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

Mon Jun 17 16:23:04 EAT 2013

Wairigia,

All things are not linear, we cannot apply a time line to the development of a generation that is IT savvy.  For many years it was believed that mobile phones would only be appreciated by the middle class and above today many people pay more for airtime per month than on rent which means it has become a basic need.

The President has indirectly tasked us by his directive to find a way to implement a new approach to learning and we need to give our professional input to how this can be done and leave the politics to those who are experts in the field, ours should be to give direction on how it can be implemented.

The acquisition of 
basic computing skills by any set of children can be achieved through 
incidental learning provided the learners are given access to a suitable computing facility, with entertaining and motivating content and some minimal (human) guidance. -- 

Dr. Sugata Mitra, Chief Scientist at NIIT

This explains why India is an ICT giant and we are not.

Regards

https://www.google.com/search?q=hole+in+the+wall+experiment&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

________________________________
 From: Warigia Bowman <warigia at gmail.com>
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Friday, 14 June 2013, 9:49
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 5 : Ensuring Effective Implementation of the Laptop Project - The Key Variables (Day 5:Wrap up and Way Forward (Key declarations, what next)

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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-- 

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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