In a surprising turn of events, Intel has joined Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation. If you have been keeping up on current education news, you have probably heard about the OLPC project. Basically, OLPC wants to build laptop computers that cost less than $100 for distribution in third-world countries. It's a noble cause with the best intentions and I support the idea. The trouble began when Intel announced that it would be developing it's own "economically priced" laptop aimed at the same market. Obviously OLPC and Intel have differing views about the role of computers in education and how they want to impact education with their technology. It comes as no surprise that Intel and OLPC have argued and butted heads on this topic ever since their inceptions in 2005. The twist comes when Intel announced Friday that it was joining forces with OLPC. I believe that this is a step in the right direction because OLPC has the philosophical understanding to design a laptop that will provide the greatest results while Intel has the financial and marketing resources to build and promote a better product from day one. My only concern with this partnership is that Intel (or OLPC) have joined forces for the wrong reasons. Ultimately, this project is about improving education and providing all students, even in economically impoverished areas, more opportunities for learning. I think this follows closely on the heels of NCLB under the idea that all students should be allowed access to the same materials, resources, and opportunities, regardless of age, race, sex, or economic standing.

Source:
Markoff, John. (2007, July 14). "Intel, in shift, joins project on education." The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/14/business/14chip.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.

Tags: OLPC, computers, NCLB

While this comic is humorous it is interesting to think about this becoming a reality. I have gone through school as computers were introduced and implemented. When I started kindergarten, computers were mainly used by administrators for the purposes of record keeping and data processing. But now computers are in every classroom with many schools beginning to implement one-to-one computer initiatives. As this comic illustrates, future students may be surprised at the "dated technology" of the chalkboard. The computer is becoming such a transparent technology that many of us wonder how we ever survived without the Internet and email. I believe that computers have a valuable place in education I don't think they can or should replace traditional methods of instruction. Sometimes a chalkboard and a lecture may be the best way to teach a topic. I see computers not as a complete replacement of traditional instruction but as a tool in which we can exploit its strengths to provide students with a better learning experience. Computers should be used as a way to enhance and increase the opportunities available for students to learn in ways that are meaningful to them.

Tags: technology, computers, professional practice