One Laptop Per Child pledge

[Tom Buskey]

On 5/25/06, Michael Costolo <michael.costolo at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've never understood why giving laptops to kids who can't read or add
> would make them better at reading or math.


Hmm.. I have a 2.5 year old at home.  He's been playing with mommy's laptop
since 18 months or so.  At Xmas we got a PC in the living room (with XP -
hey, my wife's sewing machine software needs XP.  So does Blue's Clues) and
he's got his own login (w/o passwd or privililiges).  So far:

1) He logs in
2) He goes to noggin, nick jr, the wiggles and other web shortcuts on the
desktop.
3) He starts the Blue's Clues game
4) He knows that if he doesn't see his icons, he logs out mommy or daddy w/
start -> logoff.  Hell, I have users that don't know to do that.
5) He knows to close windows by clicking on the X.  I showed him once.  See
#4.
6) He plays the memory match, shape match, and various other games on the
web sites.  It's easier then setting up concentration cards.
7) He also does the drawing and paint programs
8) He can entertain himself w/o needing mommy or daddy.

Some of the games teach concepts like:
   growing flowers needs soil, seeds and water
   shape, color puzzle and pattern matching
   counting and letters
   searching for details - studying the screen - how many of you have users
that call you because they didn't take the time to read the screen to get
the right info?
   culture (videos of three little pigs, etc.  Ok, more like TV here)
   click and drag to place things

Is a computer needed?  Maybe not.  But he makes much less of a mess w/ the
computer cards, puzzle pieces and drawing tools then the physical ones
(which he also has).

btw - most of these apps use flash and play sound.  Reading isn't needed.


Or is this something different than Benson's old project?


Yep.  Getting computers to people in third world countries.


-Mike-
>
> --
> "The biggest big business in America is not steel, automobiles, or
> television.  It is the manufacture, refinement and distribution of
> anxiety."
> -Eric Sevareid, American News Commentator (1912 - 1992)
>
> _______________________________________________
> gnhlug-discuss mailing list
> gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org
> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss
>



-- 
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad
measures.
  - Daniel Webster
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/attachments/20060525/02db82a2/attachment.html