Comments on: 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/ The Read/Write Web in the Classroom Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:21:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: J. Martin Ball http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6679 J. Martin Ball Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:00:39 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6679 I find the oblique criticisms of Lybia’s $100 computer project disheartening. Consider: (a) The USA (telephone and cable) have fallen behind Europe, Japan … in supplying high-speed broadband Internet connection to the masses. (b) As USA public education students progress through school, they score lower and lower on standardized assessments, compared to their international counterparts. I, for one, applaud any effort to educate all the children (male and female) of the world! I find the oblique criticisms of Lybia’s $100 computer project disheartening. Consider: (a) The USA (telephone and cable) have fallen behind Europe, Japan … in supplying high-speed broadband Internet connection to the masses. (b) As USA public education students progress through school, they score lower and lower on standardized assessments, compared to their international counterparts. I, for one, applaud any effort to educate all the children (male and female) of the world!

]]> By: Susan Naysnerski http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6556 Susan Naysnerski Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:43:50 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6556 As a former tech coordinator and now the Principal of a K-4 school, I can not agree more. The most recent edutopia magazine had an article titled The New Face of Learning. Our young students are growing up in a technological world that makes non-authentic education seem absurd. It is indeed the biggest challenge for educational leaders and there are many obstacles. Sometime the obstacles come from the most unexpected constituencies. I'm not sure if public education will ever make the move to a reform that is so profound. Will we need private schools or magnet schools to do it? As a former tech coordinator and now the Principal of a K-4 school, I can not agree more. The most recent edutopia magazine had an article titled The New Face of Learning. Our young students are growing up in a technological world that makes non-authentic education seem absurd. It is indeed the biggest challenge for educational leaders and there are many obstacles. Sometime the obstacles come from the most unexpected constituencies. I’m not sure if public education will ever make the move to a reform that is so profound. Will we need private schools or magnet schools to do it?

]]> By: Andrew Pass http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6549 Andrew Pass Mon, 16 Oct 2006 03:37:54 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6549 Will, Unfortunately, I don't think the policy makers in this country get it. Did you see the Fischbowl's "Did You Know?" Remember what it says about England? In case somebody didn't see it, here's the link: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html I guess it's up to us to make sure that policymakers get it before it's too late. Andrew Pass http://www.Pass-Ed.com/blogger.html Will, Unfortunately, I don’t think the policy makers in this country get it. Did you see the Fischbowl’s “Did You Know?” Remember what it says about England? In case somebody didn’t see it, here’s the link: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html I guess it’s up to us to make sure that policymakers get it before it’s too late.

Andrew Pass
http://www.Pass-Ed.com/blogger.html

]]> By: Will Richardson http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6547 Will Richardson Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:53:36 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6547 Jim...To be honest, I really don't care what program makes it happen. We just have to make it happen. Kobu is absolutely right, though, about making sure that the teachers can teach with the technology, or these computers will be used as night lights which someone else alluded to on some other blog. This is a huge project requiring leadership and vision at many different levels, but I think it's among the most important educational reforms we need to be thinking about in this country. Jim…To be honest, I really don’t care what program makes it happen. We just have to make it happen. Kobu is absolutely right, though, about making sure that the teachers can teach with the technology, or these computers will be used as night lights which someone else alluded to on some other blog. This is a huge project requiring leadership and vision at many different levels, but I think it’s among the most important educational reforms we need to be thinking about in this country.

]]> By: Kathy Schrock http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6546 Kathy Schrock Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:33:10 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6546 Mitt Romney, our governor, had pledged $54 million to outfit all midde and high school students in Massachusetts via OLPC. If you looked carefully at the map of the "waves" of distribution that Negroponte showed at NECC, Massachusetts was the only state in the same wave as all of the countries that have now pledged to purchase. We will wait and see what transpires.... Mitt Romney, our governor, had pledged $54 million to outfit all midde and high school students in Massachusetts via OLPC.

If you looked carefully at the map of the “waves” of distribution that Negroponte showed at NECC, Massachusetts was the only state in the same wave as all of the countries that have now pledged to purchase. We will wait and see what transpires….

]]> By: James O'Hagan http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6544 James O'Hagan Sun, 15 Oct 2006 15:02:35 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6544 In your second point, are you suggesting we participate in the OLPC program? I thought Negroponte made it pretty cleaer that that politics of the nation, i.e. state boards, school boards, feds, of this country don't allow a program like this to thrive here. I also remember Negroponte saying that this wasn't the laptop for this country. I don't think you are saying we participate in OLPC, but just want to make sure. In your second point, are you suggesting we participate in the OLPC program? I thought Negroponte made it pretty cleaer that that politics of the nation, i.e. state boards, school boards, feds, of this country don’t allow a program like this to thrive here. I also remember Negroponte saying that this wasn’t the laptop for this country.

I don’t think you are saying we participate in OLPC, but just want to make sure.

]]> By: Greg's Weblog http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6532 Greg's Weblog Sun, 15 Oct 2006 08:21:30 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6532 <strong>$100 Laptop...</strong> Not really sure what I think about this from Will Richardson ... Interesting points though! 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops By Will Richardson on The Shifts (via David Weinberger) Libya has become the fourth country to make a sizeable...... $100 Laptop…

Not really sure what I think about this from Will Richardson … Interesting points though! 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops By Will Richardson on The Shifts (via David Weinberger) Libya has become the fourth country to make a sizeable……

]]> By: Kobu van Wyk http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6530 Kobu van Wyk Sun, 15 Oct 2006 05:43:44 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6530 A lesson we have learned on the Khanya project (South Africa) in providing computing power to learners, is that the task to empower the educators to use the technology and give guidance to learners is massive. A concern with the Libyan situation is that there are no plans to assist the educators (who are, by and large, computer illiterate). For lessons we have learned in the African context, see www.khanya.co.za/blogs A lesson we have learned on the Khanya project (South Africa) in providing computing power to learners, is that the task to empower the educators to use the technology and give guidance to learners is massive. A concern with the Libyan situation is that there are no plans to assist the educators (who are, by and large, computer illiterate). For lessons we have learned in the African context, see http://www.khanya.co.za/blogs

]]> By: The Froggy Blogger http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6528 The Froggy Blogger Sun, 15 Oct 2006 01:47:04 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6528 [...] Kids With Laptops. No Comments so far Leave a comment RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Leave a comment Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTMLallowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> [...] […] Kids With Laptops. No Comments so far Leave a comment RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Leave a comment Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTMLallowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> […]

]]> By: English Education Professor » Resources for English Education Professors & English Teachers by Todd Finley, PhD » Blog Archive » 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops - Negroponte http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6521 English Education Professor » Resources for English Education Professors & English Teachers by Todd Finley, PhD » Blog Archive » 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops - Negroponte Sat, 14 Oct 2006 05:07:46 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6521 [...] Weblogg-ed » 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops It is possible that Libya will be the first nation in the world to connect all of its children to the Web via computers provided by schools, Negroponte said, according to the Times. In addition to the 1.2 million laptops Libya will receive, its $250 million buys it a server for each school, a crew to get the systems up and running, satellite Web service and additional hardware, the Times reports. [...] […] Weblogg-ed » 1.2 Million Libyan Kids With Laptops It is possible that Libya will be the first nation in the world to connect all of its children to the Web via computers provided by schools, Negroponte said, according to the Times. In addition to the 1.2 million laptops Libya will receive, its $250 million buys it a server for each school, a crew to get the systems up and running, satellite Web service and additional hardware, the Times reports. […]

]]> By: Alfred Thompson http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6517 Alfred Thompson Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:00:52 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6517 Why is 1.2 million Linux hackers a good thing? Linux is an old fashioned OS with one of the worst UIs of any of the more than 12 operating systems I have used in my career. I just don't get it. 35 years of using computers and more than a dozen operating systems in my background and I still don't understand why someone with a choice would choose Linux. I agree with you about the shame that we don't have 100% of US students on the Internet though. Why is 1.2 million Linux hackers a good thing? Linux is an old fashioned OS with one of the worst UIs of any of the more than 12 operating systems I have used in my career. I just don’t get it. 35 years of using computers and more than a dozen operating systems in my background and I still don’t understand why someone with a choice would choose Linux.
I agree with you about the shame that we don’t have 100% of US students on the Internet though.

]]> By: Scott S. Floyd http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6512 Scott S. Floyd Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:28:05 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/12-million-libyan-kids-with-laptops/#comment-6512 Could it be because we are too busy thinking we are already better than everyone else and just too dumb/blind to see it? Politicians are lucky enough to live in a country where the press and extremist conservatives are yelling that taxes are too high and the government spends too much money (you know, on unneeded things like children's health care, food for the poor, education, etc). If they stood on a national podium and declared a laptop for every backpack, it would be to their demise. Now understand, I am with you on this. I think there should be a wireless cloud covering every square inch of our great country. But it is going to have to be private enterprises that need the skilled employees down the road that think forward like this. Do not count on Washington (or Austin in my case even). Could it be because we are too busy thinking we are already better than everyone else and just too dumb/blind to see it? Politicians are lucky enough to live in a country where the press and extremist conservatives are yelling that taxes are too high and the government spends too much money (you know, on unneeded things like children’s health care, food for the poor, education, etc). If they stood on a national podium and declared a laptop for every backpack, it would be to their demise.

Now understand, I am with you on this. I think there should be a wireless cloud covering every square inch of our great country. But it is going to have to be private enterprises that need the skilled employees down the road that think forward like this. Do not count on Washington (or Austin in my case even).

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