User:Ndoiron/Content

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
  • Environmental lessons
• Challenges to Wikis in Classrooms

Language

• BrainyFlix: user-made vocabulary flashcards
• BBC Learning English: resources for teachers and students
  • Their YouTube Channel
• eHow's writing tutorials
  • videos about writing

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
  • Useful tools and APIs
• 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
  • AGCommons Projects

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
  • New York Times article on Chipchase
  • New Scientist article on Chipchase
• 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
  • Laconica's usefulness for aid agencies

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
  • Guide for the XO
• 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
  • Useful tools and APIs
  • Google Charts Update
• 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

• YouTube: NTV-Kenya
  • News-discussion site

This is a new journal that may be interested in women's role in technology in the developing world:

• International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology

More other:

• MakerFaire: art show in Africa

• OLPC Nepal's charging rack

• future of Internet connectivity in Africa

• Creative Commons: producing free and shareable content
  • first CC meeting in the Arab world