I would like to echo Farhan's request for information on how OLPC defines
success (aside from anecdotal stories). I'm currently writing my master's
thesis on the OLPC program and why -- despite the most honorable of intentions
-- it has largely failed to live up to the hype.
Brian D. Moss, MLS
Center for Global and International Studies
University of Kansas
[email protected]
>________________________________
> From: "Ahmed, Farhan" <[email protected]>
>To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 2:15 PM
>Subject: [Olpc-open] Defining success
>
>
>Hello,
>
>
>First of all, let me say that I love OLPC's mission of providing access to
>education for millions of underprivileged children across the globe. By
>empowering them to think critically and rationally, I believe it will usher an
>era of unprecedented progress for the participating regions.
>
>
>That being said, I wanted some thoughts on how OLPC defines and measures its
>impact. While I've watched videos of teachers and students expressing how the
>laptops have changes their lives, these stories are anecdotal at best. Is
>there a methodology through which OLPC tracks the concrete educational
>development a child goes through after he or she gets access to a laptop? It
>seems that tracking a child's progress over the years will allow OLPC to make
>substantial scientific claims about its impact. I haven't found any such data
>on the website. I do understand the limited effectiveness of quantifying
>"educational development", but I'm sure there's a well-researched methodology
>widely used.
>
>
>Furthermore, with regard to the Sugar interface, is it enabled to collect
>metrics on usage patterns (anonymized, of course)? Information on how often
>certain activities are enabled and used, the times of day a laptop sees most
>usage, the average data usage (mesh or the internet) and other such metrics
>would allow more targeted development and prioritization. Once again, I could
>not find any such data on the website.
>
>
>My motivation here is to understand how OLPC prioritizes it work and backs its
>claims on the impact. I am doing this as part of a research project I have
>undertaken at my university (The University of Chicago Booth School of
>Business). I'd be happy to answer any questions.
>
>
>Thank you,
>Farhan
>
>
>--
>Farhan Ahmed
>[email protected]
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>
>
>
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