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The abstract of the actual research: "Although many countries are aggressively implementing the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, there is a lack of empiric

The abstract of the actual research: "Although many countries are aggressively implementing the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, there is a lack of empirical evidence on its effects. This paper presents the impact of the first large-scale randomized evaluation of the OLPC program, using data collected after 15 months of implementation in 319 primary schools in rural Peru. The results indicate that the program increased the ratio of computers per student from 0.12 to 1.18 in treatment schools. This expansion in access translated into substantial increases in use both at school and at home. No evidence is found of effects on enrollment and test scores in Math and Language. Some positive effects are found, however, in general cognitive skills as measured by Raven’s Progressive Matrices, a verbal fluency test and a Coding test." - http://www.iadb.org/en/research-and-data/publication-details,3169.html?pub_id=IDB-WP-304 http://www.iadb.org/en/research-and-data/publication-details... So, rather than it being a failure, all we're told is that, after 15 months, maths and reading don't show improvements, but other areas do. So overall, it's positive. But hey, what's an attentive reading of scientific studies worth against a link-baiting article that can be knocked up in ten minutes?

deleted 14y ago
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- puppybeard 14y ago
  Aye, I'd agree that the things shouldn't be too net-dependent. It should be a simple matter to pre-load the things with a full curriculum of textbooks, in electronic form. I don't see anyone arguing that OLPC is the complete solution to education impoverished children. It might even be a bit cyber-utopian for my tastes, I don't think computers are the answer to every question. But then I do think that gettign books to kids helps their education, and nobody argues that. So if you can load one of these machines with 100 books, that's better again. Is it the best way to spend $200 for a kids education? Not if it's the only money you're spending, but it could well be part of a broader imporvement.
bgilroy26 14y ago
I think your instincts are spot on. There can be no definitive word on OLPC at this early stage. Certainly you like to check in as early and as often as possible, but anyone with any in-school experience at all, even experience solely as a student, knows that teachers as a group cannot change their methods in a years time. Any thinking that the writer here did was with a sociologist hat on rather than that of a domestic education policy wonk.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

puppybeard 14y ago
Aye, I'd agree that the things shouldn't be too net-dependent. It should be a simple matter to pre-load the things with a full curriculum of textbooks, in electronic form. I don't see anyone arguing that OLPC is the complete solution to education impoverished children. It might even be a bit cyber-utopian for my tastes, I don't think computers are the answer to every question. But then I do think that gettign books to kids helps their education, and nobody argues that. So if you can load one of these machines with 100 books, that's better again. Is it the best way to spend $200 for a kids education? Not if it's the only money you're spending, but it could well be part of a broader imporvement.

bgilroy26 14y ago

I think your instincts are spot on. There can be no definitive word on OLPC at this early stage. Certainly you like to check in as early and as often as possible, but anyone with any in-school experience at all, even experience solely as a student, knows that teachers as a group cannot change their methods in a years time. Any thinking that the writer here did was with a sociologist hat on rather than that of a domestic education policy wonk.