Digital divide

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Digital divide

• One Laptop Per Child

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Alex Tweed
Brandon Jones
Steven Krasicky
Sarah Proctor
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What is Digital Divide?

• Access vs. Non-Access

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What Digital Divide Affects

• EDUCATION

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Where the Digital Divide Exists

• Cities and rural areas.
• Between nations (globally).
• The educated and the uneducated- MAIN FOCUS!

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VIDEO

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vGp9xjeon8c4

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Is the Digital Divide Even a Problem?

• Some evidence suggests this
• Is the internet the same as other technologies
  from the past?
• Is it a luxury instead of a necessity?

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Closing of the Divide

• Computer use is increasing the fastest among the
  poor and disadvantaged groups
• The poor are seeing increases in Internet use
• Someday these groups will catch up with the
  privileged

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Technology in the Past

• Example Air Conditioner
• AC divide essentially the same
• AC also linked to increases in productivity
• Arguments for a G-8 Task force on overcoming the
  air conditioner divide would rightly be dismissed
  as insane

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Technology in the Past

• Example Air Conditioner
• AC divide essentially the same
• AC also linked to increases in productivity
• Arguments for a G-8 Task force on overcoming the
  air conditioner divide would rightly be dismissed
  as insane

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Technology in the Past

• Example Automobile
• Owning a car was just as crucial as email is
  today
• Gaps in those who could afford a car and those
  who couldnt
• Cars became more affordable, the net will become
  more accessible

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Luxury, not Necessity

• There are bigger problems to conquer
• Not a necessity for survival in the modern world
• AIDs, hunger, wars, more important
• Regarded as a want and not a need

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The One Laptop Per Child Project

• http//www.uplandproductions.com/films/trm/ts04/pl
  ay_wmv.htm
• Overview
• Giving children access to one connected computer
• Founded by Nicholas Negroponte
• 2 billion children in the developing world are
  inadequately educated OLPC is their solution
• XO laptop
• 100

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One Laptop Per Child

• Developing countries - 20/person is spent on
  pupils, compared to 7500 in the US
• Change is necessary

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One Laptop Per Child

• Increasing aid by providing more of the
  samebuilding schools, hiring teachers, buying
  books and equipment
• Little progress would be made
• Step in the right direction
• Skilled Instructors
• Peers teaching peers

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Goals of OLPC

• Why OLPC will lessen the digital divide?
• Greater Access
• Increased opportunity

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OLPC Opposition

• Focus should be on fighting illiteracy and
  alleviating poverty.

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OLPC Opposition

• HUGE RISK!!!
• Financially Educationally

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OLPC Opposition

• Alternatives
• Provide more traditional forms of education ie.
  Schools and Libraries.
• Room to Read foundation does this.
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vqbcNuaatFRA

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XO Laptop

• Is it as easy-to-use as advertised?

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OLPC and Technical Aspects

• Long Battery Life
• Waterproof and scratch resistant
• New technology to the U.S

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OLPC and Technical Aspects

• Software is based around learning
• XO built from free and open source software
• The goal is for children to express themselves
  and explore
• There is no ceiling imposed

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OLPC Technical Problems

• XO Laptops are not reusable
• 1. Only work for 5 years.
• 2. Every child needs one.

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OLPC Technical Problems

• Lack of Support
• No local technical support for software errors.
• Laptops are sealed like Macs, but the nearest
  store is 3000 miles away.

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DEBATE

• Room to Read vs. OLPC

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DEBATE

• Right side of room for OLPC
• Left side of room for Room to Read

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For OLPC

• Why do you feel this is a better program than
  Room to Read?

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For Room to Read

• Why do you feel this is a better program than One
  Laptop Per Child?

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DEBATE

• Now put yourself in the shoes of the
  government/country receiving one of these
  programs.
• Would you still prefer the program you chose?

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DEBATE

• In addition, do you feel that there is a better
  way to allocate funds besides these two programs?