Laptops For Children in the Developing World

[kenosis]

Under the "Teachers Think the World Needs More Education and Politicians Think the World Needs More Laws" file ...

Give a Laptop and Get One

Excerpt: While the notebook computer for schoolchildren in underdeveloped nations is just about ready for prime time, the goal of distributing tens of millions of the cute green-and-white machines still

Comments

2) On the hierarchy of needs, maybe Haitian children would like to not be slaves first.

[dodging_fate]

*tsk tsk*

details details.... ;)

Re: 2) On the hierarchy of needs, maybe Haitian children would like to not be slaves first.

[revaaron]

It is a totally valid point, though. As someone who works on software for the OLPC, I often get similar criticisms from people who've hard just a bit about the project. Not quite as true- usually they are "there are kids in the 3rd world dying! why do they need a computer when they can't read or get enough to eat?" A true statement, but that isn't the target for the OLPC, rather countries where the basic needs in ye olde hierarchy are met for the most and the kids can read, but with a populace unable to break out of that place into the rest of the economy. You're not likely going to end up doing that kind of work if all you know is a peasant's life in Peru, it just won't be an option and you won't likely have the money or time to go self train as an adult. As I see it, idea is the next step after a public school teaching reading and the other core subjects- you teach them how to deal with the machine that will be the core of many of the future's jobs

Re: 2) On the hierarchy of needs, maybe Haitian children would like to not be slaves first.

[kenosis]

If the goal is to use laptops to catalyze a pre-industrial country (where land is the source of wealth) like Haiti into a post-industrial economy where human capital is the source of wealth, the project is absolutely doomed to failure. There hasn't yet been a country that has economically sublimated that way and I don't think Haiti will be the first.

Assuming, say, Haitian children get computers, and that they become very computer literate. Is that going to create a Port-au-Prince version of Silicon Valley? Of course not - Haiti isn't going to attract business investment even with a literate, cheap labor force, and a home-grown market is going to be limited by demand in Haiti

What is a better idea?

[metahara]

"...without considering why they are poor in the first place."

Are you expecting uneducated people to think as an educated (in Economics) person would?

What is your theory on why they are impoverished and what do you think is the most effective way to end abject poverty in Haiti or anywhere else for that matter.

I am not interested in debating, just curious as to what your answer is considering your skepticism or disdain for the idea's put out by the above mentioned people.

Re: What is a better idea?

[kenosis]

Are you expecting uneducated people to think as an educated (in Economics) person would?

Well, that depends. If we're talking about, say, poor farmers, they're usually pretty aware of why they're poor. A good example of a Malian farmer pinpointing exactly why he's poorBut if we're talking about technology magnates who are looking to do good in the world by alleviating poverty -- then yes, I would hope they'd consider looking into the field of Economics before trying to find a way to alleviate poverty. If I got it into my mind to cure cancer, after all, I might want to talk to some laboratory scientists or oncologists