One laptop for every impoverished child around the world – that’s the dream. The ambitious project, launched by MIT Lab and announced recently by Nicholas Negroponte at the WSIS in Tunis, is to develop a sub-100-dollar laptop. Yes, that affordable.
The project aims to revolutionize how the world’s children will be educated. Developing countries like the Philippines can benefit so much from this. In fact I wish that instead of purchasing missiles and other weapons for its corrupt military, the Philippine government will prioritize the acquisition of this educational tool.
There are three reasons why I love the idea. First, not only that it’ll be cheap, the laptop will run on the Linux operating system. I have been using Linux for over a year now and I can attest to the fact that its functionability, adaptability and robustness make it the best operating system in the world. And since Linux is open-sourced, I can already imagine the students studying and understanding the source code of this great software. In no time, graders and highschool students will be developing their own programs and sharing it with their schoolmates.
Secondly, the full-screen, full-color laptop will use innovative power. Considering that the target users include schoolchildren living in remote places where there is no electricity, an alternative power source is necessary. The laptop can be powered by wind-up or hand crank.
And thirdly, the rugged laptop can be used as an ebook and will have wifi and VoIP capabilities. In learning, connectivity is of paramount importance. Thus the integrated internet and peer-to-peer capabilities of the machine make it such a powerful educational tool.
But hold on. The cheap laptops won’t be available for sale to individual costumers, instead it will be directly shipped in bulk to schools directly through government authorities. The laptops will be available by the end of 2006.
The idea of having an electronic tool for learning made available to children specially in remote areas is great .But ,isn’t it a little bit too ambitious to have a lap-top for every child ? I believe that is not really necessary considering the economic problem not only in our country today but in other third world countries as well.There are a lot of other necessities that every child need to have everyday,like food,clothing and shelter.
I do recommend availability of computers/lap-tops in public schools specially in the rural areas. As of now , high school graduates from the rural areas in our country has a very little know- how(if there is any) about computers compared to elementary students in the city. I do hope that people working in our Ministry of Education would be made aware of this discrepancy and make use of the availability of this laptop of yours.
I sure hope that somehow our Department of Education finds this a worthwhile project. However, the local fiscal crisis will probably prevent the Philippine Government from getting this wonderful technological innovation although I can’t help but wish/hope that they somehow can.
What a good tidings to the third(3rd)/ developing countries this prime project. Thanks to the companies/people who took this initiative sharing their abundance what they have.
I hope the Phils. Government will take part this project. Using the equipments wisely distributing it particularly places like rural/remote areas where kids not see yet who/how
to operate/work this modern tools.
And I also do hope one day/time come we Pilipinos will now stop biting each others
(words violent) instead think forward hand and hand what we can do for good/beter
for our land/people. And later we can enjoy this prosperity or our children next generation.
You may say I think/sound simple, yes I am a naive person. But I learned a lot from other
cultures/countries when it comes for the good/beter for their people/land they put a side
the personal problems/egoism learn accept if the made mistake also their own government
too.
It is now the time to go think forward. I know deep in my heart we Pilipinos are very industrious slim loving caring understandable and always eager willing to learn what is new
in our surrounding. We are flexible mostly educated people around the globe if I am not
mistaken. Pilipinos working/living abroad/l if we shared all this talents we have and accept our shortcomings never lose respect each other. Surely we can make our land good/beter again to the eyes of our neighboring others countries. Because we itself Pilipinos the only one can made our dreams come true/success . Philippines in nature is a beautiful rich land which GOD given us comparing to other lands around the globe. If someone asked me where I come from I am very proud happy to say it from the PHILIPPINES.
I just heard about this laptop today and being a teacher in a mountainous area of northern Luzon, I hope that the Department of Education has applied for this. Even if it’s one per public secondary and elementary high school, it would do wonders if utilized well. Let’s help each other campaign for the realization of even “one laptop per class.”(“,)
I just hope that this will happen soon to the Philippines
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