> it isn't actually a question of whether or not the theory of education > is sound or not. it is more economics of scale, of delivering the > device to the recipient.
Access is an issue of the digital divide debate but in itself it does not solve the problem of education. Giving people a computer and the Internet is not an efficient method for education. It is the same as giving people access to a library. It helps but it is not an efficient method. According to research by Dr. David Jonassen, it is best to use a computer to "learn with" rather to "learn from". The computer + Internet is mostly a "learning from" type where the focus is on the delivery of content. The "learning with" type requires an application (or method) designed in order to stimulate or assist in the learning process. The best type of which from my research is through simulated video games. The use of video games might take some people by surprise as it is not usually associated with learning. As a matter of fact most parents feel that video games do the opposite. They prevent or hinder learning. The problem really is the _content_ and not video games per se. However, there is a lot of learning being done but not in the area of what the educational institutions require. In playing video games like Counter Strike you learn about war, assault strategies, etc. and not math, science, etc. But there are some game titles already that are not only fun but educational as well. The Sims series are of the variety. You might have heard of the news that Sim City would be donated to OLPC. It is a very good addition to the applications bundled with the OLPC. > dollars with X decades experience company, who would you likely think > will be preferred? If you want a fast computer naturally you would go for the big name brands you mentioned. But if you look at what it can do for you, then you have to think again. You have a fast computer that can do what? It is just an all purpose device. It can be turned into an educational tool but the companies that sell them don't do that for you. > it probably would have been best if negroponte just got the software > from mit and mated that with say an EEEPC-like device instead of > building his own. who knows? it is water under the bridge now. Before OLPC, these companies did not think of these devices. The OLPC paved the way. However, they are maligning the efforts of the OLPC by turning the focus as a technology project rather than an educational one. > first to provide food on the table then education for the young are > the keys to bringing a nation out of poverty. put in another way, > wouldn't it be better if say, Intel would put up a plant in Thailand > or Nigeria to hire several thousand people to work thereby giving To do what? These people might not have the skills. It is a difficult problem of the "chicken and egg" variety. The best perhaps is an approach that equally tries to solve the problem. The OLPC is meant to solve the educational one. The other problems should be addressed as well but is beyond the immediate goals of the OLPC. > those people the opportunity to put food on their table and to send > their children to school than giving them laptops which their own > government is paying for, with their own money which they really need > for other things like maybe irrigation for crops and roads to take > their produce to market? But if the farmers remain ignorant they can not make most of these roads as they remain uneducated and not able to solve their problems like financial management and agricultural problems like lower yield, infestation, and others. The problem of world hunger is a very difficult one. But the indirect thesis of the OLPC is that it can best be addressed though education. Holden _________________________________________________ Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List [email protected] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph) Read the Guidelines: http://linux.org.ph/lists Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph
