OLPC OLPC New Country’s MeetingNew Country’s Meeting

The 1 to 1 Model: The 1 to 1 Model: Exploring its Potential in a Rural One-Teacher Exploring its Potential in a Rural One-Teacher

Costa Rican SchoolCosta Rican School

Clotilde FonsecaClotilde FonsecaExecutive Director / Omar Dengo FoundationExecutive Director / Omar Dengo Foundation

OLPC, Cambridge OLPC, Cambridge April 24-27, 2007April 24-27, 2007

Productivity & KnowledgeProductivity & Knowledge

"...for the first time in history "...for the first time in history the human mindthe human mind

is a direct productive forceis a direct productive forceand not only a decisive element and not only a decisive element

of the production system.”of the production system.”

Manuel Castells Manuel Castells (2002)(2002)

Avoid the risk of express Avoid the risk of express solutions!solutions!

Access ≠ Appropriation Information Information ≠≠ KnowledgeKnowledge

ICT ICT ≠≠ Digital Digital PowerPower

Educaction Educaction ≠ ≠ LearningLearning

The technocentric The technocentric mythmyth

The perfect solution = The perfect solution =

Infrastructure + contentInfrastructure + content

Information

The frequently forgottenThe frequently forgottenkey element…key element…

The learnerThe learner

The individualThe individual

Learning dimensions & ecologies Learning dimensions & ecologies in the Digital Agein the Digital Age

Practicalwork/doingproduction

IntellectualStudy / theory

Inquiry/reflection

PlayGames

Entertainment

From the Dream to the From the Dream to the RealityReality

We have all We have all participated in the participated in the dreamdream

What do we do now, What do we do now, when the dream has when the dream has turned into reality?turned into reality?

How do we approach How do we approach the developments and the developments and transformations?transformations?

Are we prepared to Are we prepared to cope with the cope with the implications?implications?

What do we do now?What do we do now?

11The ProjectThe Project

El Silencio SchoolEl Silencio School

Costa RicaCosta Rica

An experience, an approachAn experience, an approachin a poor rural communityin a poor rural community

(112 inhabitants)(112 inhabitants)

El Silencio ProjectEl Silencio Project

One-Teacher School in a rural and isolated areaOne-Teacher School in a rural and isolated area Poor “campesino” childrenPoor “campesino” children School infrastructure improved through School infrastructure improved through

international support (Putney Student Services)international support (Putney Student Services)

Children of different ages and grades work togetherChildren of different ages and grades work together Laptops used at home and in school, including during Laptops used at home and in school, including during

vacation periodsvacation periods Project based learning and collaborative learning Project based learning and collaborative learning

approachesapproaches MicroWorlds PRO + MS Office, Encarta, web design toolsMicroWorlds PRO + MS Office, Encarta, web design tools

Student Population Student Population and Educational and Educational

EnvironmentEnvironment

Pedagogical ApproachPedagogical Approach

Powerful ideasPowerful ideas

++

Curriculum- related Curriculum- related projectsprojects

Children´s interests Children´s interests

++

Associated to real-Associated to real-life, life,

relevant contentrelevant content

School and Community School and Community Integration Integration

Approach promotes link between Approach promotes link between school, home and communityschool, home and community

Rich environment extends beyond the Rich environment extends beyond the walls of the school and the mindwalls of the school and the mind

Essential CharacteristicsEssential Characteristics

11. Immersion. Immersion A technology immersion A technology immersion experience (laptop, robotics, experience (laptop, robotics, Internet)Internet)

2.2. Personal Personal Meaning Meaning andand

RelevanceRelevance

Learning experiences and situations Learning experiences and situations designed to be personally meaningful designed to be personally meaningful and pertinentand pertinent

(map creation + map of the town)(map creation + map of the town)

3.3. Powerful Powerful IdeasIdeas

Projects revolve around Projects revolve around powerful ideaspowerful ideasLinks to personal, social and Links to personal, social and cultural knowledgecultural knowledge

44. Support . Support

NetworkNetwork

Intellectual and pedagogical Intellectual and pedagogical support network for growth and support network for growth and exchange among teachersexchange among teachers

22Context of the Context of the

Project:Project: National Program of National Program of

Educational Informatics Educational Informatics MEP-FODMEP-FOD

(1988-2006)(1988-2006)

National Program of National Program of Educational Informatics Educational Informatics

(1988-2006)(1988-2006) Joint effort of the Ministry of Education and Joint effort of the Ministry of Education and

ODFODF 18 years of experience, research and 18 years of experience, research and

developmentdevelopment Over 1.5 million children, youth and teachers Over 1.5 million children, youth and teachers

served over almost two decadesserved over almost two decades 500.000 students in the program at present500.000 students in the program at present Priority given to rural and marginal urban Priority given to rural and marginal urban

schoolsschools Capacity building coreCapacity building core Computer programming to stimulate creativity Computer programming to stimulate creativity

and thinking skillsand thinking skills

Type of Computer Use in Type of Computer Use in SchoolsSchools

breaking the linear view of developmentbreaking the linear view of developmentComputer Computer

LabLabComputer in Computer in

the the ClassroomClassroom

1 a 11 a 1

Child + Child + LaptopLaptop

Limited Limited use at use at specific specific timestimes

Project- Project- based based learninglearning

2 students 2 students share the share the computercomputer

Computer for Computer for the teacher & the teacher & studentstudentStudents Students share share computer and computer and use it for use it for specific specific activities onlyactivities onlyFew Few computers for computers for many studentsmany students

Laptop for Laptop for every studentevery studentLaptop used Laptop used in the class, in the class, school and at school and at homehomePermanently Permanently assigned to assigned to student/free student/free useuse

33

Some Some Considerations Considerations

and Initial and Initial OutcomesOutcomes

1. Preliminary Outcomes 1. Preliminary Outcomes (Students)(Students)

ImprovemeImprovements in nts in LearningLearning

Rapid and joyful appropriation of Rapid and joyful appropriation of technologytechnologyIncreased interest in subjects Increased interest in subjects and research and research Concern over quality of Concern over quality of productionsproductionsChildren tend to learn faster Children tend to learn faster than teacherthan teacher

Child-Child-Computer Computer interactioninteractionss

Children prefer digital materials Children prefer digital materials over paperover paperChildren are interested in Children are interested in keyboarding skills keyboarding skills Have less need for printed textsHave less need for printed texts

Transition Transition to middle to middle and high and high schoolschool

Clearly prefer 1 to 1 than Clearly prefer 1 to 1 than computer labcomputer labNew challenges in transition to New challenges in transition to high schoolhigh schoolStudents tend to keep linked to Students tend to keep linked to schoolschool

2. Preliminary Outcomes 2. Preliminary Outcomes (Teachers) (Teachers)

TeachersTeachers´s´s

capacity capacity and and potentialpotential

Teacher took on the Teacher took on the responsabilityresponsabilityIncreased motivation and trainingIncreased motivation and trainingHas taken on a leadership role in Has taken on a leadership role in relation to other colleagues from relation to other colleagues from rural areasrural areas

Teacher Teacher PreparatiPreparationon

Intense preparatory work needs Intense preparatory work needs to be undertaken to begin the to be undertaken to begin the projectprojectAdvice and support to teacher are Advice and support to teacher are keykeyGradual teacher development Gradual teacher development works betterworks better

Capacity to Capacity to AdaptAdapt

Teachers require flexibility and Teachers require flexibility and capacity to adapt.capacity to adapt.Has to be willing to learn with the Has to be willing to learn with the children and from the childrenchildren and from the children

3. Preliminary Outcomes 3. Preliminary Outcomes (Parents)(Parents)

Parents Parents Links to Links to schoolschool

Children´s projects with Children´s projects with computers have linked parents computers have linked parents more intensely with schoolmore intensely with schoolGrandparents and members of Grandparents and members of the community also participate the community also participate actively actively

Parents Parents fears & fears & concenrsconcenrs

They are afraid that someone may They are afraid that someone may rob the children and that they may rob the children and that they may need to pay for itneed to pay for itThey are afraid to break itThey are afraid to break it

Capacity Capacity building building for for parents parents and familyand family

Parents develop new Parents develop new technlological competenciestechnlological competenciesImprove quality of teacher Improve quality of teacher student interactions.student interactions.Children share their projects with Children share their projects with themthem

Some Limitations & Some Limitations & ObstaclesObstacles

1.1. ConnectivConnectivityity

They have an ISDN line. At They have an ISDN line. At times it is slightly unstabletimes it is slightly unstableFrom the point of view of From the point of view of knowledge and capacity, knowledge and capacity, kids do not have problems kids do not have problems using the Internet using the Internet

2.2. Problems Problems associated associated to used to used laptopslaptops

Initial comptuers in the Initial comptuers in the project were used and project were used and presented constant presented constant problemsproblemsWhen they strated to fail, When they strated to fail, students became frustrated students became frustrated

44VideoVideo

““The Voices of El Silencio”The Voices of El Silencio”

5.5.Example of a Example of a

ProjectProject““The maps of the The maps of the

community”community”

Project on the Community: Project on the Community: Creation of a Community Creation of a Community

MapMapObjectives:Objectives: To learn more about the community through addressing To learn more about the community through addressing

powerful ideas in science, math, social studies powerful ideas in science, math, social studies To become familiar with new digital technologies To become familiar with new digital technologies

(including robotics)(including robotics) Learning outcomes:Learning outcomes: Kids explore the community. They observe and learn Kids explore the community. They observe and learn

about its characteristics about its characteristics They learn basic concepts about geomery and They learn basic concepts about geomery and

measuringmeasuring They acquire useful skills and compentencies They acquire useful skills and compentencies

(measuring)(measuring) They use 3D map tools and create community They use 3D map tools and create community

representation at scalerepresentation at scale

Project on the Project on the CommunityCommunity

Creation Creation of a community mapof a community map

Learning to use map Learning to use map and compassand compass

Creation of maps using Creation of maps using paper and pencilpaper and pencil

Discussion of strategies Discussion of strategies to approach the to approach the construction of maps construction of maps

Proyect on the Proyect on the Community Community

CreationCreation

of a digital mapof a digital map

Use of MicroWorlds to Use of MicroWorlds to create digital maps create digital maps based on group based on group discussions and on the discussions and on the initial initial

designdesign

Programming the maps Programming the maps makes it possible to makes it possible to address other learning address other learning elementselements

Project on the Project on the CommunityCommunity

Institutions in the Institutions in the CommunityCommunity

Institutions, mass Institutions, mass media, media, transportation and transportation and community activitiescommunity activities

Some students build Some students build quite sophisticated quite sophisticated representations of representations of the information the information gatheredgathered

Proyecto vinculado a la Proyecto vinculado a la Comunidad Comunidad Construction of a 3D Construction of a 3D

model model

Students measure the size of Students measure the size of the community by using a the community by using a movement sensor installed on movement sensor installed on a bicycle (robotics project)a bicycle (robotics project)

They were able to establish the They were able to establish the factor to build the 3D factor to build the 3D representation at scalerepresentation at scale

They measured their hones and They measured their hones and reproduced them at scale (200 reproduced them at scale (200 times smaller than their real times smaller than their real size)size)

They use that factor to build They use that factor to build roads and church alsoroads and church also

Project on the Project on the Community Community

Integrating Robotics

Students build an Students build an alarm system and an alarm system and an electronically electronically activated lighting activated lighting systemsystem

They also build a They also build a seismographer (they seismographer (they live near a volcano)live near a volcano)