[kictanet] Day 5 : Ensuring Effective Implementation of the Laptop Project - The Key Variables (Day 5:Wrap up and Way Forward (Key declarations, what next)

Fri Jun 14 12:42:20 EAT 2013

My view, is the children should get *rugged* e-readers.

http://gigaom.com/2012/04/27/worldreader-kids-e-readers-kindles/

Yesterday, the 2013/2014 .KE Budget mentioned allocations for building labs
in primary schools.

Some of our children in rural areas will gain more from e-learning than
they will from their teachers.

This does not exclude the need for good teachers, but in some places, there
are no good teachers.

:)

On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 11:56 AM, Warigia Bowman <warigia at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Muraya
>
> I simply am saying, that we must prioritize electricity supply and decent
> classrooms. I am not opposed to laptops in classrooms per se, but I think
> they are a gimmick, if we do not ensure that students are getting an
> excellent analog education first.
>
> I like the lab idea.
>
> I like involving country governments and NEMA in waste disposal.
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 11:52 AM, S.M. Muraya <murigi.muraya at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Ms.Warigia,
>>
>> Should we limit the devices (not necessarily laptops) only to areas with
>> good electricity supply + decent classrooms?
>>
>> Very few decent libraries exist in Kenya after books are vandalized and
>> not replaced. Maybe why we could do with e-readers.
>>
>> Every school should have a lab/workshop or volunteers to assist with
>> repairs. Laptop or tablet maintenance, should earn IT college students
>> credits in their programs.
>>
>> Electronic waste disposal, should involve county governments and NEMA for
>> (well specified) direction.
>> On Jun 14, 2013 10:07 AM, "Warigia Bowman" <warigia at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> For the laptop program to truly be effective, we must ensure first, that
>>> all primary school supplements are disbursed by the government in a timely
>>> manner, so that children can start learning, irrespective of socio-economic
>>> status.
>>>
>>> Let me reiterate my concern that until we get the basics right, laptops
>>> wont improve matters.
>>>
>>> Second, we must ensure that students are learning in appropriate
>>> surroundings. Are buildings present, clean and safe? Is some kind of
>>> rudimentary library available?
>>>
>>> Third, we must ensure that teacher training is at adequate levels in
>>> basic topics.
>>>
>>> Fourth, without electricity, all of this laptop mania is pointless. Are
>>> steady streams of electricity available at implementation sites?
>>>
>>> Fifth, is Internet freely available at implementation sites? Who is
>>> paying for the Internet?
>>>
>>> Sixth, is there a clear curriculum?
>>>
>>> Seventh, are teachers and students being trained on the proper care, and
>>> maintenance of equipment?
>>>
>>> Finally, is there an environmentally appropriate means of disposal,
>>> refurbishment, and recycling when laptops reach the end of their life
>>> cycle.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 9:27 AM, Victor Gathara <vgathara at vimak.co.ke>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Barack,
>>>>
>>>> I think its fair to say that most IT projects that fail really do so as
>>>> a result of project management failure so a strong project (or programme?)
>>>> management function needs to be built into this project.
>>>>
>>>> As an example there is the question of quality assurance. How will we
>>>> ensure that the project delivers a quality 'product'? Also how will success
>>>> (or failure) of the project will be measured? I think its important that an
>>>> objective quality assessment be done at regular points in the project
>>>> life-cycle to monitor progress and introduce changes if required.
>>>>
>>>> If it is rolled out as a project then it really must have an end (when
>>>> the project closed down and hands over to the operational regime where
>>>> laptops are just as essential in classroom as textbooks)...It would be
>>>> important to work out what that regime would be...
>>>>
>>>> Victor
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 13 June 2013 23:46, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Listers,
>>>>>
>>>>> Many thanks to all who have contributed to this weeks discussion the
>>>>> threads are still open, today we discuss any issues that are significant to
>>>>> the project and that may have been overlooked, the discussion is open.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Best Regards
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Barrack O. Otieno
>>>>> +254721325277
>>>>> +254-20-2498789
>>>>> Skype: barrack.otieno
>>>>> http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>>
>>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/vgathara%40vimak.co.ke
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder
>>>>> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy
>>>>> and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>>>>
>>>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>>>>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>>>>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>
>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/warigia%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>>>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>>>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>>>
>>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>>>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>>>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dr. Warigia Bowman
>>> Assistant Professor
>>> Clinton School of Public Service
>>> University of Arkansas
>>> wbowman at clintonschool.uasys.edu
>>> -------------------------------------------------
>>> View my research on my SSRN Author page:
>>> http://ssrn.com/author=1479660
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> kictanet mailing list
>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>
>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/murigi.muraya%40gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>>
>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Dr. Warigia Bowman
> Assistant Professor
> Clinton School of Public Service
> University of Arkansas
> wbowman at clintonschool.uasys.edu
> -------------------------------------------------
> View my research on my SSRN Author page:
> http://ssrn.com/author=1479660
> --------------------------------------------------
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20130614/b9f582e8/attachment.htm>