OLPC’s $100 laptop was going to change the world

Re:OLPC’s $100 laptop was going to change the world by dingo_bat on Monday April 16, 2018 @02:02PM (#16851215)

Of course technology can make learning better. I'm pretty sure smart boards would help your average American classroom. But the target for OLPC was Africa, where the classroom itself may not exist. If there is a classroom, maybe there isn't a simple black board. If that's there, maybe the students don't have stationery. Maybe they have to share a book between 50 students.

In this context, a laptop is as useless as a paper weight. They need basic stuff like books, pens, decent lunches, desks to write on etc.

I'm sorry but having your "heart in the right place" doesn't cut it. They wasted money on useless crap that could have been spent on far more useful stuff.

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Re:OLPC’s $100 laptop was going to change the world by bluGill on Tuesday April 17, 2018 @03:12PM (#16861365)

There are specific needs that need to be met first. A kid who lacks the basics will not get anything from education. However most kids have the basics, the question is how to get them more.

To my mind OLPC is a success if .01% of the kids who get one learn something important. That OLPC can make thousands of books available is useful: it lets the kid who digs in learn something that their village needs has never done before.

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