Interested schools
Schools in the United States will be able to get XOs through the Give One, Get One program when it launches in Fall 2008. Every interested school should create a page on the OLPC wiki describing their project vision, goals, implementation plans, what you are doing to prepare, etc. Schools should also get a technical development team to work with them and send in a Developers program application to get trial XOs.
US Schools
Pence Elementary School, Southern California. I teach at an elementary school in San Diego. I am in a similar situation as the teacher from Wahluke High School. We have a high population of English Learners and low SES status. My students have very limited access to the internet because they don't have home computers. We have computers at school. However, most students only have access to internet once every two weeks at our school, or at the public library. Access to the internet is crucial, because when teachers assign research projects, access to the internet is necessary. Our school library is small and outdated as a source of information. If we even had one classroom set of these computers, we could rotate them among the school. I would like more information about how my students could receive these computers.Please give me more information. Sincerely, E. Medina
- I teach in a school in eastern Washington State that is 98% hispanic, and 87% free and reduced lunch which puts them below the poverty level. Is there a plan for US schools that allows access to this program? I am not sure where to post this question but would appreciate some information. I have many bright students with no access to technology though the town secured a grant for wireless internet which is available to all within reach of the signal. Unfortunately, there are still no tools for these kids to use!
Montezuma Elementary School, Albuquerque, NM
I teach at a school in central New Mexico with a 70% poverty rate and the highest homeless and transient population in the school district. We have limited access to computers at our school however only a very small population of our students have access to any kind of technology at home. I would like to teach my students to program. Every student in the United States deserves to be a literate member of our technological society and reap the benefits to their education that programming has to offer. Our school is one of the lowest scoring schools in the state on standardized tests and I can see limitless applications and growth possibilities that programming offers. Research has shown that students who learn to program, regardless of the language, tend to show growth in their critical thinking, reading, writing, and math skills, areas in which our students are in critical need. I have imagined the possibilities that these computers hold for my students and the students in other classrooms. AT the very least, my students will have a new means to answer burning questions and perform research, at the most they will have a key to open doors to a future rich in technology, discovery, and learning.
Non-US Schools
I teach in a junior High Schoo( called Junior Secondary School in sierra Leone)l Mapaki/ Bombali District / Northern Province / Country Sierra Leone. We(the Community Library at Mapaki) received three(3) Laptop XO from friends and Donors from Canada. I am making use of the XO to teach students who are interesting on learning some basic skills on using Computers. I started(2007) with 6 students but now the entire Schools(both Primary and High Schools) nearby are interesting in computer literacy. Our Library where the XO classes take place has an solar electricity which supplied the electricity for our lessons.
Bura Primary School, Kenya By Shedrack Mutungi
This Primary school in rural Kenya, received 10 Xo laptops, and other supporting ICT tools in the month of July 2011. With support of the Local Member of Parliament Mr. Calist Mwatele a computer lab is in the process of construction almost complete.
The school is very grateful to Great Northburry Bura Alliance for helping it get the 10 XO laptops and initial training.
Interestingly the love for the XO laptops and ICT knowledge has grown to high levels. Learners, teachers and the community at large spend alot of time using these laptops.
Teachers (Shedrack Mutungi & Waiganjo Ndirangu) from a nearby high school are helping the teachers learn simple ICT skills, care of the XO laptops and internet connection to help them use the laptops efficiently and effectively. Though they are new to XOs but its a good trial.
The learners population is large with average number per class being 35 pupils. This means 10 XOs is small number.