Deployment Guide 2011: Difference between revisions
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Note: this wikified deployment guide reproduce the one from the [[:File:OLPC_Deployment_Guide_2011.pdf|PDF]] |
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that OLPC published in 2011. |
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# [[/One Laptop per Child|One Laptop per Child]] |
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Below is raw text, which needs to be cleaned up and wikified. |
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# [[/OLPC Learning Strategy|Learning Strategy]] |
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# [[/Introduction to Deployment Guide|Introduction]] |
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# [[/Project Implementation|Project Implementation]] |
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# [[/OLPC Support Strategy|Support Strategy]] |
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# [[/Planning Phase|Planning Phase]] |
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# [[/Feasibility study|Feasibility study]] |
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# [[/Purchase Agreements and Ordering Process|Purchase Agreements and Ordering]] |
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# [[/Deployment Phase|Deployment Phase]] |
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# [[/Post Deployment Phase|Post Deployment Phase]] |
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# [[/Summary of Recommended Tasks|Summary of Recommended Tasks]] |
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# [[/Related websites|Related websites]] |
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== Other versions == |
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* [[:File:OLPC_Deployment_Guide_2011.pdf|PDF of the 2011 Deployment Guide]] as published by OLPC. |
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= Raw text = |
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* [https://github.com/bzg/OLPC-Deployment--community--guide The source of OLPC Deployment Guide] including other formats ([http://orgmode.org/ org-mode], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument OpenDocument .odt], HTML, mediawiki syntax, etc.) |
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ONE LAPTOP PER CHILD DEPLOYMENT GUIDE 2011 |
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* Older (less organized): [[2008 deployment guide]] |
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Table of Contents |
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* HTML version [http://olpc-france.org/deployment-guide/ HTML version hosted by OLPC France] ([http://olpc-france.org/deployment-guide/ English] and [http://olpc-france.org/guide-deploiement French]). This is part of the git repository linked above. |
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<pre> |
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1. One Laptop per Child………………………………………………………………………………..…..………. 3 |
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2. OLPC Learning Strategy………………………………………………………………………………..…..…… 4 |
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3. Introduction to Deployment Guide……………………………………………………………….…….… 5 |
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Deployment Phases Overview…………………………………………………………………………….. 5 |
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4. Project Implementation.……………………………………………………………………………….………. 6 |
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Core Team…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7 |
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5. OLPC Support Strategy……………………………….…………………………………………………………. 10 |
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6. I. Planning Phase…………………………………………….……………………………………………………….. 12 |
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6.1. Financing Approaches………………………….………………………………………………………… 13 |
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Key Assumptions……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 |
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Financial Assumptions……………………………………………………………………………………….. 15 |
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6.2. Feasibility study…………………………………….………………………………………………………. 16 |
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6.3. Purchase Agreement and Ordering Process.……………………………………………….….. 18 |
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Selecting your XO………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18 |
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Purchase Agreement…………………………………………………………………………………………… 20 |
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XO Order Process and Lead Time………………………………………………………………………….22 |
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7. II. Deployment Phase…………………………………………….……………………………………………….… 23 |
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7.1. Setting Logistics………………………………………….…………………………………………………. 24 |
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Warehousing………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24 |
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Laptop Distribution Plan……………………………………………………………………………………….25 |
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Spare Parts Management……………………………………………………………………………………..25 |
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Baseline study………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 |
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7.2. Setting Core Team……………………………………….………………………………………………… 27 |
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OLPC Training Description…………………………………………………………………………………….28 |
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Content Development…………………………………………………………………………………………..29 |
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7.3. Setting Local Infrastructure………………………….………………………………………………… 30 |
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7.4. Preparing Schools and Community……………….……………………………………………….. 32 |
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Teacher Training…………………………………………………………………………………………………..32 |
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Community Awareness……………………………………………………………………………………….. 34 |
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8. III. Post Deployment Phase……………………………………….……………………………………………….. 35 |
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Evaluation Studies………………………………………………………………………………………………..35 |
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8.1. Continued Teacher Training and Support……….………………………………………………. 36 |
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8.2. Extracurricular Environments………………………….…………………………………………….. 37 |
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8.3. Maintenance and repairs………………………………….……………………………………………. 38 |
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9. Summary of Recommended Tasks…………………………….……………………………………………39 |
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10. Related Websites…………………………….……………………………………………………………………. 40 |
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</pre> |
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To make a community deployment guide, we could spread the word about this version, and gather comments from OLPCers all around the world. Those comments would then be processed by a small team (the support gang?) which would then create a ''OLPC Community Deployment Guide'' -- say at the next SF meeting? |
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[[Category:Guides]][[Category:Deployment planning]] |
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==One Laptop per Child == |
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One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-‐profit organization founded in 2005 with the goal of transforming |
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education by providing every child with access to a connected laptop computer, the XO laptop. |
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Connected laptops provide a cost-‐effective way for states to create learning environments that facilitate |
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the greatest possible development of all children. We are driven by a firm belief that laptops have a |
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unique ability to leverage children’s innate curiosity and desire to learn, to develop critical thinking skills, |
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and to foster a life-‐long love of learning. |
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;OLPC Mission |
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To create educational opportunities for all by providing each child with a rugged, low-‐cost, low-‐power, |
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connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-‐empowered |
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learning. |
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===Five Core Principles === |
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;1. Child ownership |
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Access to information and activities at all times create a portable learning and teaching environment. |
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Child ownership includes protecting, caring for, and sharing this creative environment. |
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;2. Low ages |
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The XO is designed for the use of children ages 4 to 12, covering the years of elementary school. |
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;3. Saturation |
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In order to achieve meaningful educational improvement each child should own a laptop so no one is |
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left out: digital saturation implies whole communities to become a part of the program. |
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;4. Connection |
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XOs not only connect to the internet but to other XOs as well, providing an “expanded school” that |
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grows beyond the walls of the classroom, enabling a dialogue among generations, nations and cultures. |
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;5. Free and Open Software |
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As children grow and pursue new ideas, the software, content, resources and tools should be able to |
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grow with them. Children not only participate in activities and acquire knowledge; they can create |
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activities and transfer knowledge too, and share it with the entire global community. |
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==OLPC Learning Strategy == |
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“It’s an education project, not a laptop project” |
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OLPC’s principles are based on the learning theory of Constructionism, which refers to the concept of |
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“learning by doing”. Seymour Papert, a mathematician, computer scientist, and educator; developed the |
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theory of Constructionism built upon the work of renown Swiss psychologist of Jean Piaget on |
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Constructivism learning theories. |
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Papert explained that learning is most effective when the learner is engaged in the construction of a |
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meaningful product, and that technology can become the tool for building knowledge. He made the first |
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and most important efforts to provide children with control of new technologies. Based on his research |
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he suggests all children should learn to program the computer, because this allows them to develop |
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unique skills that empower learners to learn about the way they learn. |
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OLPC’s philosophy is inspired by Papert and other progressive educators who share his ideas about |
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learning. We believe the laptop is the agency to engage children in constructing knowledge based upon |
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their personal interests. The laptop provides children with tools for sharing and critiquing these |
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constructions which will lead them to become better learners and teachers. Therefore, OLPC does not |
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focus on computer literacy, as that is a by-‐product of the fluency children will gain through use of the |
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laptop for learning. |
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OLPC learning strategy focuses on building: |
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• Developing Digital Fluency. This refers to computer programming skills and to the ability to |
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build things of significance with technological tools. “A technologically fluent person should |
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• |
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• |
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be able to go from the germ of an intuitive idea to the implementation of a |
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technological project (Papert & Resnick, 1995)”. |
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Reflecting about learning, learning to learn and thinking about self-‐ learning strategies. |
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Building learning and innovation skills in alignment to with the 21st Century Skills: |
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• Creativity and Innovation |
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• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving |
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• Communication and Collaboration |
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;Software: The Sugar Learning Platform |
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In accordance with the learning theory of Constructionism and OLPC’s principle of Open Software, Sugar |
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provides the appropriate platform to achieve OLPC’s learning strategies and mission. |
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With Sugar’s Activities, children engage in exploring knowledge, in expressing themselves through |
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different media and in computer programming skills. Sugar promotes collaborative learning through |
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Activities that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and reflection. |
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==Introduction to Deployment Guide == |
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This document provides guidelines for program directors (government officials, foundations, private |
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funders, etc.) conducting One Laptop per Child deployments on a large scale to schools, cities, regions, |
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or country wide. |
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This guide outlines key considerations to be taken into account throughout the different stages of a |
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deployment. It captures the knowledge and expertise gained from deploying over 2 million laptops |
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across more than 30 countries around the world. Therefore, this document can be adapted for each |
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new deployment according to each country’s unique cultural, economical and socio-‐political context and |
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in accordance with its particular strengths and capabilities. |
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===Deployment Phases Overview === |
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A deployment can be divided in three main phases: Planning Phase, Deployment Phase, and Post-‐ |
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Deployment Phase. This document is meant to guide project managers through the roadmap towards a |
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successful deployment, by describing essential steps, and decisions to consider, and by suggesting an |
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action timeline. |
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<pre> |
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I. Planning |
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Phase |
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II. Deployment |
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Phase |
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III. Post-‐ |
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Deployment |
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Phase |
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Financing |
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Approaches |
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Seeng |
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Logisfcs |
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Feasibility |
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Study |
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Seeng |
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Core Team |
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Confnued |
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Teacher |
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Training and |
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Support |
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Seeng Local |
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Infrastructure |
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Extracurricular |
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Environments |
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Purchase |
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Agreement and |
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Ordering Process |
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Preparing |
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Schools and |
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Community |
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Laptop |
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Distribu[on |
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Maintenance |
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and repairs |
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</pre> |
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== Project Implementation == |
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An OLPC project has a direct impact on children and their learning outcomes. Other actors that are |
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equally impacted by the project are the school systems (especially teachers), families, and communities |
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as a whole. It is important to consider all of these actors when defining objectives and implementation |
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strategies. Various domains must be included in such strategies in order to ensure sustainability of the |
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project. The pyramid below illustrates the hierarchy of these domains. |
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The base of the pyramid is infrastructure, which refers to providing access not only to the laptop, but |
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also to the electrical grid (or other alternative power source), to the Internet, and to school servers. |
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Without this base, movement towards the top of the pyramid will be very difficult and will limit the |
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outcomes expected to be achieved with the project. The top tier refers to two types of assessments. |
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Assessments of the first type measure the project’s impact, including student learning and other |
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objectives, such as social effect and school improvement. Assessments of the second type identify areas |
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for improvement of project implementation. The elements of the pyramid are meant to be in a constant |
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cycle where the top always gives feedback to the rest of the domains. |
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<pre> |
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Community |
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Teacher |
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Student |
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Assessment |
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Learning |
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Environments: |
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Formal, Non-‐Formal, |
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Informal |
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Teacher training |
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Community Awareness |
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Technical Support and Maintenance |
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Infrastructure: Power and Connec[vity |
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</pre> |
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====Core Team ==== |
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For successful implementation of the OLPC project, we highly recommended deployments to recruit and |
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build a local team with skills in: managerial, logistics, technical, and educational fields. The term we use |
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to refer to this team is the “Core Team”. This team will serve as the interface between the project and |
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OLPC. |
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We advise hiring a project manager with experience in: project and budget planning, external relations |
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and communication. This manager is expected to plan and coordinate operations, as well as to supervise |
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the different departments involved in the project. In addition to managerial skills it is preferable that the |
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potential manager has a background in technical and/or educational fields. The project manager should |
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take on the selection of the core team members he will manage. The following organizational chart for |
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the Core Team is recommended: |
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Project |
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Manager |
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Logistics |
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Manager |
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Technical |
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Manager |
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Learning |
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Manager |
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Technical |
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Team |
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Learning |
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Team |
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For large deployments (>50,000 units) we consider a vital requirement to comply with all members |
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mentioned in the organizational chart. Local leaders should be hired as educational/learning and |
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technical managers to coordinate matters related to their area of expertise. A logistics coordinator |
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should be in charge of laptop storage, inventory and spare parts management. For smaller deployments |
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(<2,500 units) the logistics manager’s tasks can be performed by the technical and/or the project |
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manager. |
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The following chart provides additional information on the responsibilities and required skills of the Core |
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Team members: |
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<pre> |
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Team |
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Project |
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Management |
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;Areas of expertise |
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;Responsibilities |
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Project planning |
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Budget planning |
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External relations |
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Communication |
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;Logistics |
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Customs |
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Inventory Management |
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;Technical |
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Linux, open source software |
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Maintenance and Repair of |
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Laptops |
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Maintenance of LAN |
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Telco engineers for school server |
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and inventory systems |
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System administrators |
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Software localization |
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Institution of project |
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policies |
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Creation, Supervision and |
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Support of Technical and |
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Educational Local Teams |
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Community Awareness |
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and Public Relations |
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Laptop Distribution |
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Planning |
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Project Monitoring |
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Evaluation Reports |
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Build relations and |
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agreements with |
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community leaders |
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and/or governmental |
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institutions |
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Laptop storage and |
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inventory management |
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Spare parts management |
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Software |
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Hardware |
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Connectivity |
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Collaboration with local |
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service providers to get |
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appropriate power or |
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networking infrastructure |
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in place |
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Maintenance and repair |
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of machines and school |
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servers |
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Administration of |
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security system |
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Build-‐up of technical |
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capacity at school level |
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;Learning |
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Teaching |
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Curriculum Planning and |
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Development |
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Ability to work with teachers and |
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students |
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Demonstrated leadership |
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Teacher Training and on-‐ |
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going teacher support |
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Content development for |
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software |
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Development of |
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pedagogical materials for |
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teachers and schools |
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Development of ongoing |
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educational programs |
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</pre> |
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== OLPC Support Strategy == |
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One Laptop Per Child provides assistance throughout the different stages of a deployment, focusing on |
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three major types of support: Operational, Educational, and Technical. |
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OLPC believes building local capacity in both educational and technical fields is the key to self-‐sustained |
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deployments and to the fostering of local project ownership. OLPC strategy entails pre-‐deployment |
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training of core team and ongoing remote post-‐deployment support (via email, phone, or chats) |
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dependent on the needs of the project. |
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OLPC provides free support to projects of any size. For projects with orders larger than 25,000 units, |
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OLPC sends Educational and Technical Support staff to the country of deployment for one week of |
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comprehensive technical and educational training. This also applies to smaller orders (5,000+ units) that |
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have the potential for significant growth in a short period of time. For projects exceeding 50,000 units, |
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the initial training can be extended to two weeks with 2 additional week-‐long training sessions within a |
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12 month period. |
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Follow-‐up visits to a country are on per request basis; additional educational training can be provided 2-‐ |
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3 times per year after the initial training. In-‐country training costs (excluding facilities and supplies) are |
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covered by OLPC, although sponsors typically provide suitable lodging for OLPC staff. In certain |
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particularly challenging environments can OLPC provide full-‐time in-‐country staff, including project |
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managers, technical directors and learning directors. The costs of this level of OLPC service are |
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negotiated at the time of the request. |
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;OLPC Operations Support |
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OLPC offers direct support to funders and project managers during the planning phase of deployment |
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when strategic decisions related to financing, legal agreements, and ordering processes need to be |
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taken. OLPC offers ongoing support to the logistics department of core team in regards to supply-‐chain |
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management. |
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;OLPC Educational Development Support |
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Once a project is officially established, OLPC facilitates workshops for core teams to develop an |
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understanding of the XO as a learning tool. OLPC provides guidance in the process of defining a support |
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structure for schools or learning centers. OLPC provides ongoing support throughout the different |
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teacher training phases of a deployment and for educational content development. |
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;OLPC Technical Development Support |
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OLPC also focuses on building local capacity in technical aspects such as: setting local infrastructure and |
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connectivity; and all other responsibilities regarding software, hardware, maintenance and repairs of |
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machines. |
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;Volunteers and Internship Programs |
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Another support strategy from OLPC entails Volunteer and Internship programs. During the months of |
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June, July and August, OLPC launches internship programs for students of recognized universities in |
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different countries. The objective of the programs is for interns to work closely with the core team and |
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to provide support in different areas of the projects depending on their backgrounds and areas of study. |
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== I. Planning Phase == |
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The planning phase initiates with the idea of starting a project with One Laptop Per Child and concludes |
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once an order is placed with the manufacturer. OLPC provides assistance to sponsors in making the |
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decisions necessary during this phase, and in defining actions required in accordance with the objectives |
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of the program. During the planning phase, sponsors can get a better understanding of the elements |
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involved in various stages of deployment, including human, technical, and financial aspects. The |
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elements included in the planning phase are: consideration of possible financing approaches, a |
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feasibility study, and a purchasing agreement followed by an order for laptops. |
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===Financing Approaches === |
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In considering a deployment with OLPC, project sponsors typically take one of following three |
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approaches: |
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1. Geographic Focus |
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With the geographic approach, a project sponsor selects a particular region that is of interest to them. |
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Such region can be a country, state, city or community. A multi-‐city approach is not recommended as it |
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leads to less efficient use of infrastructure and administration, reducing the number of children reached. |
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With the region selected, a project sponsor should be able to determine the number of students, |
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teachers and schools in that region. The number of schools with electricity and Internet connectivity |
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should also be determined. With these five pieces of information, a sponsor can use the feasibility |
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model in the appendix to determine the annual budget for the project and decide whether a phased |
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approach is necessary given possible budget constraints. |
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2. Budget Constraints |
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Many project sponsors come to OLPC with a country selected and a fixed budget to support a project. |
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Within 2-‐4 hours working with OLPC, a sponsor can determine the number of students that can be |
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benefited by the project. For this process to work efficiently, the following information is required: |
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<pre> |
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• Average number of students per school |
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• Average number of teachers per school |
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• % of schools with electrification |
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• % of schools with Internet connectivity |
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</pre> |
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3. Political or social objectives |
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Some sponsors view an OLPC project as a means of achieving political or social change. For example, the |
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government of Uruguay undertook their project CEIBAL as a way of fostering social inclusion. This |
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approach does not present a challenge for OLPC; in fact, it often leads to the development of a project |
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strategy far quicker than either of the other two approaches. With the use of the feasibility model and |
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the four pieces of information outlined in the Fixed Budget approach, any politically-‐ or socially-‐ |
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oriented project can be translated into a budget and the number of laptops to be deployed. |
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====Key Assumptions ==== |
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It is important for a sponsor to understand certain key assumptions about the costs involved in carrying |
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out a project: |
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It is recommended that full-‐time staff with no other responsibilities manage a deployment. |
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Ideally, a new company/foundation or government agency is formed to undertake the |
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responsibility. While such an approach may add to the cost, OLPC believes that the cost is more |
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than offset by the improved effectiveness of management. This approach also leads to a healthy |
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separation of day-‐to-‐day management from politics in government-‐sponsored projects. |
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Pedagogical staff is the key to a successful deployment, both initially and thereafter. |
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Consequently, the staffing budget provides for each school to be visited at least once a month |
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after initial training to reinforce training and improve teacher skills. Significant expenses are also |
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incurred through network and connectivity management at the school level and through |
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maintenance of the portals that serve students, parents, teachers and the community. |
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It is recommended that a project has a call center to provide help desk and technical support to |
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students, teachers and parents. These centers also manage the repair process for inoperable |
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units. A budget for spare parts based on historical statistics is included in the model. Necessity |
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of repairs may vary depending on the student usage of the laptops. |
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The cost of electricity and connectivity is highly dependent on the country of the deployment |
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and service availability. The model is designed to provide for solutions in any environment from |
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no available services for electricity and connectivity to a full complement of services similar to |
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the U.S. and any alternative in between. A detailed survey by school conducted by trained |
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professionals improves the accuracy of the model greatly. The most likely factor to be |
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overlooked is the increase in electricity consumption at schools after the computers are |
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delivered to the children. |
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A significant additional cost for the computers may be import duties and taxes. OLPC does not |
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offer legal and tax advice and does not participate in schemes aimed at reducing or avoiding |
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taxes and duties. Determination of applicable expenses for such items is the responsibility of the |
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sponsor. OLPC does provide estimated costs for freight and insurance and typically quotes the |
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laptop price as CIF. Given that OLPC has much greater experience arranging ocean freight from |
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China (through DHL) than most project sponsors, It is recommended that the sponsor allow |
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OLPC to do it. OLPC does not markup freight and insurance. |
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==== Financial Assumptions ==== |
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The following table offers a breakdown of the costs associated with executing a project. The first group |
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of assumptions refers to non-‐recurring costs such as hardware, shipping, and electrical setup (if |
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necessary). The second group includes recurring costs such as monthly operating costs and salaries for |
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employees. |
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=== Feasibility study === |
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The feasibility study can provide data for enhanced decision-‐making and budgeting purposes. It is |
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recommended that project sponsors perform this study in order to have a better understanding of the |
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target population and local infrastructure. After financing approaches and program objectives have been |
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delineated, other elements should be analyzed before moving on. |
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The school (or education center) selection process should be based on the objectives of the program |
|||
such as saturation based on grade levels, saturation based on region or district, or saturation based on |
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specialized programs. Having schools involved from the early stages can drive school leaders to a |
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positive response towards the program and can facilitate project ownership at the school level. |
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<pre> |
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A feasibility study should include: |
|||
• School surveys |
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• Power and connectivity status |
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• Allocation of laptops (warehouse and distribution process) |
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• Human resources (program implementation) |
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</pre> |
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Once the schools are selected, a school survey should collect information including the number of |
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classrooms, students, teachers, and administrators. It is important to keep in mind the accessibility of |
|||
schools when planning the distribution of laptops and spare parts, as well as when designing the support |
|||
and supervision structures of the program. |
|||
Moreover, an assessment of power, infrastructure and connectivity at individual schools should be |
|||
made as part of the feasibility study. The results of the assessment should be used to revise plans in |
|||
terms of timelines and costs, and to mitigate any gaps in school readiness. The assessment should |
|||
include availability of grid power (or alternative sources such as generators or solar panels) and power |
|||
capacity (in watts), availability of sockets within each classroom, number of school servers needed, and |
|||
internet availability (DSL, VSAT, or GSM). |
|||
The following equation can be used to estimate the power requirements for each school. (The Watt-‐ |
|||
hours are dependent on how long the children are in school, whether or not they are charging their |
|||
batteries while they are working, and how many hours per day the school server and connectivity are |
|||
operational.) |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Number of XOs |
|||
x Charges per |
|||
Day |
|||
x Days of |
|||
Operation |
|||
x XO Charging ÷ Convert to |
|||
at High Use |
|||
Kilo |
|||
= Total Power |
|||
kWh |
|||
100 XOs |
|||
x 1 charge per |
|||
day |
|||
x 310 Days |
|||
x 47 Wh |
|||
= 1458 kWh |
|||
16 |
|||
÷ 1000 |
|||
</pre> |
|||
The total energy required to operate 100 laptops and a school server over an eight hour period is |
|||
approximately 570 Watts times 8 hours, or 4560 Watt-‐hours. If, for example, this energy was to be |
|||
generated and stored over the course of a two hour period, roughly 11,400 Watts of generating capacity |
|||
would be needed to feed a battery system with adequate storage capacity, assuming 80% efficiency. |
|||
;Solar Panels |
|||
If the location of deployment is remote and isolated, and no electrical power is available, solar panels |
|||
can be an alternative solution. Panels of 10 and 15 Watt solar-‐panel solutions are compatible with the |
|||
XO. The 10W panel at full output will fully charge a drained battery in just under three hours if the |
|||
laptop is turned off. If the laptop is running, then full sun with the 10W panel will provide enough |
|||
average power to run the laptop and slowly charge the battery (in about six hours). |
|||
=== Purchase Agreements and Ordering Process === |
|||
This section describes the customary process prior to ordering laptops which includes certain decisions |
|||
about the technical features of the XO and the related contractual agreements. |
|||
;Selecting your XO |
|||
The XO can be manufactured in various forms to best fit the local context of the deployment. |
|||
;Keyboards |
|||
XO laptops can be manufactured with a variety of language for keyboards. In order for an XO keyboard |
|||
to be available, a high-‐resolution image of the layout must be accessible and existing XO software must |
|||
support the keyboard image.OLPC software releases are designed to support the International XO |
|||
keyboard option. |
|||
;AC Adapters |
|||
There are two types of adaptors available brick or wall mount. The XO AC adapter has an input of 100-‐ |
|||
240 volts and is available in 3 options: |
|||
∙ 2 flat prong (US) |
|||
∙ 2 round prong (EU) |
|||
∙ 3 flat prong (UK) |
|||
;Memory |
|||
The XO uses solid state memory instead of a hard disk. This is primarily to improve its robustness but |
|||
also to improve performance and reduce power consumption. The default memory type is 1GB of RAM |
|||
and 4GB of Flash. Depending on the budget and usage requirements, selection of faster or bigger solid |
|||
state memory for the XO can improve performance and storage capacity. |
|||
;Content and Custom Image |
|||
OLPC has developed a mechanism whereby the collection of “activities” and content “bundles” loaded |
|||
onto the laptop can be readily pre-‐configured. It is also reasonably easy to reconfigure the XO in the |
|||
field. It is the responsibility of the core team to determine which activities beyond the default set |
|||
distributed by OLPC should be included on the laptop. Everything provided on the XO, including texts, |
|||
dictionaries, documentation, etc., can be localized. Electronic books—in formats such as PDF, DOC, |
|||
HTML—and other media can be pre-‐loaded onto the laptop as a content bundle. Please ask OLPC for |
|||
suggestions as to potentially useful materials and pre-‐loaded content preparation. |
|||
In addition, a deployment may choose to deploy computers with a custom image. A custom image is a |
|||
selection of XO activities designed by a local deployment team. The option to load a custom image onto |
|||
the XO at the time of manufacturing depends on the level of skill and commitment from the project’s |
|||
technical and learning advisors. There is also a minimum order requirement for loading a custom image |
|||
at the time of manufacturing. A custom image requires testing and maintenance. OLPC provides projects |
|||
with the guidelines for this process; however, no technical support can be provided for custom images |
|||
as they are designed by core teams. Sponsors interested in XO custom images should consult with OLPC |
|||
technical personnel, who will assess the project’s suitability for this option. If a decision is reached to |
|||
load a custom image at the time of manufacturing, the final image must be presented to OLCP no later |
|||
than 4 weeks prior to the scheduled XO production. |
|||
Once the XO is physically customized for a particular country, it is ready to be used. However, due to the |
|||
different curricula and language variations of each country, it may be useful to select specific activities |
|||
to install on the XO as part of a “custom build” and also to review the content available in the local |
|||
language to determine if any work is necessary to create translations or provide new content that is |
|||
more culturally relevant. This could include the following: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
• Pre-‐loading specific Sugar Activities to support specific curricula needs; |
|||
• Pre-‐loading specific activity content such as e-‐books; |
|||
• Browser bookmarks to country specific education websites; |
|||
• Maps; |
|||
• Providing language translations for Sugar and Activities loaded on the laptop (so that system |
|||
messages, menus and buttons are in the local language); |
|||
• Providing language translations for Activity content (so that content within activities is in the |
|||
local language, e.g. e-‐books or place names on maps); |
|||
• Developing customized Sugar Activities to meet specific curriculum needs; and |
|||
• Developing custom content to meet specific curriculum or cultural needs. |
|||
</pre> |
|||
The custom XO image option requires a certain level of skill and commitment from the technical and |
|||
learning deployment advisors. OLPC will help with the bundling process, but the responsibility for testing |
|||
the bundle rests with the in-‐country deployment teams. |
|||
;Purchase Agreement |
|||
OLPC recognizes a binding commitment from a sponsor to a project upon receipt of a signed purchase |
|||
agreement and a letter of credit in favor of OLPC for 100% of the value of the laptops. OLPC also accepts |
|||
advance telex transfers of cash in lieu of letters of credit. |
|||
The purchase agreement includes five major sections: |
|||
1. Detailed specifications of the laptop including the configuration of RAM and flash |
|||
memory; |
|||
2. Number of laptops ordered and the price per laptop CIF; |
|||
3. Delivery schedule ; |
|||
4. Warranty terms and conditions; and |
|||
5. Standard legal sections such as governing law and dispute resolution. |
|||
For purchases of large quantities of XOs, OLPC will work on a contractual agreement detailing the terms |
|||
and conditions of the XO orders. OLPC has a contract template that can be modified in accordance with |
|||
the deployment requirements. Issues addressed in the OLPC contract include payment terms, warranty, |
|||
letter of credit guidelines, and other topics pertaining to the XO procurement process. OLPC’s finance, |
|||
supply chain, and logistics personnel work closely to ensure the deadlines and conditions set forth in the |
|||
contractual agreement are adhered to. |
|||
;Payment & Inco terms |
|||
The most common payment option for large-‐scale XO orders is 20% down payment and 80% payable by |
|||
transferable letter of credit. The OLPC template for issuing transferable letters of credit can be found in |
|||
the OLPC contract. OLPC Finance personnel are committed to ensuring any finance issues pertaining to |
|||
an OLPC purchase are addressed quickly and efficiently. The Incoterm used for large quantity XO orders |
|||
is CIF (cost, insurance, and freight Incoterms 2010). The CIF term means that the seller (OLPC) is |
|||
responsible for the shipment and insurance costs from the country of origin to the port of destination. |
|||
The buyer of the shipment is responsible for all costs associated with the shipment once the goods are |
|||
delivered to the port of destination. These costs include customs entry and clearance, entry duties and |
|||
taxes, demurrage charges, landing charges at the importer's port, the unloading onto trucks at the |
|||
importer's port and the delivery to the final destination. |
|||
;Warranty |
|||
All XO orders are shipped with an additional 1% of units in lieu of a conventional warranty program. |
|||
These units are shipped at no extra cost. In addition to the supplemental units, OLPC provides a limited |
|||
warranty in the event of an epidemic failure. Details on this warranty can be found in the OLPC contract. |
|||
;Local Duties and Taxes |
|||
The local duties and taxes associated with a shipment of XO laptops vary depending on the rules and |
|||
regulations of the local customs authority. Import duties for laptops can be very high, and may |
|||
reach20% of the commercial value in some cases. In order to avoid such taxes, OLPC recommends that |
|||
local teams research local processes for tax exemption and seek such exemption whenever possible. |
|||
Receiving tax exemption on imported laptops for educational purposes may require authorization from |
|||
a number of local authorities; gaining such authorization may take considerable planning. Local customs |
|||
authorities should be consulted regarding the process and time frame of receiving a recognized |
|||
exemption. OLPC is able to provide any documentation necessary to process an exemption request with |
|||
local authorities. |
|||
;Spare Parts |
|||
XO spare parts can be purchased in conjunction with an initial XO order or at a later date. OLPC can |
|||
assist the logistics department of team in purchasing spare parts from the XO manufacturer. Spare parts |
|||
are available in a range of minimum order quantities. If spare parts are purchased with an initial order, |
|||
OLPC can recommend specific parts and quantities. |
|||
OLPC logistics staff based in Miami, FL track each order from receipt of the letter of credit through the |
|||
delivery of computers to the requested port. Weekly status reports can be provided to a project |
|||
sponsor. It is the responsibility of local sponsors to clear units through local customs. Local sponsors are |
|||
also solely responsible for any and all duties, taxes, fees and other costs related to freight forwarding |
|||
services . Additionally,local sponsors are responsible for all costs of transporting computers from the |
|||
dock to the warehouse. |
|||
==== XO Order Process and Lead Time ==== |
|||
In order to minimize the end cost, OLPC manufactures laptops to order and does not maintain an |
|||
inventory of laptops. Formalizing the commitment to purchase XO laptops assists OLPC in working with |
|||
core team to establish a deployment timeline that will lead to an efficient XO deployment experience. |
|||
Upon receipt of payment (cash in advance or letter of credit), OLPC sends a purchase order to |
|||
manufacturer, this takes 1-‐2 weeks to process. It normally takes 12-‐16 weeks to manufacture the |
|||
laptops. The manufacturing company has the capacity to produce 240,000 laptops per month for OLPC |
|||
although pre-‐existing OLPC orders would normally reduce this capacity. (Few projects are capable to |
|||
deal with more than 50,000 laptops arriving in a single month.) OLPC normally quotes 6 weeks for sea |
|||
shipment of the units. Shipping the laptops by air takes less time from pick up to delivery destination. |
|||
However, airfreight is more costly and is not recommended. |
|||
The estimated transit time for ocean freight delivery is 1-‐6 weeks from the time of XO availability at the |
|||
manufacturer. When planning for deployment please allow 14-‐24 weeks from the time of payment |
|||
issued to the date in which you can expect your XO shipments at the designated port. OLPC will work |
|||
with your deployment team to establish a proposed XO delivery schedule. Depending on the XO order |
|||
quantity, delivery can be made in one or multiple installments. Issues to consider when developing your |
|||
XO delivery schedule should include: when laptops are required for teacher training prior to the |
|||
scheduled roll out; time required for local inventory systems to process an XO delivery; final transit time |
|||
for XO delivery to their destination or distribution site; etc. This information will assist OLPC in working |
|||
with core team to establish an orderly and efficient XO delivery schedule. |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Payment |
|||
received by |
|||
OLPC |
|||
OLPC places |
|||
Order to |
|||
Manufacturer |
|||
Laptops are |
|||
manufactured |
|||
Laptops are |
|||
shipped (by air |
|||
or ocean) |
|||
Laptops arrive |
|||
in country |
|||
12-16 weeks |
|||
1-2 weeks |
|||
22 1-6 weeks |
|||
Total: 14-24 weeks |
|||
</pre> |
|||
== II. Deployment Phase == |
|||
The deployment phase includes all events that occur between laptop order placement with the |
|||
manufacturer and final distribution of XOs to schools and children. The lead time provides a term that |
|||
can be allotted to conclude recruitment of local team members and to arrange technical and |
|||
educational training with OLPC for core teams. In addition, this time can be used to fulfill infrastructure |
|||
needs based on the results of the feasibility study. |
|||
Warehousing facilities should be prepared for the arrival of laptops, as should be the personnel in |
|||
charge of inventory management and the distribution process. |
|||
Heads of schools, along with administrators, need to be informed about the goals and implications of |
|||
the program from the early stages of a project. Formal meetings with these parties and with other |
|||
relevant members of the school system or political figures should be organized toset up a timeline for |
|||
teacher training and other activities at the school level. |
|||
Once laptops arrive in a country, the steps to follow include setting up logistics, training the core team |
|||
with OLPC, setting up school infrastructure, preparing schools and community, and rolling out laptops. |
|||
Seeng |
|||
Logisfcs |
|||
Seeng |
|||
Core Team |
|||
Seeng Local |
|||
Infrastructure |
|||
Preparing |
|||
Schools |
|||
and |
|||
Community |
|||
Laptop |
|||
Distribution |
|||
=== Setting Logistics === |
|||
The logistics department of core team is responsible for managing the local logistics process once the |
|||
shipment is delivered to the port of destination. This logistics manager will be responsible for facilitating |
|||
the customs clearance process and local delivery of the shipment to its final destination. An efficient and |
|||
speedy logistics process is not only important to maintain the proposed deployment schedule, but also it |
|||
is also vital in order to avoid any charges or fees which may be applied to the shipment if there is a delay in customs clearance or unloading at the port of destination. |
|||
Once the laptops arrive in a country, clear customs and arrive at a sponsor warehouse, there are three |
|||
key tasks that need to be performed: |
|||
1. The laptops need to be individually inspected for damage suffered during transit, and any |
|||
insurance claims need to be prepared |
|||
2. The laptops may need to be loaded with the latest version of the operating system and any local |
|||
content, if there have been changes to the software since the units were shipped. This |
|||
procedure also serves as confirmation that the computers are in working order and are ready |
|||
for students and teachers |
|||
3. The laptop serial numbers should be entered into the inventory management system along with |
|||
the identification numbers of each student and teacher. This procedure provides the basic |
|||
information, which is then updated to reflect repair history, laptop transfers, or replacements. |
|||
====Warehousing ==== |
|||
When developing plans for local storage of XOs, it is important to consider the security of storage |
|||
facilities, impact of weather on stored XOs, and possible insurance coverage required. |
|||
Final delivery of XOs to schools or distribution sites should be planned and budgeted for. If additional |
|||
containers or trucking is needed to transport the laptops to their final destination, it is important to |
|||
budget for such costs. The OLPC Operations department can provide information on packing dimensions |
|||
and any other packing concerns. |
|||
Local warehousing enables stocks of laptops to be stored for configuration while the logistics |
|||
infrastructure is prepared for laptop roll out. Strategic placement of regional warehouses can reduce the |
|||
cost of logistics and improve efficiency of laptop repair and replacement. |
|||
==== Laptop Distribution Plan ==== |
|||
In the experience of OLPC, most sponsors can only distribute a maximum of 60,000 machines per |
|||
month. Machines are typically distributed by third party companies, the military, or multi-‐lateral relief |
|||
agencies such as the World Food organization. These organizations have extensive experience in secure |
|||
logistics. In many countries, one thousand laptops is a high value target for theft, and security should be |
|||
a primary concern in selecting a logistics company. Any celebratory events should be timed to match the |
|||
arrival of computers at schools (which should coincide with the availability of Internet). |
|||
OLPC’s experience shows that the best distribution plan is to start with easiest areas first, unless there |
|||
are political considerations. Starting in the easiest areas allows for any last minute changes in plan to be |
|||
identified and implemented. Staff also learns faster when they can focus on the simpler installations and |
|||
do not have to install solar equipment or satellite earth stations. |
|||
====Spare Parts Management ==== |
|||
Spare parts management is an often overlooked but key part of a successful ongoing deployment. |
|||
Machines break as a result of use by kids; historically, repairs are higher in areas with the poorest |
|||
children. Not surprisingly, these students lack experience with consumer electronics and the proper care |
|||
and treatment of computers. A project should plan for the receipt of a spare parts inventory within 6-‐9 |
|||
months of the laptops reaching the children. Up until that time, the 1% of surplus units shipped with |
|||
every order should be sufficient to handle repairs. OLPC logistics staff can provide advice on how to |
|||
determine the composition of the initial repair order; with time, the project should be placing spare |
|||
parts orders based on actual data. |
|||
==== Baseline study ==== |
|||
Prior to starting a deployment it is advisable to have on record data that describes the scenario where |
|||
the project will be implemented. The project manager and the core team can work in conjunction with |
|||
evaluation experts or academic/research institutions to design an evaluation framework capable of |
|||
measuring the project’s impact in relation to the objectives expected to achieve. The design has to be |
|||
aligned with measures of students learning, therefore a careful analysis of indicators and tools need to |
|||
be conducted. |
|||
The baseline information can serve as a valuable starting point to better understand the community |
|||
involved in the project, and can even lead to formulation of objectives that stakeholders wish to |
|||
achieve. It also grants the ability to measure the impact of a project, because it allows researchers to |
|||
statistically analyze and compare baseline data with data collected throughout the years of a project’s |
|||
implementation. |
|||
The goals and expected outcomes of the program should be the criteria for selecting the type of data to |
|||
collect as a baseline. Institutional data can measure changes in school attendance, school enrollment |
|||
rates, and drop-‐out rates. Measures of social and behavioral impact can include surveys or |
|||
questionnaires related to attitudes, motivations, and opinions from parents, students and community |
|||
members about the project itself or about students’ learning. |
|||
Students’ performance can be measured by standardized local or national exams. Traditional exams fail |
|||
to evaluate new skills that students develop as they incorporate technology into their learning. New |
|||
dimensions of learning need to be assessed, such as problem-‐solving skills, critical thinking, |
|||
management of multiple sources of information, the capacity for reflection, communication using |
|||
multiple means (visual, auditory, interactive, etc.), individual and team work skills, and self-‐learning |
|||
abilities; more complex dimensions include agency (Carlson & Earls, 2001) and effectiveness of children |
|||
and young people at making significant changes to the environment in which they live (Kamo, N. et al., |
|||
2008). are. Deployments are encouraged to explore innovative ways of measuring student learning, and |
|||
to attempt documenting and measuring new learning dimensions. |
|||
===Setting Core Team === |
|||
As we have explained in previous sections of this guide, the Core Team refers to the local team in charge |
|||
of implementing different domains of a deployment. In this section we will focus on the technical and |
|||
learning teams. Their work is crucial for a successful implementation of a deployment; the members |
|||
need to be carefully recruited and supported financially and proactively for the duration of the program. |
|||
At this point of the deployment phase it is crucial to have established the Core Team. |
|||
The size of these teams will depend on the number of units for the deployment. Although technical and |
|||
learning teams both focus on very different areas, the ideal situation is that they constantly work as one |
|||
team, communicating plans, challenges, and updates on a very regular basis. It is the responsibility of |
|||
the project manager to facilitate the relationship these teams will institute. It is essential to provide |
|||
constant guidance to the core team by someone with the appropriate area of expertise. Having a |
|||
manager for each team is deeply advisable. These managers should maintain constant communication |
|||
with OLPC technical and learning teams. |
|||
OLPC will facilitate a strategic workshop with the core team to: |
|||
1. Build capacity in managing the XO, its activities and its uses as a learning tool. |
|||
2. Build capacity in setting up infrastructure, connectivity and other technical requirements at school |
|||
or community level. |
|||
3. Determine the support structure (for technical and pedagogical aspects) that will run from the core |
|||
team to the school or learning center. |
|||
4. Determine and assist in the strategies for initial and ongoing teacher training, and in the |
|||
development of content for schools and teachers. |
|||
5. Define strategies to integrate community and family members in the project. |
|||
The duration of the workshop can vary between several days to several weeks. This will depend on the |
|||
characteristics of the project: deployment size (amount of laptops, scaling and distribution plan), core |
|||
team (background and size), project location, project objectives, and infrastructure status. The duration |
|||
will also depend on the agreements reached during the planning phase with project manager and OLPC, |
|||
and on the specific contextual needs of the project. The content and activities of this initial workshop |
|||
also vary depending on the needs and experience of the participants. However, the |
|||
approach/methodology and some content are common to all workshops for they revolve around the |
|||
same principles we advocate: learn by doing, by constructing, by collaborating, and by reflecting. |
|||
We highly recommend the learning and technical managers of core team to start discussing content, |
|||
length and timing of this workshop with enough time with OLPC through online webinars. This will allow |
|||
OLPC and deployment to define the details of workshop and for the core team to advance in necessary |
|||
preparations prior to training. |
|||
====OLPC training description==== |
|||
The goals of the OLPC learning workshop can include: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
• To develop an understanding of the OLPC Learning Theory and Pedagogy. |
|||
• To provide a hands on experience of the Sugar Learning Platform. |
|||
• To enable core team to use the XO in effective learning strategies through construction, |
|||
expression, and collaboration. |
|||
• To integrate 1:1 computing to curriculum and to informal learning environments. |
|||
• To evaluate learning within 1:1 computing environments. |
|||
Some technical contents of the workshop can be covered simultaneously with learning team and |
|||
technical team, while other advanced topics should be covered separately with technical team. |
|||
The goals of the OLPC technical workshop can include: |
|||
• Basic Software and Hardware troubleshooting |
|||
• Create and use USB Re-‐flash stick |
|||
• Connecting and registering to School Server |
|||
• Configuring Access Point. |
|||
• Installing and configuring School Server |
|||
• Defining a tech support strategy |
|||
• Defining a maintenance and repair strategy wide scale and school based |
|||
</pre> |
|||
The following agenda is a sample of the topics usually covered during a 1 week workshop with Core |
|||
Team: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Day Topic/Activity |
|||
1 |
|||
2 |
|||
3 |
|||
4 |
|||
5 |
|||
Welcome and introduction |
|||
OLPC Overview: Principles, Mission, Philosophy |
|||
OLPC Pedagogic Model: Constructionism |
|||
Readings and Reflections: Children, learning, and computers |
|||
Hands-‐on: Overview of tools available in the XO |
|||
Introduction to the XO: Hardware and Software. |
|||
Introduction to Logo and Turtle Art Activity |
|||
Create and use Reflash stick |
|||
Basic Hardware troubleshooting |
|||
Using the XO as a learning tool |
|||
Programming Activities on the XO: Scratch |
|||
Collaboration and learning networks |
|||
Basic Software troubleshooting |
|||
Project implementation: Building teams for successful deployments |
|||
Community and school preparations |
|||
Developing local capacity: Teacher training |
|||
Curriculum, content and materials in 1-‐to-‐1 environments |
|||
Experiencing project based learning: Elaborating projects using the XO |
|||
Presentation of projects |
|||
Integrating families and other community members |
|||
Power and connectivity |
|||
Assessment and metrics |
|||
Q&As |
|||
</pre> |
|||
The workshop is a hands –on experience that will not only enable participants to become familiar with |
|||
technical and pedagogical aspects of the project, but also enable them to reflect on the strategies that |
|||
should be defined in the schools or learning centers. |
|||
OLPC offers follow up workshops that can be performed several months after deployment is operating |
|||
or once the core team has acquired the basic experience, knowledge, and skills that benefit their |
|||
deployment. This option of workshop can instead be performed during an initial training with OLPC if |
|||
participants already demonstrate an advanced level of skills. Another option for follow up trainings |
|||
consists on specialized workshops that focus on a specific topic of interest to the core team and to |
|||
developed additional and specialized skills. Finally, OLPC offers Regional Workshops to address needs |
|||
common to a specific region. For this OLPC selects a strategic location that will allow participants from |
|||
multiple deployments to attend. |
|||
The following are examples of advanced workshop for Core Team: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Topic/Activity Description |
|||
Developing programming and debugging skills such that participants can |
|||
mentor students in advanced project development. |
|||
Involves demonstrating in-‐depth skills in activities such as: |
|||
Etoys, Python Programming. |
|||
The use of sensors and other robotics platform with the XO incorporated into |
|||
Robotics |
|||
project development. |
|||
Sugar Community Participants make contributions to the Sugar community by designing materials |
|||
or Sugar Activities for a local content or for the global Sugar community. |
|||
Develop a collection of advanced and innovative Lesson Plans aligned with the |
|||
Curriculum |
|||
local curriculum. |
|||
Development |
|||
Programming |
|||
and Debugging |
|||
</pre> |
|||
====Content Development ==== |
|||
Another recommended strategy for core teams to implement is the development of content for |
|||
communities and schools. The following documents are examples of such content: |
|||
a) How-‐to Guides for different uses of the laptop |
|||
b) Ideas for projects that correspond to specific topics, which might be of interest and/or relevance |
|||
in the environment where students and teachers live. |
|||
c) Lesson plans that show how to use different Sugar Activities when teaching different parts of |
|||
the national curriculum |
|||
We recommend the establishment of an initial library of projects that will help teachers to integrate the |
|||
computer into their teaching practice while motivating them to create their own projects, focusing on |
|||
the training approach described in the previous section. It may be that each teacher uses the computer |
|||
in their individual class, or that teachers from different areas come together to design joint projects. |
|||
Either way, this approach will help make explicit the concepts that the projects integrate and promote, |
|||
highlighting especially those concepts that one can "manipulate" and understand by using the laptop, |
|||
but which would be more difficult, or nearly, impossible, with pen and paper. |
|||
===Setting Local Infrastructure === |
|||
Prior to the arrival of laptops, the technical members of core team should evaluate, setup, test, and hold |
|||
responsibility for the network and power infrastructure at schools and/or other community centers. |
|||
OLPC can begin supporting the core team before in-‐country training takes place, thru online webinars or |
|||
chats. During the OLPC in-‐country visit the hands-‐on training takes place, and the core team should be |
|||
prepared for setting up the local infrastructure. OLPC will continue to support the technical teams online |
|||
after the in-‐country training has concluded. |
|||
;Power |
|||
The electrical infrastructure of schools has to be evaluated according to power demand generated by XO |
|||
laptops, servers, and other devices. If the infrastructure is inadequate, it needs to be upgraded. |
|||
;Connectivity |
|||
Although the OLPC ecosystem provides a self-‐configuring local-‐area wireless network, connectivity to |
|||
the Internet needs to set up separately. OLPC can assist in the planning and integration of a laptop |
|||
network into a national infrastructure. OLPC staff has experience with VSAT, DSL, etc. that it is happy to |
|||
share. Many of the in-‐country teams have even more experience, especially in regard to rural |
|||
deployments. Sharing best practices is in everyone’s interests. As with the laptop deployment, |
|||
connectivity cannot happen everywhere at once. A phased effort carried out ahead of the laptop |
|||
deployment is ideal. It should be noted that the wireless mesh network provides local “Ethernet”-‐like |
|||
connectivity without any additional infrastructure. |
|||
;School Server |
|||
Part of our deployment model is the utilization of school servers. School servers can be basic PCs that |
|||
run Fedora, a variant of Linux. School servers are designed to provide gateways to the Internet, local |
|||
content repositories, XO back-‐up platforms, school management solutions, etc. Large networks require |
|||
servers designed for the size of the intended deployment to be placed in local school. |
|||
Some key benefits school servers bring to a deployment are: |
|||
Compatibility – The OLPC Server is a software stack that can be installed on any reasonable PC or server |
|||
to complement the XO and help school environments provide a safe, well-‐managed and learning-‐ |
|||
oriented environment. No special hardware is required. |
|||
Backup – The XOs can all backup to an OLPC Server to ensure content isn't lost. All XO Journals are |
|||
backed up to school servers, and teachers can view the Journals to gain an understanding of how the |
|||
XOs are used, as well as to track students’ progress and identify where they may need help. |
|||
Digital Library – A Digital Library makes it easy for students to publish works (with teacher moderation) |
|||
to other students and possibly to other schools. Teachers can easily add new resources to a Digital |
|||
Library, which students can access at school (e.g. there are over 1.6 million free e-‐Books available) |
|||
Management and Security – Operators with high levels of technical skills can use school servers to |
|||
manage network access, to lock laptops that get stolen or that aren’t returned to schools, and to |
|||
provide local software repositories for laptop updates, etc. |
|||
Proxy Server – An OLPC Server can act as a network proxy. This saves Internet bandwidth, makes |
|||
Internet access faster and provides a mechanism for content filtering that can be used to block |
|||
inappropriate content. |
|||
Continuous Development – There are additional features coming to school servers, including Video |
|||
conferencing, GPS and GIS functionality, Voice over IP, Instant messaging, and News services (blogging, |
|||
forums, etc.) Servers are built on an Open Source platform, so they can be modified to suit particular |
|||
needs of projects. |
|||
As important as all of the above-‐mentioned services are, the primary role of school servers is to facilitate |
|||
the operation of local area networks. Without servers, XO laptops use multicast to communicate with |
|||
each other, which puts heavy loads on wireless networks; multicast can only connect up to 20 laptops |
|||
simultaneously School servers eliminate the need for much of the multicast traffic |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Recommended minimum specifications for a school server are as follows: |
|||
<20 XOs |
|||
<40 XOs |
|||
no server needed, but access point functionality useful |
|||
server + 1 access point |
|||
<80 XOs |
|||
<120 XOs |
|||
>120 |
|||
server + 2 |
|||
server + 3 |
|||
server + many access points + site survey |
|||
</pre> |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Server |
|||
Laptops Supported |
|||
Processor |
|||
RAM |
|||
Storage |
|||
Small |
|||
<20‐25 |
|||
466 MHz |
|||
256 MB |
|||
40-‐60 GB |
|||
Large |
|||
<150 |
|||
1 GHz |
|||
1 GB |
|||
320-‐400 GB |
|||
</pre> |
|||
The amount of power required for school servers depends on the specifications of machines used. This |
|||
needs to be taken into consideration during site preparation. |
|||
=== Preparing Schools and Community === |
|||
When laptops are ready to be distributed, and assuming school infrastructure is ready, it is time to |
|||
prepare teachers and other community members for this experience. Teacher training and community |
|||
awareness can occur simultaneously but can also happen at different moments. Variables related to |
|||
location, size, and readiness of each school or community need to be considered when deciding the |
|||
order in which to implement each event. |
|||
====Teacher Training ==== |
|||
Teacher training is an essential component of an OLPC project and it should be an ongoing process. |
|||
Teachers should be the first members of the educational community to receive information on and |
|||
become involved in initiatives that have direct effects on their own professional practices. It is |
|||
recommended to begin training teachers and provide them with XO laptops during early stages of a |
|||
project; this approach will raise their level of trust and commitment to the initiative. |
|||
The most important aspect of teacher preparation is in regard to how children learn. Educators have |
|||
long recognized that children learn best when they are active, when they pursue their own interests, |
|||
and when they participate in cultures of knowledge and engagement. With 1-‐to-‐1 access to connected |
|||
laptops, children actively engage in knowledge construction and are not limited to passive reception of |
|||
information. Each child (and the teachers themselves) can pursue learning in areas of strong personal |
|||
interest and the classroom is not limited to a pre-‐determined, one-‐size-‐fits-‐all approach. |
|||
Teachers benefit as well. Not only do they get to use the laptops at home for their own learning, but the |
|||
connected laptop becomes a conduit for customized professional development. This enables the |
|||
teachers to gain access to expertise and colleagues and allows them to pose and respond to practical |
|||
questions. They can fully participate as producers of knowledge and not just as consumers of materials |
|||
produced by others. |
|||
The core team should develop different strategies to develop teacher’s capacity: |
|||
a) Training workshops: where teachers learn to use the computer, and, at the same time, to |
|||
incorporate it into their pedagogical practice. |
|||
b) Support mechanisms: Although the contents of the initiative constitute an important support |
|||
mechanism to the practice of teaching, other mechanisms must be implemented, including in-‐ |
|||
class assistance, which can occur through agreements with universities, telephone help lines |
|||
that can be set up with technical developers in the country, and Blogs or online forums where |
|||
teachers can participate. |
|||
c) Teachers' clubs: work spaces where teachers can meet regularly to share successes, problems, |
|||
and solutions. |
|||
d) Guides and Resources. |
|||
During the first teacher trainings teachers should learn basic uses of the laptop and how to incorporate |
|||
it into their pedagogical practice. Training should be guided by the vision and goal of the overall |
|||
initiative. We recommend that the appropriate approach is “learning by doing” and that the "doing" be |
|||
focused on developing concrete projects within the classroom. The core team should adapt the content |
|||
and length for the initial training based on the teachers’ skills. |
|||
It is recommended that the technical team performs training sessions along with the educational team, |
|||
to prepare teachers for basic technical troubleshooting regarding software, hardware, and connectivity. |
|||
During these first approaches with teachers, the core team can quickly identify participants who |
|||
demonstrate leadership and that can be key contacts to support the project at the school level. |
|||
Depending on the scale of the project, the core team can decide whether to train teachers directly or to |
|||
train Teacher-‐Trainers that will later reproduce the trainings to other teachers. Some projects decide to |
|||
perform wide-‐scale trainings, an approach organized for several schools to attend. Schools can select |
|||
key members of their staff to participate in this training, with the intention that these trainees become |
|||
leaders and multiply the training at their own school. Another approach consists in assigning to each |
|||
member of the core team a specific school in which to perform training for the staff on site. Whichever |
|||
approach is decided, the core team needs to constantly monitor the progress of each school and |
|||
teacher. |
|||
The following agenda is a sample of the topics the core team can be covered during an initial teacher |
|||
training: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Session Topic/Activity |
|||
1 |
|||
2 |
|||
3 |
|||
4 |
|||
5 |
|||
Description of Project Objectives and Policies |
|||
Expected roles of teachers |
|||
OLPC Pedagogic Model: Constructionism |
|||
Hands-‐on: Overview of tools available in the XO |
|||
Introduction to the XO: Hardware and Software. |
|||
Connecting to the internet |
|||
Using the XO in class |
|||
Developing in class projects |
|||
Integrating math curriculum with the XO |
|||
Collaboration and learning networks |
|||
Create and use Reflash stick |
|||
Integrating science curriculum with the XO |
|||
Basic Hardware and Software troubleshooting |
|||
Creating XO clubs |
|||
Integrating language arts curriculum with the XO |
|||
Evaluating learning in 1:1 environments |
|||
Basic Software troubleshooting |
|||
</pre> |
|||
�Deploying laptops to every child in an entire region or country cannot be managed by the core team |
|||
alone. It must be led by the core team, and supported by regional teams. The core team will need to set |
|||
the guiding principles of the program whilst the regional teams will be responsible for executing the |
|||
deployment in their regions according to these principles, raising any concerns and coming up with |
|||
viable alternatives where necessary. Various functions should be delegated to the regional teams for |
|||
management where these functions are naturally distributed across the country or region. |
|||
==== Community Awareness ==== |
|||
Prior to the arrival of laptops in a community, it is important to prepare different groups of people that |
|||
will be impacted with the project: parents, teachers, school directors, families, and other active |
|||
members of a community. The Minister of Education and Local Leaders should be involved in |
|||
communications about the program, its goals, characteristics, benefits and derivative commitments. |
|||
Project coordinators must carefully plan awareness campaigns, by selecting appropriate tools (print |
|||
outs, posters, signs, etc.) and communication strategies (radio or television spots, meetings, etc.) |
|||
tailored to the unique characteristics of each community and the scale of each project. The timing of the |
|||
campaigns should also be carefully thought through in order to allow communities to prepare for formal |
|||
program launches. If national campaigns are created to inform different audiences about projects, such |
|||
campaigns should be rolled out before laptop distribution or after more formal community awareness |
|||
actions are taken by core team. |
|||
The preparation phase plays a significant role in creating positive expectations, attitudes, and |
|||
involvement from all members. When communities understand the programs and their benefits, there |
|||
are direct impacts on learning and on how well the laptops are taken care of. |
|||
Both nationally and locally, communities must know what one laptop per child means. The children are |
|||
the best ambassadors, but parent and community leader involvement is also influential. Fostering |
|||
awareness is very important to the success of initiatives, both because it allows families and other |
|||
community members to be involved in the learning process of children, and because it allows them to |
|||
be active participants in the creation of a new culture and new learning experiences within their |
|||
community. Parent meetings can be held at schools or community centers and should include, but not |
|||
be limited, to the following topics: |
|||
<pre> |
|||
o A description of responsibilities and roles involved in the different phases of the project. Tasks |
|||
to be defined, organized and carried out by different action groups. |
|||
o Establishment of standards for sharing laptops among siblings and to older children. |
|||
o Security of the laptops. How and why to take care of the machines. |
|||
o Charging process. |
|||
o Internet access. |
|||
o Signing of agreement by parents |
|||
</pre> |
|||
Other actors can be invited to the meetings so they can become part of the initiative and to materialize |
|||
agreements with various consultants and / or volunteers of the project. |
|||
== III. Post Deployment Phase == |
|||
There is a tremendous tendency to think that the work is done once the laptops reach the children, but |
|||
the laptop arrival really marks the commencement of the most critical phase in a deployment and its |
|||
positive impact on the children. |
|||
Post deployment should focus on three key areas: |
|||
1. Continued Teacher Training and Support |
|||
2. Extracurricular Environments |
|||
3. Maintenance and Repairs |
|||
Community support is also a key success factor for a project. Many projects establish web portals for |
|||
students, parents and teachers where they can share information and see the progress of the students. |
|||
Many projects also sponsor contests using the laptops which can be supported by private sector |
|||
sponsors. An additional resource is the websites and portals of other OLPC projects around the world |
|||
where additional ideas for community support are available. |
|||
Every project should have an ongoing public relations program to build community support, develop |
|||
pride in the project and its results and possibly as a means to attract additional funding. Many projects |
|||
have international public relations programs that attract academic interest in the local project and |
|||
prompt visits from multi-‐lateral institutions interested in education and social projects. Through its |
|||
public relations program Project Ceibal in Uruguay has garnered worldwide attention as one of the |
|||
leading educational laboratories in the world. |
|||
=== Evaluation Studies === |
|||
Many projects benchmark their students and then periodically evaluate the student progress every six |
|||
or twelve months. The UN uses six month evaluations and large federal projects typically evaluate |
|||
students every year. The advantage of benchmarking is that it provides objective, transparent feedback |
|||
on the success of the project and many multi-‐lateral financial institutions require it. OLPC leaves |
|||
evaluation to the sponsor’s decision, but OLPC can provide resources to implement an evaluation |
|||
program. |
|||
=== Continued Teacher Training and Support === |
|||
Teachers are a key part to any successful deployment. As the teachers see the increased student |
|||
enthusiasm for learning as a result of the laptops, the teachers naturally become more demanding for |
|||
their own additional training; help to integrate Sugar into the curriculum and hands on assistance to |
|||
develop lesson plans using the laptops. Every project should be designed to provide a minimum of once |
|||
a month additional training to every teacher in the project. It should also be noted that the teacher |
|||
trainers will need periodic additional training from OLPC to reinforce the OLPC pedagogy and expand |
|||
their skill levels. |
|||
After initial teacher training has occurred, the local learning team must provide other support |
|||
mechanisms for teachers in order to aid the process of integrating laptops to their daily teaching |
|||
routine. In-‐class assistance, support for lesson plan development, are examples of strategies to be |
|||
offered on a school level. Regular meetings with teachers can provide direct feedback for educational |
|||
team to plan for additional learning workshops, which should be based on teachers and students needs. |
|||
These meetings also provide an opportunity for teachers to share their experiences, learn different |
|||
strategies, plan interdisciplinary projects, and create strong school ties. |
|||
Content Development is another area that core team needs to constantly work on. It is important for |
|||
teachers to have access to updated and innovative resources. Examples of this content can include: |
|||
Lesson plans, Guides, Case studies, assessment guides, online resources, and blogs. |
|||
===Extracurricular Environments === |
|||
Extracurricular programs where children can use the XO laptops outside of school settings are essential |
|||
for meaningful learning experiences. When children are highly engaged in using the XO for activities |
|||
they are interested in, not for contents limited to school curriculum, we allow them to fully explore their |
|||
interests while appropriating new technological skills. It allows children to use self expression and |
|||
creativity and consequently become fluent with the technology, while increasing their motivation, self |
|||
empowerment, and impacting their lives in an extraordinary way. |
|||
We recommend designing and organizing After-‐school/ Weekend programs, clubs or camps with specific |
|||
topics or activities at different schools or communities. These programs can involve teachers, students |
|||
from different levels, as well as local partners and can provide an excellent experience where learners |
|||
(teachers and students) create, collaborate and share projects and ideas. |
|||
Integrating the family through activities that allow parents to work with their children in specific |
|||
projects related to their interests is another enriching experience for students and families. The |
|||
objective is not only to enable parents to share knowledge and experience with their children, but also |
|||
to understand the value of the computer and how it fits into the learning process. This is also important |
|||
for the viability and sustainability of the project. |
|||
===Maintenance and Repairs === |
|||
The actual repair of the laptops may be handled in many ways. There are three popular methods: |
|||
1. The students repair their own laptops and parts are delivered to the schools bi-‐monthly based |
|||
on an order |
|||
2. The laptops are repaired by third party repair facilities located throughout the project area; this |
|||
approach creates local jobs |
|||
3. The laptops are repaired by technicians who visit the schools on a bi-‐monthly basis and make |
|||
the repairs. |
|||
The choice of a repair procedure depends on the educational, political and economic objectives of the |
|||
project sponsor. |
|||
Another issue with respect to repairs is who pays for the parts and labor involved in repairing the laptop. |
|||
Some projects offer the first repair for free and subsequent repairs are paid by the child’s parents. Other |
|||
projects offer all repairs for free because the families lack the money to pay even a small cost. The policy |
|||
with respect to repairs and payment should be explained at the initial community event where the |
|||
project is introduced to school administrators and parents. |
|||
Laptops are shipped with an overstock of 1% of the order. These “extra” laptops should be used as |
|||
replacements for failures in the field. Thus the “broken” laptops are a ready supply of spare parts for |
|||
other components, such as the display, the wifi antennae, and the motherboard. |
|||
Most repairs, including replacement of the motherboard can be done in the field with just a screwdriver. |
|||
The children can make these repairs themselves and are encouraged to do so by OLPC. Regional |
|||
distribution of spare parts is something to consider, as well as the authorization of regional repair |
|||
centers. |
|||
While commercial-‐grade support could be arranged, it is discouraged by OLPC both because it tends to |
|||
raise costs and it adds a level of external dependency that is unnecessary. If you feel the need to invest |
|||
in support, we encourage you to make that investment locally, the local community can be trained by |
|||
technical team to do this themselves. |
|||
== Summary of Recommended Tasks == |
|||
<pre> |
|||
Planning Phase |
|||
Define Budget for: Purchase, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Staff. |
|||
Hire project manager and Core Team managers. |
|||
Select Target community (schools, centers). |
|||
Define XO specs. |
|||
Deployment Phase |
|||
Hire staff for Core Team. |
|||
Arrange training for Core Team with OLPC. |
|||
Develop Laptop Distribution Plan. |
|||
Design and collect data for Baseline Study. |
|||
Prepare Infrastructure and Connectivity (at schools and community level). |
|||
Organize and Perform Teacher Training. |
|||
Laptop Distribution. |
|||
Post-‐Deployment Phase |
|||
Design and perform Tech support strategy for Laptop Maintenance and Repairs. |
|||
Design and supervise Learning Environments with the XO: Formal (in school, classroom), |
|||
Non-‐Formal (extracurricular activities), Informal (home, family). |
|||
Perform follow up teacher trainings. |
|||
Design and apply Evaluation studies (for students learning and project implementation). |
|||
</pre> |
|||
== Related Websites == |
|||
Official OLPC website: http://laptop.org |
|||
The OLPC Wiki: http://wiki.laptop.org |
|||
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployment_Guide |
|||
The wiki version of deployment guide might contain additional information to start up |
|||
deployments, and provide a place for you to share your lessons learned. |
|||
http://en.flossmanuals.net/Sugar |
|||
The Sugar Manual on floss manuals, searchable as a website or downloadable as a PDF. |
|||
http://forum.laptop.org |
|||
Official OLPC community support forum. |
|||
Frequently Asked Questions: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Support_FAQ |
|||
http://wiki.sugarlabs.org |
|||
The Sugar Labs Wiki, provider of the Sugar software environment and activities that run on the |
|||
XO laptops. |
Latest revision as of 19:07, 9 August 2012
Note: this wikified deployment guide reproduce the one from the PDF that OLPC published in 2011.
- One Laptop per Child
- Learning Strategy
- Introduction
- Project Implementation
- Support Strategy
- Planning Phase
- Feasibility study
- Purchase Agreements and Ordering
- Deployment Phase
- Post Deployment Phase
- Summary of Recommended Tasks
- Related websites
Other versions
- PDF of the 2011 Deployment Guide as published by OLPC.
- The source of OLPC Deployment Guide including other formats (org-mode, OpenDocument .odt, HTML, mediawiki syntax, etc.)
- Older (less organized): 2008 deployment guide
- HTML version HTML version hosted by OLPC France (English and French). This is part of the git repository linked above.
To make a community deployment guide, we could spread the word about this version, and gather comments from OLPCers all around the world. Those comments would then be processed by a small team (the support gang?) which would then create a OLPC Community Deployment Guide -- say at the next SF meeting?