2000 to 2001) but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it. Well, maybe early next year… :-)

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