Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations?

? 1. Introduction The OLPC Company was founded by philanthropist intellectual Nicholas Negroponte and developed its first prototype in 2005. Much of the technical staff originate from MITs Media Labs, where Negroponte is a professor and co-founder. The one laptop per child scheme has aroused much debate into the appropriateness and potential role of ICTs in educating the children of developing nations. The OLPC sees its mission as an educational programme not a cheap laptop program. There is much literature outlining the debates surrounding the OLPC mission. For example, what is more important, digital literacy where children should simply learn how to operate a computer, or ICTs integrated into learning to help children think about thinking (as OLPC would put it). Ideologically it shares much with the Freeplay foundation (http://www.freeplayfoundation.org/, accessed 20/2/2008), as it aims to provide a more flexible learning aid than previous textbooks and teachers approaches. The OLPC can therefore be seen to slot into the Millennium Development Goals for Universal Primary Education (MDG 2) and Gender Equality (MDG 3) whilst also enhancing ICT partnership (MDG 8: Target 18). Exterior to the MDGs the OLPC also panders to UNESCOs Education For All (EFA) program. OLPC has received a healthy level of criticism from academic, state and business arenas. Primary concerns are its appropriateness, which is highlighted in several of the articles below. Some believe that it is not a $150 laptop children need; it is basic infrastructure and spending on teachers and schools. There have also been numerous other concerns other than ideological ones. Some have complained about poor distribution and others of buggy software. Nonetheless the OLPC project provides an interesting and valid ideological stand point from which to view ICT4E. It of course was never intended to replace traditional education systems and much of the criticism placed on the project may be lacking a considered argument or have ulterior motives (Such as Microsoft and Intel). The ICT4E landscape is therefore anything but even, and I hope that the following annotated bibliography provides you with a comprehensive guide OLPCs place within it.

2.1 Web Sources

Global e-schools and communities initiative, http://www.gesci.org/, (accessed 11/3/2008) The global e-schools and communities initiative has a core belief that deploying and investing in ICTs in education will improve teaching and learning. There is much information on the problematic elements of ICT4E that have to be overcome and useful definitions of problematic terminology infrastructure and connectivity, whilst also being a good example of how one organisation plans to provide effective ICT4E, a concept which is academically contested. The GESCI outline 5 key areas that must be approached if work ICTs for education are to be successful. Policy Development Strategic Implementation Planning, ICTs in Teaching & Learning, Infrastructure & 1

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? Connectivity, and Monitoring & Evaluation. The site allows you to explore the various approaches to these with supporting case studies from Ghana, Bolivia, Rwanda, India and Namibia. One Laptop Per Child Official Site, http://laptop.org/ (accessed 20/2/2008) Laptop.org is the home of OLPC on the Internet and is a wealth of OLPC related material. The site is divided simply into four segments. Vision, Laptop, Participate and Children. Within these are sub-segments that cover a plethora of aspects. These are all extremely interesting and a prerequisite to understanding where OLPC is coming from as well as containing many useful links and stories. Mission encapsulates the OLPC vision whilst also outlining the influences and historical narrative of creator Nicholas Negropontes dream. Importantly in this section it states that the OLPC should not be considered as a Laptop project, but a children's machine designed for learning learning to allow children to think about thinking. Further reading through the software sections of the website will show you the true reason for the development of the concept of a cheap laptop merely as a n education facilitator, rather than a tool specifically ofr increasing connectivity or digital access (although it does perform these tasks). By nature it lacks the critical objectivity of other sites; however it still covers many of the main issues associated with its projects to successes and failures. Its new section is comprehensive and takes articles from several independent OLPC sites as well as more recognised new organisations. These perform a running critique of the project, which can be easily viewed from the site. Interestingly it also provides a section where the Code for Sugar (Linux derivative) system can be viewed and changed by anyone who believes they can improve the formula. UNDP, Millennium Development Goal X Goal http://www.undp.org/mdg/goalxgoal.shtml (accessed 20/2/2008) The XO project must be considered within the framework of contemporary development agendas and international agreements, such as the MDGs. The XO remit actually covers several goals as there is not yet a synthesised ICT4E goal (the MDGs were too elemental in their conception for this, and subsequently it is up to others to join up the dots). They are MDG 2, Achieving Universal Primary Education, MDG 8: target 18 In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications and MDG 3 Promote gender equality and empower women. This site is a useful source of information on the MDGs, their definition, projects and news. However some of the links are dead regarding ICTs as they are currently updating the site with WSIS material.

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? UNESCO, Education For All International cooperation, http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.phpURL_ID=46881&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html, (accessed 28/2/2008) UNESCO leads the global Education for All movement, aiming to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015 and is seen as their top priority. This is an educational goal the OLPC will inevitably go someway to help developing nations achieve. Although many of the benefits of the OLPC cannot be empirically measured, and they cannot physically put more children in school more of the time, they can help to ensure learning is taking place more of the time. The OLPC project can be said to aid the achievement of Goals 3 (Promote learning and life skills for young people and adults), 5 (Achieve gender parity by 2005, gender equality by 2015 ), and 6 (Improve the quality of education). The site provides a detailed break down of these goals which can be analysed by the researcher to visualise where the OLPC project will fit into a wider ideological scheme of contemporary development. World Bank Group, Millennium Development Goals http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/GMIS/home.do?siteId=2 (accessed 20/2/2008) Run by the World Bank, it provides basic facts; maps and data on the direction and progress of the MDGs. Tailored maps and charts can be created using the bank of socio-economic and political data, these would be useful for any presentation or study on the subject. Especially interesting are the charts and maps on which growth in Internet access and ownership of personal computers per 1000 people (MDG 8: Target 18) can be compared to education spending and accessibility to education (MDG 2 & 3). Latest figures available are from 2005. 2.3 Forums/ Blogs/ Wikis OLPC Official Wiki, http://wiki.laptop.org/, (accessed 7/3/2008) This is OLPCs wiki and is linked from their home site (http://laptop.org/), as it uses common wiki software it allows the community to edit it resulting in a common ownership of this site and the site states that the OLPC team are working on 5,437 pages over seventeen languages to improve accessability. OLPC has embraced new technological systems wholesale by using open source software and utilising the digital commons through wikis and forums in the creation of a self-sustaining, equitable, accountable and organic information loop. This constant product feedback through debate, discussion and demonstration has helped OLPC more effectively develop the XO, without so much need for expensive survey and product testing. This Wiki is kept by the OLPC and the CIO/technology community and (being a wiki) can be edited using the Discus and Edit tabs. It also contains useful video and textual information. Other interesting functions include information on the core principals of the OLPC project as being;

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? Child Ownership: I wear my XO like my pair of shoes. Low Ages: I have good XO shoes for a long walk. Saturation: A healthy education is a vaccination, it reaches everybody and protects from ignorance and intolerance. Connection: When we talk together we stay together. Free and Open Source: Give me a free and open environment and I will learn and teach with joy In summary the wiki is extremely useful if you wish to gather information on OLPC or offer your own oppinion, it is accessable due to the vast array of languages it is translated into and provides upto date and a range of information from different sources (from OLPC users in botht the developed and developing world) resulting in a wholistic picture of the OLPC. Dominux Consulting Blog, http://www.dominux.co.uk/index.php/category/uncategorized/ (accessed 11/3/2008) The Dominux consultancy blog has a broad remit, as most blogs do, taking in news and events hither and dither on the writers whim. However, it contains contemporary references to software updates and OLPC product tests and demonstrations. There are also some interesting commentaries on the XO operating system, sugar as well as other related news. Krsti, I (December 1, 2007) First OLPC deployment: now its real http://radian.org/notebook/first-deployment, (access 28/2/2008) Krstis OLPC knowledge comes from the front line where he is working with various ministries of education to implement the project in the field. This particular blog entry comes from the first days of the Uruguay project which became the first ever non-pilot deployment of the OLPC/XO machines to school children. His insights on the everyday issues of the OLPC project are phenomenal. He writes about how it was imperative to overcome the problem of laptop theft in countries where the value of the XO was twice per capita incomes and also about the distribution systems. There are many fascinating photos and quality insights to the OLPC project from an insiders perspective available throughout the blog. Official OLPC Community Support Forum, http://en.forum.laptop.org/, (accessed 7/3/2008) This is the Official OLPC Community Support Forum. The forum allows discussion which can reveal some eye opening narratives revolving around the contemporary technical challenges and ideology of the OLPC community. The Open Discussion forum allows interesting questions such as what about the rich? (A question regarding allowing the rich to reduce the price for developing by increasing demand) and technical forums. These are used by the OLPC to target bugs and faults, whilst acting as a product development forum to make laptops more not only more reliable for those in developing countries but more usable. In summary, an insightful look at the OLPC community, which neatly highlights OLPCs interactive approach where you will be able to find comments from users around the developing world too!

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? Ou, G., 30/1/2008, Painful lesson in OLPC mesh networking for Mongolians http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=981, (access 13/3/2008) ZDNET is a useful collation of blog entries on the OLPC; however Ou, G., provides a specifically interesting article. This article draws on OLPC reports that densities in Mongolia have been proving problematic for mesh networking capabilities. In fact they have realised that mesh networking will require a conventional wired backbone if the density becomes too much. The site provides a useful technical critique of the OLPC mesh networking abilities and its ability to provided reliable technology to marginal people. Most of the criticism is aimed at the design of the XO to carry on working as a router even whilst it is switched off. This adds to the body of informed CIO community knowledge that adds much flesh to the bones of the OLPC R & D project. Vota, W., (March 10, 2008), This is The End My Friend: Negroponte Says XP on XO in 60 Days, http://www.olpcnews.com/software/windows/xp_on_the_xo_in_60_days.html (accessed 10/3/2008) One Laptop Per Child News is an independent website, written by webmasters passionate about the ideology of the XO laptop and loyal to the OLPC mission statement that children will be taught to learn learning not IT skills. The website is one of the most active OLPC Blogs/ Forums seen on the web and runs an order tracking service for donors of the give one, get one programme. The site also runs a Q&A, technical support forum, has a video section and provides an update on current OLPC affairs (currently there is not much positive news). One good example of this sour news is that it has been announced that the XO will run XP. This is considered anathema to many XO die-hards such as Vota, who like many that post on the site is a staunch ideological purist of the OLPCs identity as something more than just a laptop project. This article provides a critique of XPs introduction on to the XO. It also seems that the site and its forums act as a digital common across which software developers, enthusiasts and users can share knowledge freely which is an extremely important element in forming new product developments, fixing faults and bugs and providing feedback on quality and reliability. This kind of site therefore acts to support the OLPC project from the technological grass root, making it very import practically as well as an excellent source of information. Wiki Commons, One Laptop Per Child http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child (accessed Separate from the official OLPC community Wiki this small page provides JPEG images of many of the physical aspects of OLPCs operation. These range from charting the development of the initial prototypes to the current generation of XO, to the logistics of distribution and photos from the field where XO laptops are operating to educate children. THIS IS PURELY AN IMAGE RESOURCE, it unfortunately does not provide much other than a skeletal supporting text. 2.4 Video

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? CASE STUDY Tech2 (Feb 20th 2008), Village Kids Show Off Their XO Laptops http://www.tech2.com/india/videos/tech-talk/village-kids-show-off-their-xolaptops/28901 (access 1/3/2008) Tech 2.0 visits Khairat village in Maharashtra where a Reliance Communications pilot project with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation is being run in the primary school. Here, ICT for learning is being put into practice as the teacher does not only instruct the children to use the laptops but also allows them to participate in group learning (facilitated through the XO). The children can reply to his questions over the machines and group exercises are done that teach children basic logic and build cognitive abilities. The teacher was chosen as he was relatively computer literate, progressive and enthusiastic but even he says the OLPC has made him more computer literate too. The video seems to provide evidence for the OLPC not only providing an educational learn learning role, but also building basic ICT literacy as well even though there are no office aids or traditional applications present. Donor experiences of usability are very interesting, most finding it incredibly robust however some have problems with the WiFi Antenna becoming snapped and rendering mesh networking unworkable. However, this video paints a very rosy picture for the XO, which could be thought of as a best case scenario. Videos of the One Laptop Per Child, Mary Lou Jepsens keynote speech at Greener Gadgets 2008, (1/3/2008) http://olpc.tv/ (accessed 10/3/2008) Olpc.tv has been created to provide a video library on various different topics related to the olpc project. At the time of writing there are currently 303 videos accessible through the site. They range from videos of conference speeches, to trade fair demos, from media reports in the field to interviews with both big voices and little voices in the IT world. The videos on the site come from a range of sources, but most have been created by the sites web master (Charbax) and nicely demonstrate the grass roots support and fascination for the project whilst also exploring its strengths and weaknesses. The video of Jepsens speech at Green Gadgets shows her highlighting the XOs innovative technology developments and explaining how, where and when they are being rolled out in the developing world, and what effect they are having. She also fields some interesting questions from the audience regarding other uses for XO technology and OLPCs ideology. Posted by laquiloco (August 03, 2007), Parto de una vaca http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzBTGGVWNg (accessed 28/2/2008) The video posted to the audiovisual sharing site You Tube is remarkable not for the miracle of birth it documents, but the miracle of how it was captured. It was captured by a child in South America, using the digital integrated camera and Dam Dam software on the laptop. Not only does it show the quality of the Laptops camera, it also shows that the system is really being accepted by children into their lives outside of school, which goes part way to vindicating OXs design strategy which required the systems to be rugged, interesting and usable outside of the classroom, where children spend most of their time. It also proves that a new dynamic can be bought to a traditional conceptshow and tell. 6

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? 3. Books Baskaran, A and Muchie, M., (2006) Bridging the digital divide: innovation systems for ICT in Brazil, China, India, Thailand and Southern Africa, Adonis & Abbey, London Baskaran and Muchies work is much a contemporary continuation of the ideas originally compiled by Castells in 2000. This text specifically focuses around the uneven geography of digital technology provision between the developed and developing world. This is an interesting comparative work of case studies from the major developing continents. Baskaran considers the bridging of the digital divide essential if Africa, Asia (+Indian Subcontinent) and South America are to become developed. Without it they state that developing countries will remain marginalized from revenue earning streams, and considers connectivity infrastructure as important as providing physical infrastructure such as roads and railways. Obtaining their own digital franchise, it is said, will allow a more efficient development of capital whilst allowing them access to higher socio-economic development and a seat at the table of new global economic development. Both Baskaran and Castells works provide a conceptual framework within which the OLPC project must be considered. Battro. A. M ., Digital skills, globalisation and Education in Surez Orozco, M., Qin Hilliard, D. (eds) (2004) Globalization: Culture and Education in the New Millennium, University of California Press Antonio Battro is another influential figure at the OLPC and his writings on ICT and education are based on his view that education is entering a new historical era. He sees the task of educating millions of children and adults as being scale sensitive and this can be seen to have influenced the bottom up approach to the XO project he has had a large hand in directing. He goes on to explore the links between computing and human development, proving that computing has existed in education and life on all continents long before the so called information revolution. He also recognises the need for digital skills (read digital literacy) which shows through in the basic conception of the XO. However, he states that ICTs must be for something and that ICT for ICTs sake is not helpful. This is a useful source if you wish to analyse the theoretical background and ideological roots to the progressive OLPC concept. Castells, M., (2000) The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture: The Rise of the Network Society (2nd ed.) Blackwell Publishing, Oxford The work of Manuel Castells has been particularly influential in defining and exploring the global inter-relationships between individuals, communities, states and businesses in the Information Age. His work does much to support the ideological framework within which ICT4E must be considered. He argues, in this huge second tablet of three, that ICTs are leading to a world that increasingly relies on advanced technologies for communications and recognises that computer mediated communication is diffusing around the worldwith an extremely uneven geography (Castells, 2000, pp. 428). However, when speaking of technologies in education he realises that quality of education comes from face-to-face interaction, and are thus paradoxically the institutions least affected by the virtual logic embedded in 7

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? information technology. He states that e-learning will never replace traditional schooling, but it is important that e-learning supplements traditional teaching. His arguments, although not pertaining to e-learning specifically, set the scene and allow us to consider the importance of ICT interactions in the modern world, largely giving us the information we need as development geographers to consider for ourselves the contemporary relevance of ICT4E. Overall a lengthy but essential read. Negroponte, N., (1995) Being Digital, Hodder and Stoughton , London In this popular work, translated into more than 20 languages OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte highlights his vision for a technological utopian future where the interactive, entertainment and information worlds would be synthesised by technology. As is a common theme through out much of his writing, (e.g. his column in Wired Magazine) he states that the media that we currently use (as of 1995) are formed of unwieldy atoms which will be replaced with digital equivalents. The book acts as interesting background reading for topics on the OLPC as it explores the vision of Negroponte in great depth; using case studies of several digital media inventions he has had a hand in. The same criticisms that have been laid on the OLPC have also been assigned to this book. Primarily that it works on a techno-utopian idea as it does not take into account the social, historical and cultural context within which new technologies must be viewed. 4. Journals Brooks, S, Donovan, P., Rumble, C., (2005) Developing Nations, the Digital Divide and Research Databases, Serials Review, December 2005, Vol. 31, Issue 4, Pages 270-278 This paper critically tracks the academic constructions of the digital divide and a critique of the modes (successful and unsuccessful) of providing useful ICT access in developing nations. Although the main topic of the paper is not directly related to the OLPC or the MDGs, it highlights the greater good involved in educating marginalized people in ICT. It like many of the other sources looks at the importance of improving community connectivity and access to ICT training to aid e-literacy, its introductory pages are most useful. Clark, R., (2008) Jumping the divide with OLPCTelecom Asia, Jan 2008, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p38-38 The article discusses the author's sentiments about Professor Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. He emphasizes that this project is liable to provoke comments about the sense of introducing OLPC. He says that the biggest challenge for OLPC is to overcome the inertia in education thinking (in teachers as well as states). He highlights the common anti OLPC statement made by a Nigerian education minister: "What is the sense of introducing One Laptop per Child when they don't have seats to sit down and learn; when they don't have uniforms to go to school in, where they don't have facilities?. He rails against this ill judged resistance to the OLPC, saying that many just dont agree with the terms and would prefer easier

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? and less radical ideas from Microsoft and Intel, who tackle ICT4E in a very different way. He also mentions the impact of the project on children in developing countries. Czerniewicz, L and Brown, C (2005), Access to ICT for teaching and learning: From single artefact to interrelated resources, International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 2005, Vol. 1, Issue 2, pp. 42-56 Although this studys main purpose is to look at and use primary research regarding Higher Education in South Africa, it covers many of the cutting edge debates about ICT4E in developing countries as a whole. Czerniewicz and Brown, writing in the IJEDICT provide a fresh look at ICT4E after a rethink of concepts of access and social inclusion, whilst also importantly questioning the ability of ICTs to provide effective learning in different contexts. In the past few years, concepts of the digital divide and theories of access to ICT have evolved beyond a focus on the separation of the 'haves' and the 'have nots' to include more than just physical access to computers (Czerniewicz, 2006). A well referenced useful source, which will allow you to experience the thoughts of key thinkers on the subject. Hamm, S (2007) Meet Sugar, the face of the $100 laptop and a quantum leap in design Business Week; 3/12/2007 Issue 4025, special section p26-27, 2p, 2c This is a piece about the sugar operating software from Business Week. If you are unfamiliar with its design logic this resource demonstrates how it fits with the OLPC education mission. Interesting snippets of knowledge such as The product interface is designed with icons that represent a village abound in this short but enlightening article. The article best serves as a basic introduction to the XO operating system and its built in educational packages. Rapoza, J., (2007) eWeek, 11/12/2007, Vol. 24 Issue 35, p64-64 In this short article author Rapoza reflects on the criticism of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. He argues that the criticism regarding to the failure of the OLPC to hit its $100 goal does not make sense. But reaching the prices of OLPC and XO laptops to $200 is a great achievement. Although this article is short it provides adept counter arguments to detractors in the ICT4E community who are unreasonable in their criticism of the XO project. Unwin, T., (2004) ICT & Education in Africa: Partnership, Practice & Knowledge Sharing Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 31, No. 99, ICTs 'Virtual Colonisation' & Political Economy 2004-03 pp. 150-160 http://www.jstor.org/view/03056244/ap070095/07a00150/3? frame=noframe&userID=86dbca68@rhbnc.ac.uk/01c0a8346c00501c13aa2&dpi=3&c onfig=jstor In this article Unwin outlines the fundamental issues involved in providing ICT4E, through his extensive experience with the Imfundo project and DFID. Unwin makes some noteworthy basic pertinent preliminary observations based upon the Inception Report (DFID, 2001a). He also highlights nine action points for developing countries 9

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? in the information revolution that were taken forward to the G8. Among which were several OLPC relevant recommendations. 2) access should be increased through community access and improved network connectivity 3) skills for the information economy should be developed through support for technical training and e-literacy (Unwin, 2004, pp. 153). The article also provides an invaluable evaluation of the problems associated with the introduction of ICT for education in Africa (pp. 154), a major target area of the OLPC. Careful reading of this article is recommended as it is an invaluable source of research and guidance on ICT4E. It therefore provides the tools to allow a measured approach to evaluating any OLPC project. Watson, D., (2001) Pedagogy before Technology: Re-thinking the Relationship between ICT and Teaching, December 2001, Volume 6, Number 4 pp. 251-266 (access 1/3/2008). This paper addresses a conundrum: despite the ubiquity of technology in the business world, no clear role has emerged in education. After many years of national policies and investment in Information Technologies in the UK and elsewhere, technology is still an imposed and novel 'outsider' in the pedagogy of schools. This paper charts a series of experiences and failures in the UK, and highlights the unresolved dichotomy of purpose about why Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should be used in education. Understanding the problematic of using Information Technologies demands a consideration of some more fundamental educational issues. ICT is often perceived as a catalyst for change, change in teaching style, change in learning approaches, and change in access to information. Yet the rhetoric for change has been too associated with the symbolic function of technology in society, which sits uncomfortably with teachers' professional judgements. So educational computing, it would appear, has yet to find its own voice. This paper explores this notion. Although this paper is now seven years old and uses UK case studies it importantly critiques the usefulness of ICTs in educational thinking and their pedagogic abilities. These arguments apply to education wherever it may be, however as other articles point out (i.e. Unwin (2004)) there added issues associated with applying ICTs to developing nations. Press Articles BBC Technology News, 23/7/2007, OLPC Fact-file, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6679431.stm (access22/2/1008) This BBC technology feature fact file has a vast inventory of OLPC related news, videos and articles. The click-able XO fact file is a particularly useful introduction to the technical design of the XO laptop if you are unfamiliar with its revolutionary format caused by some quite out of the box thinking of designer Mary Lou Jepsen and the XO team. Videos serve to highlight the ergonomic and technical features of the system (e.g. water/sand proof keyboard, a crank-able power source for areas with no electrical provision and a screen that works outside and without power) whilst an interactive (flash) diagram visually demonstrates the XOs mesh networking system (see bottom of page). The fact file is also a compilation of articles on the OLPC programme and provides a useful narrative on the OLPC from conception to the successes and problematic 10

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? nature of the operation of the charitable body. Interesting articles such as Portables to Power PC Industry (to be found under the link in the right hand table entitled Impacts and Glimpsing Nigerias digital lifeline are must reads also. CASE STUDY Fildes, J., (28/11/2007) BBC Technology News, Glimpsing Nigerias digital lifeline http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/ 7115348.stm (access on 10/3/2008) This article case studies the introduction of the OLPC project to Nigeria. It outlines childrens reactions to the machines and how they are being integrated into their education with lots of supporting anecdotal evidence. The article is rich in detail about the impacts of the machine, inside and outside of school, and its usability. Interestingly it also goes into some detail about how the mesh network hub is powered in the rural area and reinforces the view that Although there are no numbers that show what effect, if any, the laptops have had, the teachers remain convinced of their worth. However, it is also contains nicely weighted with constructive criticisms Gizmodo (OLPC), http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/olpc/ (accessed 10/3/2008) This is a useful up to date and fully edited technology site that provides news and features that are more technology orientated, tailored to techy followers of the OLPC as a product for western technology consumers. However, it does provide interesting short articles regarding OLPC politics on which you can post comments if you wish. This interactivity gives an otherwise marginally useful site another dimension, by allowing people to post their own experiences of the XO, all be it not in a development centric format. Markoff, J., 2006, For $150, Third-World Laptop Stirs Big Debate, New York Times, (30/11/3006) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/technology/30laptop.html? _r=1&oref=slogin (accessed 11/3/2008) This article in the New York Times serves to highlight in some detail OLPCs ideological conception, its technological background and current successes and failures. It contains a healthy dose of critical anecdotes from people such as Bill Gates who, initially critical of the project stating that it OLPC and ICT4E more broadly is just taking what we do in the rich world and assuming that that is something good for the developing world, too. Of Negroponte one commentator sates He has spent his whole career being accused of being all icing and no cake. It would seem that the evidence from the other sources show us that the OLPC project has not yet proved his doubters wrong. Overall this is a useful source with links to more up to date articles. Malik, O., (2007), The Unintended Consequences of OLPC (26/11/2007) http://gigaom.com/2007/11/26/cloud-client-computers/ (accessed 4/2/2008) Gigaom is an online technical publication and this article by Om Malik looks at a business/politics aspect of the OLPC project. Such as competition from other laptop projects such as Intels class mate. It compares the internet searches of the OLPC and its competitors whilst concluding that Intels advances could ultimately aid OLPC 11

Tom Banks ICT4D Annotated Bibliography One Laptop Per Child A false horizon for education in developing nations? causes. However it does not demonstrate whether these are purely technological advances or those that stem from a widening of computing access in the developing world. The article also highlights how many commentators have become disconnected from the original OLPC mission, and too focused on the gadgetry and business politics involved. Mendoza, M., (February 3rd 2006), Cheapo Laptops dont quite cut it, Indianapolis Star http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20080203/BUSINESS/802030337/1003/BUSINESS An Associated Press article (US) highlighting the limited use of OLPC outside of developing nations, stating that the lacklustre performance and numerous infuriating bugs of the machines limit it appeal to high-tech kids in the US. This kid of media commentary does little to help the reputation of the XO, as many expect it to perform like a powerful consumer machine, forgetting it runs on 10% of the power. This article serves to highlight some quality concerns, but more so to expose the weight of ridiculous criticisms of the XO.

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