One Laptop Per Child News

Back many moons ago, Nicholas Negroponte had a crazy idea that became the One Laptop Per Child organization with this bold, even revolutionary mission:

OLPC is not at heart a technology program and the XO is not a product in any conventional sense of the word. We are non-profit: constructionism is our goal; XO is our means of getting there. It is a very cool, even revolutionary machine, and we are very proud of it. But we would also be delighted if someone built something better, and at a lower price.

Over time, the mission has changed, at least twice, or thrice. It seems we now have a fourth mission for One Laptop Per Child, as stated in its December press release:

One Laptop per Child is a non-profit organization created by Nicholas Negroponte and others from the MIT Media Lab to design, manufacture and distribute laptop computers that are inexpensive enough to provide every child in the world access to knowledge and modern forms of education.

But wait! We also have the choice of two more mission statements from the OLPC website. First, here's the mission from the vision page:

Mission Statement: To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.

Thankfully, that seems a bit more education focused than the press release description of OLPC. And its sure shorter than the mission statement on the actual mission page of the OLPC website:

OLPC's mission is to provide a means for learning, self-expression, and exploration to the nearly two billion children of the developing world with little or no access to education. While children are by nature eager for knowledge, many countries have insufficient resources to devote to education--sometimes less than $20 per year per child (compared to an average of $7,500 in the United States). By giving children their very own connected XO laptop, we are giving them a window to the outside world, access to vast amounts of information, a way to connect with each other, and a springboard into their future. And we're also helping these countries develop an essential resource - educated, empowered children.

So now we have at least two, if not three current mission statements, plus at least three previous mission statements. Which is telling. If you can't articulate a single, unified mission statement, and stick to it, how are you ever going to achieve it?

While talking with some Peace Corps Volunteers in Mongolia about all of the funny and interesting things we've done, we started to joke, "What if we earned merit badges like the Boy Scouts?" Like the time you took a 40 hour bus ride in the middle of January.

Or when you helped slaughter a horse. And of course, living in a felt yurt called a ger in arctic temperatures. These are the kinds of things that are special about Peace Corps service, and serving in Mongolia in particular. People thought the idea was great, so our two founders Travis and Ridge gathered some friends together and decided to make it a reality.

Peace Corps Merit Badges are a fun way for Volunteers to commemorate their service, support small business, and share their experiences with others. A Volunteer's collection of badges is a tangible reminder of their unique experiences while serving and the badges can be sewn onto backpacks, satchels, or sashes and felt wall hangings in the shape of Mongolia (both of which we will be offering soon).

When people see them, they are guaranteed to start some great conversations. Our wide array of badges are handmade by our friends who are embroiderers in the eastern steppe of Mongolia and they can be shipped around the world. PCMB is run by Volunteers, and all profits are donated to our artisans and local charities.

We do not represent any official positions of the Peace Corps, but we fully support its mission to work toward world peace and friendship between the United States and countries around the world.

Our newest merit badge is the One Laptop per Child badge. OLPC has a growing presence in Mongolia - to date 10,000 laptops have been sent here and Mongolia was the first country to benefit from the G1G1 program. OLPC is a fantastic education program that both children and Peace Corps Volunteers love.

Many PCVs worked with OLPC when it first started in Mongolia and have continued to help encourage the project in this rapidly developing country. The merit badge features the OLPC icon and is hand-sewn on Mongolian felt, the same material that has lined the inside of gers for generations and helps keep children's XO laptops warm when they are not at home (even though, as you know, the laptops can withstand the cold no problem).

One of our fellow Volunteers, Ryan, has worked a lot with OLPC and incorporates XO laptops into his English lessons. We asked Ryan to share with us his experience with OLPC, here is what he had to say:

"It may seem incongruous in a town without running water to see close to one hundred and fifty children toting laptops on their way to school, especially when those laptops are flamboyantly green and those children can barely peek out from layers of sweaters, jackets, hats and mittens that are meant to fend off the ensuing Mongolian winter. One Latop per Child chose the small town of Hatgal as a project site, however, so the scene has become common enough.

Unlike many schools in rural Mongolia, the secondary school that I work at has a fairly high number of computers that older students can use as part of the growing computer education program. Yet only through the efforts of OLPC can younger students begin to explore the world of computing. Even when the singular laptops prove difficult to incorporate into an established curriculum, 4th and 5th graders are given the opportunity to independently explore a range of programs that can be both fun and challenging.

So when they finally get into school and can take off their hats and scarves, you see that they're smiling."

We hope you enjoy the OLPC merit badge and share it with your friends and family. Peace Corps Merit Badges is all about helping our host country, sharing experiences and having fun and we would love for you to be a part of our project. Please visit our website, www.peacecorpsmeritbadges.com, to learn more and place an order for yourself or a friend anytime!

Patrick Olsen is Director of Communications for Peace Corps Merit Badges

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Consider Yuriy Gusev. Born in the Soviet Union in the midst of the cold war, Yuriy migrates to Cleveland, Ohio to now make violins for a living. Several years ago, he gets into a pretty bad car accident that leaves him bedridden for weeks during which, due to boredom and a desire to not waste time, he picks up what is called "Pixel Art."

"Pixel art is a form of digital art, created through the use of raster graphic software, where images are edited on the pixel level. Graphics in most old (or relatively limited) computer and video games, graphic calculator games and many mobile phone games are mostly pixel art".

Simply using a laptop and a graphic editing program called "Photoshop," Yuriy quickly acquaints himself with pixeling skills. Fast forward several years. He is now one of the best pixel artists in the world, commercially sought by many for his work. Look for yourself

Although it is a very basic form of digital art, it is still widely used in many games, web designs, as well as mobile softwares, establishing this as a viable art medium. Good pixel artists are still needed for development communities.

OLPC, having placed 1 million laptops in children's hands around the world, has opened a unique doorway for young artists to pick up and master such a skill as pixel art not only for creative expression, but also that which is marketable and profitable.

Many may argue as to why (or why not) OLPC is a success and continually discuss its consequent impact. However, at the end of the day, one fact remains and is most significant. There are now hundreds of thousands of children with XOs in their hand. Whatever the sentiment about the philosophy and operation of OLPC, 1 million laptops around the world provide an immense foundation and reason for developing such a useful tool as S.P.A.M.

S.P.A.M: Super Pixel Art Maker is geared specifically for the XO platform. With proper discipline, young users can produce professional level work simply utilizing XO and a copy of S.P.A.M. The goal of this pixel editor software is to be easy enough for kids to pick up and doodle, but be robust enough where serious users can make professional quality pixel art and animation that is commercially ready.

The above screenshot is a concept design of the Basic mode of S.P.A.M. The initial interface will consist of a minimal number of options with the familiar green color theme of the XO. The basic toolset is placed on the left hand side, icons illustrating the various functions of the toolset. A child will be able to draw immediately using the default canvas and a preset pencil from the start of the program.

The user can then switch to "Advanced Mode" where he will be able to access options more suitable for creating professional quality pixel art. The above screenshot displays the very different user interface of the "Advanced Mode." (All designs are subject to change).

Although the toolset on the left side is essentially the same, menu items are now available at the top of the screen that enable extra functions. The overall color palette of the interface is neutral grey in order to better facilitate the assessment of color tone, which may be hindered by the green palette of the basic mode. There is now an empty shelf with slots to store user selected tool sets. This mode also features a preview screen that shows 100% view of the image in progress. It also has a layer window, as well as, an animation frame editor at the bottom of the screen. More functions and tools will be available such as layer functions, export options, image filter options, etc. (All functions are subject to change).

Realistically speaking, if S.P.A.M could be used to help children in third world countries to develop real life skills (ie. pixel art skills), be inspired and encouraged by the possibilities it presents, than S.P.A.M would have achieved its purpose.

Two Concerns for the S.P.A.M project:

1. Creating initial interest in the product and drawing users to come back to build up their skills. This can be done by showcasing sample works and providing tutorials that feature master pixel artists from around the world. The sample works can be displayed in portfolio fashion which can be viewed by others, but more importantly by companies in need of pixel art related works. This will allow artists to be connected to the real world with real life possibilities of selling their work as a trade.
2. The lifespan of S.P.A.M.
   • The software itself must be planned and built with the intent of migrating to upcoming versions of XO. Supplemental add-ons and updates, including a map editor, a sound and animation editor, and maybe even a simple game engine that utilize assets made from S.P.A.M can lengthen the relevancy of S.P.A.M. (All future plans are subject to change).
   • In conjunction to developing S.P.A.M itself, a corresponding web community feature may be developed. Essentially, it will be like the Youtube of the pixel-art community. The user will have a personal page that also functions as a portfolio page. Pixel art/animation can be shared with classmates by forming class specific groups. and it could be shared all around the world. Simply put, the web community feature becomes the vehicle and 'social networking" medium for S.P.A.M ensuring a long lifespan of the software. (Feasibility of web community feature for XO is still being researched).

I am in the process of setting up a non-profit wing of my company that will focus on the development of projects helpful to communities through art education. S.P.A.M will be the first product to meet this goal.

The biggest obstacle we face in developing S.P.A.M is a common one: funding. We are currently pursuing several possible grant opportunities for the project. Please spread the word and stay tuned. We will keep you updated with our progress here on OLPC News.

By the way, Yuriy never had formal art training. Although he has amazing God-given talent, the only tool he had was his computer and a program to make his art. Could it be possible to replicate this pattern of success and skill in third world countries by giving children the proper tools? Many of them already have an XO in their hand. My greatest desire is to give them this formidable tool where they can learn to be the next Yuriy.

James is the Creative Director of Studio iGO, an entertainment development company. He is in the process of setting up a non-profit wing to develop S.P.A.M in full time basis.

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So, the XO-2 has moved from promise to hope to scrap, and has made way for a tablet-style, iPhoneiPad-like XO-3 (Read about the 3.0 model at Forbes and Engadget, with the now-in-production 1.5 and the in-planning 1.75 XOs, both using the current design but with faster processors. OLPC, and Nick Negroponte in particular, love to use conceptual designs to create excitement. This works great in normal, commercial development a few times. Once you miss a few targets, people react very negatively too it, even if you do finally release a product. Why do you think Apple pairs announcements with already-planned release schedules?

In designing for development, even more than commercial products, this is irresponsible. First off, this is and remains vaporware with a fictional price point, and will suffer the same fate as the now-scrapped XO-2, in a Duke Nukem Forever-style race to keep up with technology, going from an initial break-out success to a scramble to license other, shinier technology and heap on endless improvements:

In a sign that the XO-1.5 laptop is nearing reality, Quanta Computer has made filings with the FCC. While the filings themselves are pretty bland, just the label is visible, you can get more XO-1.5 details on the OLPC wiki, and watch this handy exploration of the XO-1 motherboard by Bernie Innocenti .

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Anyone interested in technology world-wide would have become aware of the announcement of the iPad tablet device this week. Coverage of it has been hard to ignore, and I know many many educators including myself have of course been very interested in its implications for education because of the success many have had in adapting the iPod touch for use in schools. But in this post I'd like to reflect a little on the other great mobile education movement of the last three years - that of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) 'children's machine'. While even the latest version 1.5 of the XO laptop they build and supply has tech that is getting a little behind, it does have at least three distinct advantages over the iPod/iPhone/iPad platform:

1. Designed for children - yep, rather than being a consumer or business device that crafty educators are able to integrate into educational settings, the XO was designed ground-up to be in students hands. I mean its bright green! When a student first sees one, they know already this is for them - and that means their use of it for learning starts at a unique place. This is a factor not to be underestimated.

Nicholas Negroponte is making the case that we should donate our XO's to OLPC - broken or unused - for redistribution in Haiti. Do you think that's wise? Shouldn't OLPC send new XO-1.5's to Haiti instead? Or are XO's even right for relief efforts? Is it now eclipsed by netbooks or iPads?

As I've said, I think XO laptops aren't right for relief efforts. Its not like XO's are easy to deploy, even when conditions are optimal. How does OLPC expect XO usage to flourish when schools are destroyed and teachers missing?

I believe OLPC should be empowering trusted and tested organizations like Waveplace Foundation, who have local capacity to incorporate XO laptops into existing and effective schools, not sending green OLPCorps volunteers to new, unproven sites.

Serene. Full-of-Life. Promising. Words to describe the community of Lubang, Mindoro. This small, and remote island is home to approximately 28,000 thousand people or Lubanguenos. It is also the birthplace of something special - the first OLPC and eKindling deployment in the Philippines. In partnership with former employees of the National Computer Center, the municipality of Lubang and OLPC Friends, eKindling is working towards bringing the transformative benefits of XO laptops and innovative learning practices to the children of Lubang Integrated School and Maligaya Elementary School. When all things are said and done, educators and students will use 100 XO laptops to enhance their learning.

Most children, and even adults on this island have little or no exposure to technologies. Internet was only made available two years ago. Yet, many still cannot access the internet due to high connectivity costs.

However, during eKindling's first assessment visit to the island, Tessa Yuvienco and I observed the massive potential and innate talents that each student and educator possessed despite the absence of learning technologies in the classroom. We knew that this will be amplified once we introduce the XO laptops into their learning experience.

Last night, everyone who participated in the Give One Get One donation program from One Laptop Per Child received an email from Nicholas Negroponte asking for broken or unused XO laptops for Haiti. Now I'm not sure what OLPC intends to do with our old XO's, but unless they're gonna donate all their collected XO's to Waveplace Foundation, it will be a waste. Why? Because Waveplace Foundation is doing Haiti rebuilding right.

I've always thought that Timothy Falconer had a good head on his shoulders when it came to OLPC - he's been smart to cut through the hype - but I was blown away when I watched these videos this morning. Waveplace, like OLE Nepal and Plan Ceibal Uruguay, has thankfully ignored most of 1CC"s suggestions and is implementing with local values first. Values like:

1. Pay Haitians a fair wage for real jobs in education
2. XO laptops are not a panacea - they are one part of an overall solution
3. Haitians helping Haitians on a dialy basis, not foreigners
4. All content must be local - Kreyol in Haiti's case

Better yet, watch these videos of Tim explaining Waveplace Foundation's Haiti response plan and you'll see real thought an planning on using XO's in Haiti: