Meters Maken voor Millennium(Making Miles for Millennium)

and OLPC NL

Harrie Vollaard en Gertie Clabbers13 december 2008Utrecht

Agenda

• Our route and contribution• Impact of the XO• OLPC• Learnings• Remarks• How to proceed

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Pskov

Nizhny Novgorod

Ulan Baatar

Bangalore

Serachour

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Our contribution 1• India

– 30 XO’s– Cooperation with Parikrma Foundation and ‘OLPC

India’– 1 school in Bangalore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wl5eXQyf4w

• Nepal, – 320 XO’s + infra (in progress)– Cooperation with Foundation Maya and OLE Nepal– 2 schools in Serachour (close to Pokhara)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNXyn0xQTCU

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Our contribution 2• Russia;

– 50 XO’s, Nova5000 + sensors, Mindstorm and infra– Cooperation with Pedagogic University of Nizhny Novgorod, Center of

Distance Learning Education in Pskov, State Electrotechnical University of St. Petersburg

– Summer camp, school for visual impaired children, different schools in Pskov

Nizhny Novgorod: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q72xrYriPZg and Pskov: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvyEnKX7UBA

• Mongolia– 3 schoolservers, routers, accespoints etc.– Cooperation with OLPC and Mongolian government– 3 schools in Ulan Bator (3000 children)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUXd7wnLJWM en http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeEflg8Be7Q

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wl5eXQyf4w

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Impact of the XO• Education makes a long lasting difference• Huge potential for the XO everywhere• It closes the gap between Western countries and

developing countries (from ‘stone’ age to modern age)• It gives the children a choice (e.g. Russia, Bangalore)• It has impact on the child, but also on environment of

child (brothers, sisters, parents)• XO used for personal development, but has also value

for environment (internet information available)• Little money, big impact

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

OLPC

• Research organization• No business processes in place (ordering/shipping)• Focus on big numbers• Price mechanism unclear• Limited support• Single distribution channel GiveMany program• No or limited technical support and warranty• Knowlegde sharing platform can be improved• Functional roadmap can be improved

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Learnings 1• XO great combination software and hardware; unique of its kind. • XO is positioned for 6 – 10 years old, older ages are going to use the

regular PC• Introduction of the XO at the different deployments usually starts at 6

years old. • Children learn computer capabilities and don’t care if it’s Microsoft or not. • Every deployment is still in an embryonic stage. What the real effects are,

are still unclear• IT is usually seen as a separate course and is not integrated in the lessons

yet.• XO and internet really helps in the distribution of schoolbooks to remote

areas and helps the children (no need to carry heavy school bags in monsoon)

• Circle of Life (education, food, healthcare, family); www.parikrmafoundation.org

• Calculate the real costs (multiply the XO costs by a x factor)

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Learnings 2• Start small, scale fast• Start with one project at the time• Work with local organizations, NGO’s• Check first the local situation• Limit dependencies with OLPC• Connect to local grassroots or linux/open source groups• Solve technical support problem• Learn how to handle corruption, incapable personel and

political interests• Handle shipment and customs clearance

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Learnings 3

• Training of teachers critical success factor• Model OLE Nepal is a good start• Professional project management is key• Knowledge sharing platform is necessary

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Remarks from outsiders

• First food then education• Why one laptop per child?

but critics are always from Westerners

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

How to proceed

• Nepal (320 XO’s)• India (3 schools)• Evaluation OLPC• Fund raising• Learning model (OLE Nepal)• Sharing knowledge how to run projects

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

St. Meters Maken voor Millennium, KvK 09179631, rek.nr. 322811775, Sperwerstraat 51, 6541 SB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands