OLPC mission is “To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning."
Computers are tools that connect the kids to the updated and worldwide information and other people. Just like one kid’s feedback on OLPC computer, I think kids need a computer that is “useful and simple, entertaining, dependable, really a “stick to the basics” kind of computer.” Through the Internet, kids open the door to the whole world. Besides, computers allow kids typing, writing, drawing, listening to sounds/music, taking pictures, searching for information, and talking to people without seeing each other in person.
The creators of the OLPC computer think kids need simple and reliable computers, which are low-cost, low-consumption, low power, robust and light for learning. OLPC computers are made for kids in the developing countries worldwide from to mid teenage years that are inexperienced with computers.
The main goals of this program are for kids to learn, share, and create through OLPC computers. I do agree with them that kids need a well-designed computer to achieve those goals. Kids have ownership with their laptops. If they the computers are lost or stole, the computers can’t be used after 24 hours. Since the OLPC computers are designed for tough conditions, water and dust are taken considerations. Kids can learn wherever they want even under the sunlight outside. For simplicity, the interface is simple, discoverable and intuitive. As to cross-culture, there are no western icons and modes of thinking in design. And also, the keyboard is designed with words in another language on it too.
The core of the OLPC computers is to exchange ideas in networked activities. So they provide environment for sharing with the whole community such as chat bubbles while drawing together. More kids are included rather than left out while learning. Group collaboration is definitely taken consideration into designing the activities in the OLPC computers. The activities are the things that engage kids to learn, create, and share with OLPC computers. The focus for kids is learning, so the computer has automatic backups and a journaling that kids can track their learning history.
I think the computers partially support kids’ needs for a computer. Because there are still some problems with the OLPC computers though the intensions are good. First of all, the system is slow and kids can’t do things concurrently. Second of all, when kids search for information, the webpage might not show up the image and language properly, so the computer cannot serve as a tool for new information from all over the world. In other words, the information is limited and not really international. Third, some teachers complain that the OLPC computers lack of creative activities even like photo editing, sound mixing, and web page development. Therefore, I agree that the activities can be improved, grown, and adapted. However, I did see some pictures that kids use OLPC computers to learn Scratch, which I think is a very creative program. Overall, I believe the creators of the OLPC computer put a lot of thoughts into user’s needs and behaviors. Nevertheless, base on feedback from the users, improvement and adaptations are needed.
If you want to check out OLPC...
http://laptop.org/en/index.shtml
CBS 60 minutes on the OLPC project
Kids want to say thank you...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc/3145038187/
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