$100 Laptop For Every Student

Last week, at the NECC, Nicholas Negroponte, an MIT professor, co-founder of the MIT Media Lab and creator of the "One Child Per Laptop" project presented a plan to distribute 150 million low cost laptop computers to students in developing countries. An EdWeek article explains that previous projects sought to distribute computers to teachers around the world, but the projects failed because students didn't have access. According to Negroponte computers should be used for learning, not teaching.

I wasn't at NECC so I didn't have the chance to hear Negroponte speak. But, I'm concerned with the vitality of this project if it focuses on learning and not teaching. In short the best educational programs require both teaching and learning. What are students across the world going to do with these computers if they are not taught how to use them effectively? Negroponte proudly points out that in previous projects where he distributed laptop computers to students in third world countries, the children's first English word was "google." Who cares?

I can easily imagine a student learning how to conduct a search on Google but having no idea how to analyze the information that comes up for truth and accuracy. For example, imagine if a student locates a website that looks authoritative and argues that the Holocaust never happened. What about a student who pulls up a website arguing that black people are closer in relation to apes because they share a color than white people? How would children develop the skills to critically examine this site? How does Negroponte and others who want to distribute laptops across the world think about this. I'm certainly not arguing that it's a bad idea to distribute laptop computers across the world. I'm simply asking how the funders of this project plan to teach kids and their teachers how to use these laptops effectively.

I certainly hope that in our race to distribute laptop computers across the world, we don't forget that there are many American schoolchildren who lack access to laptops. Too many Americans can't search Google when they want to answer a question. Who should get laptops first, Americans or others, if Americans are funding the program?

Finally, imagine the possibilities if people throughout the world not only had access to laptop computers but knew how to use them effectively? As knowledge and productivity increased, hunger and disease might decrease - certainly a worthwhile goal.

Just a thought!!