[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 13:08:45 EAT 2013

We agree on good teachers. What if there are no good teachers (available)?

What if many teachers in rural areas prefer to farm/trade during the day?

Many children will fall behind in their education, whether they have
e-readers or not.

With e-readers, some gifted children can learn a little on their own, while
we seek good teachers.

On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 12:47 PM, Warigia Bowman <warigia at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Muraya
>
> I think this is the point where you and I differ. I myself am a teacher.
> If there are no good teachers, find a good teacher. That is the priority.
> After they have a good teacher, we get an e-reader.
>
> It is cheaper, more cost effective and more efficient to have a human
> being teach 20 students, then to give a class of clueless children a
> laptop.
>
> In fact, I guess that 90 percent of the people on this list, including
> myself, did not have a computer growing up. I did not start using computers
> until my masters, yet, I am literate and can conduct multivariable
> calculus.
>
> Kind regards.
>
> Warigia
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 12:42 PM, S.M. Muraya <murigi.muraya at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> 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/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> kictanet mailing list
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> 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
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>>>>>
>>>>> 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
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> 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
> --------------------------------------------------
>
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