Going to School Tomorrow.
We use tools to change our world. We now realise that the tools are changing us!
We say [Learners Web, 'We think therefore we exist', <NB> 10.] that learning leads to thinking and thinking leads to learning. So, learning and thinking intertwine. One twists around and strengthens another.
Our tools and our lives also intertwine (in Buddhism 'co-arise', in mathematics 'co-routine'). Like fibre strands in a rope, twist around and add strength to others, so that the strength of the rope is much more than the 'sum of individual strands'.
Therefore, adding tools for learning (hence also for thinking) can enhance the ways we learn (and think).
We say adding more senses [Learners Web, 'We want more Common Senses'], can help us learn better. Modern computers are fitted with a camera to see, a microphone to hear, a speaker to speak,... Clearly, they are 'senses' if we make use of them so.
Current computer-for-children situation in Thailand:
Most computers are Windows based, few are Linux based or Mac OS based; there are some (dream-school) labs for resources sharing; most children cannot afford PC or only have older PC and some with pirated software; access to computer and related technologies divides school education into the have and have-not (or urban and rural), made worse by economic (rich and poor) division that is growing wider; Thai lanuguage processing proves difficult and slow; English (as a second language) is not developed adequately among children; infrastructures such as telecommunication links, school software repositories, Thai encoding and standards, and so on are still inadequate;...
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project[1]: aims to deliver to all children, each a 'low power' laptop (some critics say 'toy') loaded with educational software ready for exploration in primary school classes, connection to friends and the Internet. All that for USD100.
OLPC in Thailand[2]: As at 31 พ.ค. 2009, some small scaled and isolated trials (see <wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Thailand/>, <groups.google.com/group/olpc-thailand> ...This collaborative website is about OLPC Activities in Thailand. Information about OLPC in Thai language ข่าวสารเกี่ยวกับ OLPC เป็นภาษาไทย...
Thai language is a core requirement in learning. Thai language encoding and display pose many difficulties for operating systems and text processing software. Thai Internet connection services are improving but are limited to urban centres, most rural areas are still in the dark.
If we are serious about preparing our next generation for the next world crises (financial, population growth, climate change, limited and diminishing resources (land, water, food, pollinators and fuel), massive wastes and waste induced ecological changes, crimes and terrorisms, ...), we would need to consider equipping children with information tools so that they can develop skills to save their world and our-older-selves.
Our investment in computers for children could be offset in many ways: replacing printed textbooks with e-books and e-libraries; (trees) paper with e-mail and text messages; many audio-visual and game devices with just one; costs of commuting to school (and work) can be reduced by remote classroom (office) and remote learning...
What should our children be equipped with? We have to talk about this more. But let us start with a futuristic device - the tablet (see Appendix A). If we adopt One Tablet for Learner (OT4L), we can cut education cost for learners and providers, standardise skill assessment across the board and help Thailand to respond to world changes better and quicker.
<Appendix A> What should a tablet look like?
A (computer) tablet is a battery-operated small device looking like an old fashion slate (กระดานชนวน) or a tablet (ศิลาจารึก). Several tablets (iPad, and many Android based tablets) are selling (for $100-600). In July 2010, "the Indian government unveiled a working prototype of a 18cm tablet that will initially sell for $35."
What children want from a computer:
In March 2007, twenty B2-2 XO (OLPC) machines were given to a school in Baan Samkha, Lampang to try out. The website
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Thailand/Ban_Samkha/trial-200705: lists
'Desired Features' [complied from an interview with the students and a teacher on Sep 29, 2007]:
* A Spreadsheet. One of the most engaging project that has involved both students and parents is the family accounting initiative. For six years, many families have recorded their income and expenses in order to better manage their spendings. It was originally done using a simple balance card written on paper. Later, many had switched to Excel (via desktop PCs at the school's computer lab and the help of their children). It was a case where the benefits of technology was clear and well appreciated. Thus, having a spreadsheet on the XO has been one of the most widely requested feature from the parents. Being able to do their accounting at home through the help of their children is extremely attractive.
* A wider range of musical notes accessible through the keyboard. The XO band has been limited by Tam-Tam's small number of playable keys. The students want to play musical scores that have a broader pitch levels.
* Louder Speakers. The maximum volume is not loud enough for the students (particularly for the XO band.)
* An IM Client. Students would like to chat with each other and with other people who do not necessarily use an XO.
* Customizing the Background Image. Some students want to change the background picture. In addition to making the laptop more visually pleasing, customizing the background would help them better identify their laptop.
*** External (USB) plug-in devices such as DVD-player, TV-radio tuner, HD camera, interface board, and so on can extend the tablet's capability. ***
OT4L specifications:
:: 'one' Specifications and Standards Review Committee
- to set up and coordinate taskforces for drawing up standards, and
- to integrate specifications and standards into one integrated set.
:: for input, output (and display) and communication devices
:: for "one" standard Thai character (and Thai word[3]) encoding
:: for network and Internet services
:: standards (including safety) for batteries, chargers and charging stations
:: for durability and upgradability[4] to ensure longer-term benefits
***Note that these are 'not' necessary specifications for 'new' computers.***
Broadband Networks:
:: computers can be linked up to provide more computing power than the sum of computers in isolation. Wired connections may be inconvinient and costly (due to higher price of conducting metals). Wireless connections into rural areas are better served with 3G or later technologies. Satellites, antennas, towers, ...
School Links and Linked School Supercomputers:
:: There are several ways to provide schools with network hubs for children to link in and up into networks once the communication backbone is implemented. Schools with server computers can link into clusters or grids or clouds of 'suplercomputers' and all can share repositories of data, software, devices, skills and experiences. These learners webs would be catalysts for change: new jobs, new economies, innovations, social activities,...
Thin clients: mobile phone/tablet/laptop/desktop/... to servers.
:: There are technologies (VNC, NX/FreeNX, RDP, cloud computing) that allow small and low power computing devices (called thin clients) to link with and use the high power of participating servers and supercomputers.
<Note 1> One Laptop Per Child website: < http://laptop.org/ >
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.
<Note 2> Thailand OLPC appeared on the frontpage of newspapers in 2547 BE. The government at the time announced interest in the UDS100 laptop. The need to incoporate Thai text capability had no (publicly documented) answer.
Supat Faarungsang of Department of Animal Sciences, Kasetsart University Kamphaengsaen Campus, had submitted his SSS/OLPC work to the First World Cups of Computer Implemented Invention in Taipei 2007. But documented details are scratchy.
Many Linux distributions (Debian/Ubuntu/Mint, Fedora, Slackware,...) are based on Linux 2.6.x kernel which adopts (UTF-8) unicode character handling within the kernel, and allows Thai or any mixed languages text and file/object names, basic Thai word processing and Internet browsing. However there are still a number of issues to be resolved (for example see Note 3).
<Note 3> Thai vowels can be written after the word's consonant (eg. กะ กา); under the consonant (eg. กุ กู); before the consonant (eg. เก ใย); and around the consonant (eg. เกาะ เกลือ). Thai words may contain short sound duration control characters (eg. ก็ โฮะ) and pitch control characters (eg. ่ ้ ๊ ๋) though usually placed over the consonant or the vowel character over the consonant (eg, เก่า เขี่ย). This encoding of physical Thai characters makes it difficult to encode many Thai words logically (eg. we spell logically ก เอา เกา and ก เอา่ เก่า but we type or encode them by physical characters เ ก า and เ ก ่ า ). This causes other complications in indexing and arranging words in lexicographic (dictionary) order; in searching the Internet; and generally reading and writing Thai text.
The common Thai writing style puts words in a stream without word break or gap (eg. space or white space) between words, and (no) punctuation marks between phrases and sentences. This makes 'computer' word processing of Thai text more costly and slow.
Adoption of foreign words into Thai language has added many more 'exceptions' to already confusing rules of grammar with many different modifications in semantics (ความหมาย), pronunciation (การออกเสียง) and in writing (การเขียน). For examples: วัชพืช comes from Pali or Sanskrit 'vaja' (วะ ชะ/วัดชึ cow pen/enclosure) and 'biija' (บี ชะ/บีดชึ seeds, from seeds); อิเลคทรอนิกส์ for both electronics (noun) and electronic (noun or adjective); compare จราจร (from Pali 'cara+cara' = go and go) and จลาจล (from Pali 'cala+cala' = this way and that way). Words from khmer, Chinese, Mon,... are also adopted and modified to Thai tastes.
<Note 4> If hardware can be made durable and upgradable, there should be savings in materials and in maintenance skills and supports. Presently, many products are designed to be obsolete and thrown away within a length of time (by using materials that have low Mean Hours before Failure, by using core components that have no plug-in replacements or successors, or by not complying to emerging standards).
Sofware and interface should have familiar (durable) but extendable (upgradable) functions and semantics for ease of job training and suport.
Durability and upgradability in the specifications of computers for children may have follow-on effects when they leave school and go to work. Industries can lower training costs if school and work computers are much the same.
<Note 5> Wireless Communication depends surprisingly on rare minerals ('coltan' and Lithium') that are at the center of struggles for (political) power in several countries.
'Coltan' (the word comes from mineral 'columbite' -- for element 'Columbium', now officially called 'Niobium' -- and mineral 'tantalite' -- for element 'Tantalum' --).
Colton is a mineral widely used in numerous electronic devices such as cell phones and game consoles. It is mined illegally in the Congo. Nearly SIX MILLION people have died in the Congo since 1996 due to a scramble for Congo's Colton resource. China's largest deposit is in northwest Xinjiang, Uygur autonomous region.
Lithium (from mineral 'lithium carbonate') is an important ingredient in batteries for wireless devices, electric vehicles, cordless appliances, etc. Large Lithium deposits are found in Bolivia and Afghanistan.
It is suspected that the whole Himalayan mountain ranges may contain large deposits of many valuable minerals and gems to be exploited. For examples: Tibet (liberated by China in 1951) part of the Himalaya is the source of 3 major rivers of China (the Huang He or the Yellow River, the Yangtze and the Mekong) and Tibetan minerals deposits are being mined intensively and railroaded to China's eastern industrial zones; Myanmar is drawing exploration interests from global corporations for rare minerals (Uranium), coal and oil.
Recycle programs to recover coltan and Lithium have not achieved economic success. As the world population grows, demand for these rare minerals increases and more fighting to control supply can be expected.
<Note 6> Selfishness can be a hidden agenda in joining apparently 'altruistic' project (like OLPC or OT4L ;-) The project can be 'hijacked' and used to deliver certain outcomes for certain participants. ["...นักการเมืองท้องถิ่นแย่งของบริจาคไปสร้างคะแนนให้ตัวเอง..."]
To quote a famous rumour: "There are many designs for nuclear power generating plants and processes. Many designs produce little radio-active wastes. But if a nuclear plant is to be built today, the design which produces more radioactive wastes would be chosen! Why? So, there will be needs for recycle and enrichment projects, nuclear weapon research programs, nuclear medical research programs,...".
More amazing is many zero-waste solar power plants can be built for the same money and run at very low cost (compare to coal-fired or nuclear) for hundreds of years.
ความเห็น (5)
This is a good example of how children can pass on the knowledge they learn from school to their mum and dad.
"... A Spreadsheet. ... many families have recorded their income and expenses in order to better manage their spendings. It was originally done using a simple balance card written on paper. Later, many had switched to Excel (via desktop PCs at the school's computer lab and the help of their children). ..."
I think it is good to have spreadsheet software on children computers. But, perhaps Excel is to expensive.
We can see that education can be for parents as well as children. Basic accounting for home budget, personal finance or businesses are all the same in principle: what we spend must come in from somewhere.
There are open source spreadsheet software offerings like Gnumeric, Open Office, Kspreadsheet, and more.
I don't know of anyone working to make Thai spreadsheet software -- especially 'open source, free' Thai spread sheet. This can be a series of Honour/Masters degree projects that will have important benefits to families, communities and economy of Thailand as a whole. Anyone care to consider this?
A snippet from " Indian websites do your homework for $2 " < http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2010/11/14/Indian_websites_do_your_homework_for_2_538847.html > 14 Nov 2010" says
"...high school and university students are outsourcing their homework to sweatshops in India, Pakistan and Egypt which provide English essays and maths papers for as little as $2..."
Going to school tomorrow can mean going to global schools not just a local school house near by.
Manufacturing industries may soon downsize and follow these students -- getting their products out to the world from sweatshops in slums around the world. Thailand vocational education will need to consider and plan for such eventualities. The other sides of OEM, ODM and OBM are learning to walk!
From < วันอังคารที่ 16 พฤศจิกายน 2553 คมชัดลึก > การศึกษา > ข่าวทั่วไป ชี้ One Laptop per child ไม่พบเกรดดีขึ้นหรือแย่ลง >
...คมชัดลึก :สภาการศึกษาเผยผลวิจัยโครงการ One Laptop per child พบไม่มีสัญญาณชัดเจนว่าทำให้เกรดเด็กดีขึ้นหรือแย่ลง แต่เป็นเครื่องมือกระตุ้นการเรียนตามทฤษฏีใหม่ได้ไม่น้อย ระบุร.ร.ธรรมดาที่ไม่ได้ปรับรูปแบบการเรียนการสอนให้เป็นแนวใหม่รองรับ การลงทุนโครงการดังกล่าวเสี่ยงไม่คุ้มค่า ซ้ำร้ายเครื่องมือนี้อาจเป็นส่วนเกินของชั้นเรียน...
...จากการวิจัย 2 ปีไม่พบสัญญาณชัดเจนว่าผลการเรียนหรือเกรดของนักเรียนที่ใช้คอมพิวเตอร์พกพา ประกอบการเรียนรู้ดีขึ้นหรือแย่ลง จะมีเพียงเรื่องการอ่านและการเขียนเท่านั้นที่มีรายงานว่า นักเรียนมีพัฒนาการมากขึ้นกว่าเดิม อย่างไรก็ตามหากขยายมุมมองให้มากขึ้นกว่าผลสัมฤทธิ์ด้านวิชาการจะพบว่าเด็ก มีทักษะที่ดีเกิดขึ้นหลายอย่างเช่นความกระตือรือร้นในการทำงานมีค่อนข้างมาก สามารถเชื่อมโยงคอมพิวเตอร์เข้ากับการเรียนรู้ การสืบค้นข้อมูลได้ ซึ่งทักษะเหล่านี้สอดคล้องกับการเรียนรู้ตามทฤษฎีใหม่ที่ต้องการเน้นให้เด็ก คิดเป็นทำเป็น แก้ปัญหาเป็น ค้นคว้าหาความรู้ด้วยตัวเองได้ เป็นทักษะที่ภาคอุตสาหกรรมในยุคใหม่ต้องการ...
...การลงทุนดังกล่าวก็เสี่ยงที่จะไม่คุ้มค่า ถ้าไม่มีการปรับการเรียนการสอนรองรับ เด็กจะแค่ตื่นเต้นกับการมีของเล่นใหม่ในชั้นเรียนแค่ช่วงสั้นๆ จากนั้นจะเริ่มเบื่อ ในที่สุดคอมพิวเตอร์พกพาก็จะกลายเป็นส่วนเกินของชั้นเรียน เด็กจะเอาแต่เล่นคอมพิวเตอร์พกพานี้ ไม่สนใจครูผู้สอน ท้ายสุดครูก็จะสั่งห้ามนำคอมพิวเตอร์พกพาเข้าชั้นเรียน ซึ่งขณะนี้มีร.ร.ในบางประเทศสั่งห้ามแล้ว”...
It is interesting that OLPC does not help to improve kids' examination performance. But OLPC appears to improve kids' learning (processes).
I dig this out to see what I thought about tablets over a year ago.
Well, some children are about to get their first tablet "free" but most will have to buy to "catch up" with those who have. We may see chilfren "mugging" younger children for tablets; some pornography or unapproved "apps"; broken (physically or software-wise) and unrepaired (due to lack of technicians in Thailand); ...
Before tablets can deliver/become a real tool for learning, there will be a period of chaos (teething problems). Many technologies (or apps) such as handing in homework for marking via wifi networks; making comments and marking "right on" student homework; graphics or drawing capable word processor (app); ...
Developers (out there); there is a world to be won out there! ;D