olpc new country’s meeting the 1 to 1 model: exploring its potential in a rural one-teacher costa...
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OLPC OLPC New Country’s MeetingNew Country’s Meeting
The 1 to 1 Model: The 1 to 1 Model: Exploring its Potential in a Rural One-Teacher Exploring its Potential in a Rural One-Teacher
Costa Rican SchoolCosta Rican School
Clotilde FonsecaClotilde FonsecaExecutive Director / Omar Dengo FoundationExecutive Director / Omar Dengo Foundation
OLPC, Cambridge OLPC, Cambridge April 24-27, 2007April 24-27, 2007
Productivity & KnowledgeProductivity & Knowledge
"...for the first time in history "...for the first time in history the human mindthe human mind
is a direct productive forceis a direct productive forceand not only a decisive element and not only a decisive element
of the production system.”of the production system.”
Manuel Castells Manuel Castells (2002)(2002)
Avoid the risk of express Avoid the risk of express solutions!solutions!
Access ≠ Appropriation Information Information ≠≠ KnowledgeKnowledge
ICT ICT ≠≠ Digital Digital PowerPower
Educaction Educaction ≠ ≠ LearningLearning
The technocentric The technocentric mythmyth
The perfect solution = The perfect solution =
Infrastructure + contentInfrastructure + content
Information
The frequently forgottenThe frequently forgottenkey element…key element…
The learnerThe learner
The individualThe individual
Learning dimensions & ecologies Learning dimensions & ecologies in the Digital Agein the Digital Age
Practicalwork/doingproduction
IntellectualStudy / theory
Inquiry/reflection
PlayGames
Entertainment
From the Dream to the From the Dream to the RealityReality
We have all We have all participated in the participated in the dreamdream
What do we do now, What do we do now, when the dream has when the dream has turned into reality?turned into reality?
How do we approach How do we approach the developments and the developments and transformations?transformations?
Are we prepared to Are we prepared to cope with the cope with the implications?implications?
What do we do now?What do we do now?
11The ProjectThe Project
El Silencio SchoolEl Silencio School
Costa RicaCosta Rica
An experience, an approachAn experience, an approachin a poor rural communityin a poor rural community
(112 inhabitants)(112 inhabitants)
El Silencio ProjectEl Silencio Project
One-Teacher School in a rural and isolated areaOne-Teacher School in a rural and isolated area Poor “campesino” childrenPoor “campesino” children School infrastructure improved through School infrastructure improved through
international support (Putney Student Services)international support (Putney Student Services)
Children of different ages and grades work togetherChildren of different ages and grades work together Laptops used at home and in school, including during Laptops used at home and in school, including during
vacation periodsvacation periods Project based learning and collaborative learning Project based learning and collaborative learning
approachesapproaches MicroWorlds PRO + MS Office, Encarta, web design toolsMicroWorlds PRO + MS Office, Encarta, web design tools
Student Population Student Population and Educational and Educational
EnvironmentEnvironment
Pedagogical ApproachPedagogical Approach
Powerful ideasPowerful ideas
++
Curriculum- related Curriculum- related projectsprojects
Children´s interests Children´s interests
++
Associated to real-Associated to real-life, life,
relevant contentrelevant content
School and Community School and Community Integration Integration
Approach promotes link between Approach promotes link between school, home and communityschool, home and community
Rich environment extends beyond the Rich environment extends beyond the walls of the school and the mindwalls of the school and the mind
Essential CharacteristicsEssential Characteristics
11. Immersion. Immersion A technology immersion A technology immersion experience (laptop, robotics, experience (laptop, robotics, Internet)Internet)
2.2. Personal Personal Meaning Meaning andand
RelevanceRelevance
Learning experiences and situations Learning experiences and situations designed to be personally meaningful designed to be personally meaningful and pertinentand pertinent
(map creation + map of the town)(map creation + map of the town)
3.3. Powerful Powerful IdeasIdeas
Projects revolve around Projects revolve around powerful ideaspowerful ideasLinks to personal, social and Links to personal, social and cultural knowledgecultural knowledge
44. Support . Support
NetworkNetwork
Intellectual and pedagogical Intellectual and pedagogical support network for growth and support network for growth and exchange among teachersexchange among teachers
22Context of the Context of the
Project:Project: National Program of National Program of
Educational Informatics Educational Informatics MEP-FODMEP-FOD
(1988-2006)(1988-2006)
National Program of National Program of Educational Informatics Educational Informatics
(1988-2006)(1988-2006) Joint effort of the Ministry of Education and Joint effort of the Ministry of Education and
ODFODF 18 years of experience, research and 18 years of experience, research and
developmentdevelopment Over 1.5 million children, youth and teachers Over 1.5 million children, youth and teachers
served over almost two decadesserved over almost two decades 500.000 students in the program at present500.000 students in the program at present Priority given to rural and marginal urban Priority given to rural and marginal urban
schoolsschools Capacity building coreCapacity building core Computer programming to stimulate creativity Computer programming to stimulate creativity
and thinking skillsand thinking skills
Type of Computer Use in Type of Computer Use in SchoolsSchools
breaking the linear view of developmentbreaking the linear view of developmentComputer Computer
LabLabComputer in Computer in
the the ClassroomClassroom
1 a 11 a 1
Child + Child + LaptopLaptop
Limited Limited use at use at specific specific timestimes
Project- Project- based based learninglearning
2 students 2 students share the share the computercomputer
Computer for Computer for the teacher & the teacher & studentstudentStudents Students share share computer and computer and use it for use it for specific specific activities onlyactivities onlyFew Few computers for computers for many studentsmany students
Laptop for Laptop for every studentevery studentLaptop used Laptop used in the class, in the class, school and at school and at homehomePermanently Permanently assigned to assigned to student/free student/free useuse
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Some Some Considerations Considerations
and Initial and Initial OutcomesOutcomes
1. Preliminary Outcomes 1. Preliminary Outcomes (Students)(Students)
ImprovemeImprovements in nts in LearningLearning
Rapid and joyful appropriation of Rapid and joyful appropriation of technologytechnologyIncreased interest in subjects Increased interest in subjects and research and research Concern over quality of Concern over quality of productionsproductionsChildren tend to learn faster Children tend to learn faster than teacherthan teacher
Child-Child-Computer Computer interactioninteractionss
Children prefer digital materials Children prefer digital materials over paperover paperChildren are interested in Children are interested in keyboarding skills keyboarding skills Have less need for printed textsHave less need for printed texts
Transition Transition to middle to middle and high and high schoolschool
Clearly prefer 1 to 1 than Clearly prefer 1 to 1 than computer labcomputer labNew challenges in transition to New challenges in transition to high schoolhigh schoolStudents tend to keep linked to Students tend to keep linked to schoolschool
2. Preliminary Outcomes 2. Preliminary Outcomes (Teachers) (Teachers)
TeachersTeachers´s´s
capacity capacity and and potentialpotential
Teacher took on the Teacher took on the responsabilityresponsabilityIncreased motivation and trainingIncreased motivation and trainingHas taken on a leadership role in Has taken on a leadership role in relation to other colleagues from relation to other colleagues from rural areasrural areas
Teacher Teacher PreparatiPreparationon
Intense preparatory work needs Intense preparatory work needs to be undertaken to begin the to be undertaken to begin the projectprojectAdvice and support to teacher are Advice and support to teacher are keykeyGradual teacher development Gradual teacher development works betterworks better
Capacity to Capacity to AdaptAdapt
Teachers require flexibility and Teachers require flexibility and capacity to adapt.capacity to adapt.Has to be willing to learn with the Has to be willing to learn with the children and from the childrenchildren and from the children
3. Preliminary Outcomes 3. Preliminary Outcomes (Parents)(Parents)
Parents Parents Links to Links to schoolschool
Children´s projects with Children´s projects with computers have linked parents computers have linked parents more intensely with schoolmore intensely with schoolGrandparents and members of Grandparents and members of the community also participate the community also participate actively actively
Parents Parents fears & fears & concenrsconcenrs
They are afraid that someone may They are afraid that someone may rob the children and that they may rob the children and that they may need to pay for itneed to pay for itThey are afraid to break itThey are afraid to break it
Capacity Capacity building building for for parents parents and familyand family
Parents develop new Parents develop new technlological competenciestechnlological competenciesImprove quality of teacher Improve quality of teacher student interactions.student interactions.Children share their projects with Children share their projects with themthem
Some Limitations & Some Limitations & ObstaclesObstacles
1.1. ConnectivConnectivityity
They have an ISDN line. At They have an ISDN line. At times it is slightly unstabletimes it is slightly unstableFrom the point of view of From the point of view of knowledge and capacity, knowledge and capacity, kids do not have problems kids do not have problems using the Internet using the Internet
2.2. Problems Problems associated associated to used to used laptopslaptops
Initial comptuers in the Initial comptuers in the project were used and project were used and presented constant presented constant problemsproblemsWhen they strated to fail, When they strated to fail, students became frustrated students became frustrated
44VideoVideo
““The Voices of El Silencio”The Voices of El Silencio”
5.5.Example of a Example of a
ProjectProject““The maps of the The maps of the
community”community”
Project on the Community: Project on the Community: Creation of a Community Creation of a Community
MapMapObjectives:Objectives: To learn more about the community through addressing To learn more about the community through addressing
powerful ideas in science, math, social studies powerful ideas in science, math, social studies To become familiar with new digital technologies To become familiar with new digital technologies
(including robotics)(including robotics) Learning outcomes:Learning outcomes: Kids explore the community. They observe and learn Kids explore the community. They observe and learn
about its characteristics about its characteristics They learn basic concepts about geomery and They learn basic concepts about geomery and
measuringmeasuring They acquire useful skills and compentencies They acquire useful skills and compentencies
(measuring)(measuring) They use 3D map tools and create community They use 3D map tools and create community
representation at scalerepresentation at scale
Project on the Project on the CommunityCommunity
Creation Creation of a community mapof a community map
Learning to use map Learning to use map and compassand compass
Creation of maps using Creation of maps using paper and pencilpaper and pencil
Discussion of strategies Discussion of strategies to approach the to approach the construction of maps construction of maps
Proyect on the Proyect on the Community Community
CreationCreation
of a digital mapof a digital map
Use of MicroWorlds to Use of MicroWorlds to create digital maps create digital maps based on group based on group discussions and on the discussions and on the initial initial
designdesign
Programming the maps Programming the maps makes it possible to makes it possible to address other learning address other learning elementselements
Project on the Project on the CommunityCommunity
Institutions in the Institutions in the CommunityCommunity
Institutions, mass Institutions, mass media, media, transportation and transportation and community activitiescommunity activities
Some students build Some students build quite sophisticated quite sophisticated representations of representations of the information the information gatheredgathered
Proyecto vinculado a la Proyecto vinculado a la Comunidad Comunidad Construction of a 3D Construction of a 3D
model model
Students measure the size of Students measure the size of the community by using a the community by using a movement sensor installed on movement sensor installed on a bicycle (robotics project)a bicycle (robotics project)
They were able to establish the They were able to establish the factor to build the 3D factor to build the 3D representation at scalerepresentation at scale
They measured their hones and They measured their hones and reproduced them at scale (200 reproduced them at scale (200 times smaller than their real times smaller than their real size)size)
They use that factor to build They use that factor to build roads and church alsoroads and church also
Project on the Project on the Community Community
Integrating Robotics
Students build an Students build an alarm system and an alarm system and an electronically electronically activated lighting activated lighting systemsystem
They also build a They also build a seismographer (they seismographer (they live near a volcano)live near a volcano)