Una Laptop Por Nino

The article “Una Laptop Por Nino” relates the experiences of an implementation specialist as he attempts to fulfill the requirements of an effort to empower children (disadvantaged children to be more precise). The premise of the effort is to give failing students the ability to see life beyond their villages and to give them the opportunity to peer into the outside world to select an alternate future. “Giving them eyes” to see the outside world is provided through the use of technology, a low cost – low energy consumption laptops, access to electricity as well as access to the internet.

The recipients of the “One Laptop Per Child” initiative are countries ranked lowest on the World Economic Forum survey. Peru is a country that ranked 130 out of 131 nations in math and science education and 131 on quality of primary schools. The reduced costs of the laptops will save money for the country but the true benefit of the project is to provide current up-to-date information that cannot be achieved by using standard textbooks.

The laptops are programmed with educational software as well as games. The educational software includes a word processor, art and music programs, camera, as well as a complete library of textbooks. Training to use the machine is included for both the teacher and the student. The teachers are required to continually install maintenance, educational, and security updates in an effort to avoid obsolescence.

To goal is to provide current text and programs that can help these students compete in a global economy (should they decide to select a future different from their parents).

Working out the logistics of the project appears to be challenging but efforts are underway to simplify the process.