User:Ndoiron/Content
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While I was doing research for OLPCorps Africa, I collected a good set of links and content. I hope this material can be shared with all schools in the OLPC program.
There is content on a level for younger students, older students, and adult instructors/volunteers/technicians.
Other Collections
- I made lists of embeddable YouTube videos in several categories. These can be viewed in a library view or the default YouTube playlist view. You will need to install Adobe Flash on the laptops to make YouTube work.
- Videos can be downloaded from Fora.tv as MP4 and converted to OGG with ffmpeg2theora. YouTube video download sites exist, but I know of none that let you download directly in OGG format.
- The best free images from WikiMedia are listed in quality images and featured pictures and valued images.
- I recommend The Big Picture, which has many large-scale photos on several topics, from Chinese New Year to Eid al-Adha, from World's Animals to The World at Work. Download once to save on bandwidth.
- Dozens of free e-Books from Project Gutenberg have public domain OGG audiobooks at Librivox.org. I am developing a system to display the audio player and the text on the same page.
- The New 7 Wonders project has information about their buildings contest and has an ongoing contest for natural wonders of the world. The natural wonders each have a short description and a photo. Resources on the site include classroom projects, environmental guides, and a form to enter the contest.
- The BBC has a Learning English site with regular updates and lesson plans for teachers. Topics include slang, words in the news, idioms, business English, and some information about new technology. They also have a YouTube channel.
- eHow has a series of articles on writing and a continuing series of YouTube videos (try queries for writing and stories)
Lessons
- MeetMeAtTheCorner: Kid-produced virtual field trips
- National Parks resources
- New 7 Wonders project
- Challenges to Wikis in Classrooms
Language
- BrainyFlix: user-made vocabulary flashcards
- BBC Learning English: resources for teachers and students
- eHow's writing tutorials
Science
- PBS: DNA lab: DNA fingerprinting, other information
- Google Moon
- History of Computers: PBS documentary, 3GB of MP4 or 1.5 GB of OGG with ffmpeg2theora (use -p preview)
- NatGeo: Ocean Now: blog from a marine biology ship - e-mail can be sent to crew
- PeriodicVideos: video of each element in the periodic table
- OLPC Heartrate monitor
- ASCEville: civil engineering for kids (Adobe Flash)
- Project Budburst: citizen science on flowers and plants
- Whyville Reef: virtual coral reef
- PhotoSynthesis blog: new blog showing photos from scientists
Math
- Google Charts API: Make chart images
- Free Math Books
Mapping / GIS
- Mapping Technology: simple explanation of GIS mapping with interesting examples
- GIS in Education
- GIS in the Congo
- Map Data Download: User-submitted maps of Kenya
- Heat Maps: Google Maps API
- GeoPlace: slow site but has some good articles
- AGCommons: agriculture and technology in Africa
Development Technology
ICT4D stands for "Internet and Communication Technology for Development"
Blogs
- AfriGadget: named one of the best websites by Time magazine
- Appfrica
- Google Africa: official blog for Google initiatives in Africa (French and English)
- Future Perfect: blog about Jan Chipchase, global researcher for Nokia
- BuildAfrica: ICT coordinator for Millenium Villages Project
- Tim Unwin: author of ICT4D
- AGCommons: agriculture and technology in Africa
- WhiteAfrican: one of the writers for AfriGadget
- ICT-KM: ICT manager for International Livestock Research Institute
- AidWorkerDaily
Books/Long PDFs
- F/LOSS Concept Booklet: Wikibooks on free/libre/open-source
- ICT4D: by Tim Unwin
- Beginning Google Maps Mashups: from Apress
Organizations
- Help Kenya Project: computers and training for Kenyan schools
- AGCommons: sharing information about agriculture and technology in Africa
- Official eGovernment in Kenya
- Architecture for Humanity
- Open Architecture Network - site for sharing designs for houses usable for disaster relief, community needs, etc
- TED Video Presentation
- txtEagle: blog and video discussion of txtEagle service
- Salaam Garage: brings content-creators to developing nations to help organizations tell about peoples' stories and needs
- Ghana's Open Design Studio
- Literacy Bridge: talking books
Conferences
- Web4Dev conference: (YouTube videos)
- African Tech Events: list
- MakerFaire: art show in Africa
- TED Africa: videos posted of several influential speakers
Twitter/Microblogging
Microblogging, through Twitter and other services, is a low-bandwidth version of social networking that has caught on in countries with many mobile phone users but few computers.
- AidWorkerDaily: why microblogging is a good fit for aid workers
- Twitter topic #afridev
- Twitter topic #ict4d
- Appfrica.net Article: Somali musician using Twitter for lyrics ideas
- Laconica: Open-source tool for microblogging
Programming
- Lethain: Global popularity of programming lanaguages
- Appfrica Article: Popularity of programming languages in Africa
- Hex-color-namer
Python
- Invent Computer Games with Python: CC-BY-SA introduction
- Sugar Almanac: OLPC Operating System
- Sugar Code Snippets: Additional tips and tricks
- How to Give a Python Talk: video from PyCon
SMS/Text Messaging
- FrontlineSMS: free text-messaging system
- Kenya poised for huge growth in mobile services
Grants and Contests
- ESI: Grants for digital-divide groups
Web
- Deitel's Dive Into Web 2.0: guide to web technologies
- Google Charts API: Make chart images
- HTML Canvas Tutorial: useful for HTML apps for the laptop
- Note: use deprecated methods (such as mozillaDrawText instead of fillText)
- Forumotion: free forums in open-source PHP
Other
Local TV news posted on YouTube
This is a new journal that may be interested in women's role in technology in the developing world:
People (have multiple videos on YouTube):
- Chris Abani: stories of humanity / from Africa / etc
- Euvin Naidoo: businessman and investor in Africa
- Ashraf Ghani: political scientist on dev. countries, failed states
- Jacqueline Novogratz: activist, speaker for Africa business
- Iqbal Quadir: researcher, discusses mobile phones in ICT, development
More other:
- MakerFaire: art show in Africa
- Creative Commons: producing free and shareable content