May2008Meeting-Day1

OLPC Notes

This is a rough transcription - please feel free to improve it, my apologies for any omissions / errors

20/May/2008

NN Introduction

Non profit – everyone was saying to make money and then use the profit to give away the laptops. Would attract the best people and be sustainable. Possible that in a situation for everybody to be wrong. As a consequence of being a non profit three things happened – maybe obvious in retrospect – but quite remarkable.

Non profit – teaming up with different people. Partners would only be with non-profits

Clarity of mission. Was words / promises / ideas – clarity of purpose that they would meet. Wasn't MIT reputation – non-profit with a mission talking about children and learning. Excuse?

You won't get good people – they want stock options. NN does not draw a salary. Modest salaries – MIT. Needed a CFO – salary would be 0. Best people applied... CFO came onto the summer that now this is a full time commitment. NN is the vision department – get stuff into the press... NN running something is not my strength.

CFO? decided to make a video...

Chuck Kane - President

Companies / partners that contribute to the effort. Allows the pricing of the computer to be as inexpensive as possible to pass that price as low as possible.

Open Source community that contributes to Sugar software. Community in the linux world that contributes to the ongoing success – but for gain and gratitude and what they are contributing towards. Support group of hundreds that provide helpdesk / particularly for G1G1.

Challenges – 23 Full time employees – and 26 consultants

Academia model not a business model. We are trying to make that transition that allows us to remain successful in the marketplace. CFO and CEO of publically traded software companies. Many challenges.

Technology threats to corporations – set a new market. Laptop computer makers now forced to compete in the space that was created by NN. They don't like it.\

Distribution, Deployment, Support, Infrastructure – this is the moment of truth needing help from the countries. Got to be realistic about it.

Non-profit status working to advantage in particular advantages. Front end credibility issue – ministers making decisions – little bit less certain of their success factor than with a global MNC.

Need business partnerships. MS Ported XP to XO – lowered the price $150 to $3 and one example of a partnership that can get to more kids. Need more partnerships.

Computer has so many factors – software, hardware, connectivity, multi billion dollar companies that take each of those segments and make a business out of it. Offering the whole package because no one else would do it. Computer companies would not do it.

Facing competition in each segment.

Normal laptops – 50% sales/marketing/distribution. Display 25% of the normal cost. Software – MS Win XP is 25% of the price. Therefor use $3 windows or Linux.

G1G1 model – want to get the price down to 0. Partly getting the name out and marketing – and financial model – allowed to build an inventory. Remains an important part of supply chain management.

Could otherwise match contributions to countries that could not otherwise have computers. When we matched getting 2 for 1 – therefor means $100 laptop.

Huge financial footprint – financial model. Brightstar – have been helping with deployment – fronted the supply chain into movement. Citigroup – impacted by subprime – 10,000s of layoffs – so they value the OLPC program – continue to provide the backbone of the financial structure. Countries have gone ahead...

One of things that happened two weeks – on Friday 400 unique stories on OLPC. Instead of being a bell jar of distribution – extremely bad stories. Business Week – end of OLPC. Newsweek – Birth of OLPC.

Mission statement changed. Is an education project not a laptop project. Mission statement has not changed...

NN – Future and XO 2.0

Said that it has not changed (in spite of recent mailing list activity)

Showed presentation of 1982 – Seymour unfortunately hit in Vietnam.

Picture from 2002 – school in Cambodia – for a number of personal reasons involving rolled out Panasonic toughbooks.

Humanitarian Organisation likened to World Food Program – WFP does not compete with McDonalds.

Launch Strategy – has changed. Thought that each of the Brazil etc. countries would buy 1 million laptops+ Countries did not rise to the occasion. Had to create a new strategy. Went in two directions simultaneously – some countries who were pulling on us – Urugauy and Peru – joined forces and secondly G1G1.

Microsoft

Has been in the press. Has been rolled out as a Pilot / Tests. 1-2 schools per country to test it. In parallel making dual boot OLPC. Give more choice / get to more kids.

Design Matters

Cheap in English – double meaning – cheap desktops – take a different approach – very large numbers – very advanced laptops. Machine three years ago – with the crank – and people remember the pencil yellow crank. Having the Crank on the side of the machine. Left hand spending more energy to stabilise the laptop.

Four unique criteria – 2W (Upper body generation 1:10 ratio) – Dual Mode , sunlight display, wifi mesh network, rugged.

Mary Lou – announcing gen2 in 10 mins – key to the next generation/

Next generation laptop – more like a book. Book experience is key. Bill Gates suggessted why not kids are using cell phones? But they don't have TVs...

Cell phones extremely important to econ development – but not the learning device and learning experience.

Touch sensitive display as a laptop as well.

16:9 are that inexpensive because of the DVD market - $20 each is OK. Vertical retrace – Want people to copy it.

fold flat and use as one continuous display – collaborative learning.

Gen 2- Smaller – however are countries looking for a computer experience or a book experience?

Gen 2 target is 2010.

G1G1

Will be started up again – August / September. Soon to make it possible for people to get these laptops and donate one. Rwanada, Mongolia, Haiti, 10K units each

G1G1 will be launched in Europe with a partner and fulfilment issues. Highest number of hits in the history of paypal.

Learning

Different means of laptop use and constructionism. Sometimes have to go in with a Trojan horse approach – e.g. 500 books. Twenty kids can have different books. Making a case for books being constantly updated and annotated. China and Brazil spend $19 per year per child on text book.

Nirj – in Parliamentry capacity leading commitments to the developing world. Holds the keys to the EU's commitments to the developing world.

Nirji Deva

Family created as a child of dream of NN Family obsessed / driven by passion.

Purpose simple to give every single child to escape poverty / ignorance. Purpose to make them leap from medieval to 21st century existence. Not delivering a computer but a time machine that is transformational that changes everything.

Hut in an African village cooking by firewood. Small table young boy 11 years of age tapping into a computer with the heart light of a kerosene lamp – mind elsewhere. Village community brought together by laptops.

Developing marketable tech skills leading to jobs? The challenge is to bring the old man and woman into that community. Delivering the laptop is merely the first step that starts an avalanche of change?

Impacting everyone and everybody. Called in the European Parliament for the program to become MDG 9.

Whatever one's reasons for commitment to reducing poverty the means are the same. Compact made between the poor countries to improve governance whilst wealthy countries pledge to provide the resources. Cut world poverty by half by 2015.

All that is needed is action and money. A paltry $60 billion USD per year more out of global $32 trillion. $600 billion spent on Ag subsidy per year. Are we on track?

Simply not on track. Ban Ki Moon – MDGs are still achievable if we act now. Enhanced productive capacity and creating decent work.

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger – millions more in and some out. Lower agriculture output. Quick quin solutions – provide massive replenishment of high yield seeds. distribute replenishment of soil toolkits.

Universal primary education? 66 / 155 on track to achieve – others not. 105 million children not in school at all. Need to end school fees, uniform fees, and school meals. Provide de-worming and anti-bacterials.

Goal 3 – promote gender equality.

Goal 4 – reduce child mortality. Dropping – not fast enough – 11 million a year – dieing from preventable causes.

Maternal health – .5 million woman deaths / year

Combatting diseases – Malaria, HIV/AIDS, etc. 90% of malaria deaths in sub saharan Africa. Quick quins – provide mass distribution of bed nets.

Goal 7 – Environmental Sustainability – Access to safe drinking water. Half the developing world without toilets.

Goal 8 – Global Partnership for Development – need to accelerate the rate of development.

What is needed in these 8 MDGs – what is needed in these programs that OLPC can uniquely provide....

The MDGs are failing because it's still them and us – there is common ownership – they give we take – no interaction, no partnership, no dialog, common stakeholders. Not at any level. OLPC creates a new world of interactive ownership. Lifelong partnership of child information and access. Between villages and the global community.

Why should it accelerate and promote MDGs?

OLPC introduces a tech component for development. Children can become purveyors of information. Points of communtiy / contact can be networked for health, business and social empowerment. With what HR there???

Farmers learning using the laptop about market prices and management of agriculture. Expand adult knowledge and ability to interact with the world. All would be accelerated by MDG 9.

New program needs to speedily and effectively delivered by providing at least 100 million laptops without having to approach 155 developing countries and their beuarocracy???

AIDS Crisis created a huge global fund of $8 billion. So far $3.7bn spent in 137 countries. Provided 1.1 million with anti-retroviral drugs.

Another global fund of $3 billion to provide clean drinking water.

I now propose working to setup a multilateral fund for digital education. In partnership with UNDP and UNESCO PPP to raise large enough funds to deliver 100 million laptops. Therefor bypassing the government for the UN???

We are in cyberspace so that we exist. This has been in the hands of the privileged. We should never let go until the job is done...

Miguel from Urugauy – the first country to make a commitment to OLPC.

President has two legacies – one is that Urugauy be a non-smoking countries. The second is to leave office with every child having a laptop.

Uruguay – Plan CEIBAL – Miguel Brechner

Basic connectivity for education. About the country, what we have learned, and what we are doing a year since starting. million population - $5,800 GDP per capita. Looks good. Had many crisis in the 60, 80s and in 2002. 50% of children living in poverty. In 2006 a new program between 2007 and 2009 for all children to receive a laptop. Investing .2% of GNP. Private schools have asked to become partners.

• Equity, Learning, Technology, Commitment. Insure equal access and equal opportunities – invest in human capital and technology. Social inclusion – reduce the gap between have and have not. Need better jobs for the people. Commitment to eco-system around it. Sustainability after kids receive laptops is .0.05% of GNP.
• Risks - commitment of the president. Depends on the presidency. Integrated with the regular actors – ministers, organisations, schools etc. Education Committee – training of teachers, education programs, web portal needs. LATU – in charge of operations – technology support, logistics, impact measurement, software and applications, voluntary work. Parents participation. Port sugar to other platforms inc. Win Xp. Applications need to be localized. Be in charge of voluntary workers and parent's participation.

Launch in 2006 – 200 schools in pilot school. 3% to 100% - 3% quiet a lot. Pilot was very successful. Prepared servers, and connectivity. Many security features – the machines must be connected to the Internet – otherwise blocked.

Laptops delivered – 32,500 machines delivered. 1,300 machines delivered per day. 220,000 and 800 servers. Connectivity – no child to walk for more than 300 meters maximum walk for Internet...

Only deliver once the schools have connectivity. No machine is missing. Everyone knows a missing machine has 0 value.

Parallel action – region definition. Selecting the easiest regions.

Prepare maps and landscapes for connectivity. Then starting teacher training. Prepare electrical and security. Special security for servers and indoor Aps. Internet can HDSPA, Satellite, ADSL, goes for all schools.

Install towers for regional connectivity.

Children's list. Interacting with the parents before the machines arrive. Delivery to children. Dealing with warranty and tech support. Group of teachers.

Need a number of volunteers to help with the deployment otherwise impossible. Program for volunteers.

Preparing teachers v important.

Oscar – MoE Peru

Peru – the biggest rollout so far. However created an ecosystem for the rollout. Power setups required, photos/camera.

Constructionism started in Peru in the 80s.

Peru was bottom of the education league – 130/131. Out of 185,000 teachers, 151 passed the test (151.0 not 151k). Census of teachers found desks could be more effective than teachers?

Now 9/10 best of class are in Peru. Improvements for teachers very important. giving each teacher a laptop and having a conventional laptop and having a teacher development program.

Challenges – Meaninglessness in education – teaching a lot of how but not much why. Absenteeism – very very remote places – 30 days to the net. Children walking 4 hrs. Accountability – books being locked up therefor not 'lost'.

Massive systemic change – technology the key. Strong foundation in constructionism. Incremental changes need something to change everything.

Before – vicious circle – lack of pay – no respect, bottom 5% become teachers. Teachers need their dignity back.

Do not want teachers to learn out of date tech. Ownership + reachable access makes professionals.

Define laptop as educational material not capital for customs purposes...

Minister passed laws to allow regional investment. 800K units committed. Secondary schools – computer labs being implemented.

Kid learning better reading other languages even. Can make the teacher needed in the class for support.

Feasible connectivity needed – sync and async access. Fully integrated with new programs.

Used solar panels – normally laptop working one day out of two.

Lack of bandwidth – even satellites not available.

Learning Applications – some say they want more.

Networks setup - < 30 – Mesh only, > 100 Server with generator

User guide in Spanish. Multiparty politica support – bringing laptops through.

Immediate appropriation and results. Improving everyday life, improved discipline in classrooms, teachers getting much better (even those who had been failing).

Technical leadership for the community.

Negative reactions from

Education 'experts' – we didn't think of it therefor we don't like it

Industry leaders – oops – wait so we can make some money please

Experience of giving one laptop per child – Appropriation different when they all have machines. Attendance massively up – are labs history when computers are this cheap?

Ancestral traditions of sharing help to support the sharing learning with the laptop.

Questions:

Censorship – debate – some done via needing a connection through the school server and other connections are the responsibility of the parent

Governments or partners? Peru completely government initiative. Uruguay – presidential initiative. Private companies helping – tech support often done by companies on the ground.

Nirji: How do we globalise it and certify it? NN Pilot studies need a lot of attention. Not very interested in them.

What about sharing the information between countries? Needs to be improved – also arranging such meetings.

Parents can help – support of surfing, electricity. Getting the laptop is a positive statement. Most messages tot eh children are negative. Child in most places is a passive receiver – laptop leads to development and inclusion. Laptop activities focus on collaborations and learning to work together. Shift to interactivity.

Children can study agriculture -> Children study and help with the health of the forest. Access to remote areas and increasing incomes.

Has a lot which goes in. Tech communication very different approaches to solving problems. Additional opportunities out of school.

Where are the reports? Readership? Differences between countries and within countries. Each child is qiute different.

Do we question existing practices? Even though the status quo is extremely bad? Why is there so little demand for change? Vision and Will? Belief?

Not lacking potential but opportunity. The computer is the best tool for engagement. Very standardised approach. 8 years of what quality is better than 5? What is the measure of success?

Children can read and share blogs – Active exploration. The reason to educate is to develop potential. Need is astounding. Solution is in how we relate to each other.

Haiti

Piloting the change process. Project is a learning project. This is a pre-pilot – run by doing it. Put the laptops where there is wimax coverage and build a support network.

Project to link to Haiti dispora

OLE Nepal

If NN has vision we must be foot soldiers. Government recognises education as a right but spends $45 USD per child per year

In 3-4 years private schools will get it So will we leave everyone else behind?

Quality divide of education – not just digital divide

Until 1951 education was restricted, until 1971 only for the elite.

Focus – how to use OLPC to change the situation? Content development – need local curriculum , A/V, digital library, creative content.

Teacher training program – in just 3 hours the teachers take apart and re-assemble the laptop. Understand child centered learning more difficult.

Network + Infrastructure – looking to OLPC for answers but also locally – looking at biofuel companies etc.

Government capacity building lacking in Nepal. Last chance to bring in quality education that is the responsibility of the government.

Pilot how to do it – build government cnofidence. Joined OLPC in 2006 as a volunteer. Getting very close – Government officials wonder why they do it in the face of those from Intel who are far better paid. Because we believe...

Sri Lanka

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Thailand

Beyond a pilot. Then the military took over... Dang..

Started in a village which was already using constructionist learning. However worked well in traditional schools and built confidence. Created local XO bands music bands blending with traditional music.

Senegal

Lacking the tools to put it in practice. Most children out of employment. Too much Theory not enough practice.

Strategy – introduce as a research project multidisciplinary. Very committed team.

Children interested in programming and teaching

Ready to share

Gloria Davenport

Importance of seeing it as a media conversation that is now two way. being in the right place at the right time.

Cultural identity can be found on the net. E.g. different cultures different scales

Teaching the differences through music?

Mitch

Creative society – importance of innovation for the next generation. Scratch allows to tell stories and use maths practically.

Want to learn and use it right away? How to score for eating fish?

One of creating characters...

Creating a new lego kit for the developing countries being piloted in Brazil.

Alan Kay

Beyond the printing press – how to use computers for more than the automation of old media? Feel you can do a lot by pushing a button...

Replacing textbooks doesn't need much effort. What about the other capabilities?

How to invent? It's learnable with help. Find the steps using guided discovery for those that are more complex to discover (e.g. laws of physics)