[Its.an.education.project] Ivan's latest blog entry on OLPC

[info at olpc-peru.info]

Walter et al,

Let me tell you ONE of the many stories about computers and how they 
have been used by
politicians in my country.  This can give you a clue about what can 
happen with these XOs:

Year: 1983 to 1986 (I was an active participant in the computer 
market).  The top official of the
Peruvian government was invited to inaugurate the first "computer 
monitor factory" located in Peru.
All the media (TV and Newspapers) cover the big new.  The officials pass 
once and again in the
middle of rows and rows of "monitors".  One day big news.  Sad to say 
that the top officials were
busted by middle level government people because they were in a "TV" 
assembly factory (that
were broken in the next year) and not in an "monitor assembly factory".

Based on this "we assembly computers in Peru" the peruvian government did
agreement with Russian government to "re-export" peruvian computers to 
Russia (well... it was a
"re-export" of  Taiwanese computer parts to Russia... that was forbidden 
by american laws in
those years, and 3 people from our maritime institute fall down to the 
sea and die when they
went to check the amount of fish that the Russian ships were allowed to 
take from peruvian sea.
All, including the "no checking allowed" was part of a global agreement: 
the russians return
some papers about the peruvian national debt... those were bought by 
some key people
that was near to the government.  All related because the russian team 
to negotiate all these
happenings was the same: they negotiate as a whole).

I can tell you very bad happenings related with computers in Peru.  This 
is not the first time
that I see computers that come to be the "magical" solution to this or 
that poverty problem.
But this is the FIRST TIME that I see that they will come in such a high 
number: 240,000
in total.  This is a big opportunity that I don't want to see destroyed 
by the "lesse faire lesse passe"
(let them do, let them pass? bad translation... sorry) that is normal in 
my country.

Our politicians are not like american politicians.  Very rare that they 
are punished or
inspected or their facts analyzed (this is the first time in many years 
that we have put in jail one of
our past presidents and the military that were under his service are in 
jail too.  Some of
this guys got for its own pocket around one thousand million dollars 
(1,000 millions... oh.. ok... a billion!) and they
took "American Airlines" airplane with 40 bags for a 3 days trip (they 
didn't allow the
Xrays inspect their 40 bags... they argued diplomatic status...).

I have around 20 to 30 other stories similar to this, all related to 
computers in Peru.  Politic people
comes and goes every 5 years, but we, the people that have develop 
computer business and
internet operations in Peru, from the very beginning... we know very 
well what we can expect.
No big news for us.  They change every 5 years and we stay here for more 
than 30 years.

So... there is huge difference between American and Peruvian laws, the 
same for the cultural
things, the same for the political things.  Only time will say if I am 
right. But, let me tell you that
I don't have 0.0001% of doubt about what I am saying.  It would be a 
miracle if things work
in a different way.  Miracles exists, for sure, but they don't happen 
every day.

I thank my politicians (my congressmen) for approving the budget for 
buying these XOs.
And I thank the government people that has work on the issue.  I think 
that they do what they
can do.  The problem is that their best is perfect for political 
benefits but too low for reaching
the goals that you and many others have in mind.  So we must help them 
to get a higher
standard for their results.

What you, Walter, have done until today is terrific.  I don't have 
nothing to complain about
your work.  You are dealing with Peruvian reality and that is not easy 
for any person, local
or foreigner.

Now the ball is the hands of us: Peruvians.  I can, from a technical 
point of view, develop
the next:
a) Alternative energy source.
b) "Sneaker net" for internet access.
c) Content for our children.

The problem is that I don't have time.  So I am speaking with some 
universities that
can help me (help us) with these issues.  I know what I will get: 
negative support from
some people that think that these OLPC/XO project must be develop by 
just one
university.  That is normal behavior.  And I will find a way to deal 
with it.

Best regards,

Javier Rodriguez
Lima, Peru





Walter Bender wrote:
> Javier,
>
>   
>> I doubt that the Ministry of Education (or anyone) will evaluate the impact
>> of the current deployment.  Not in a technical way.
>> Why? Because I think they will be more than happy to say to the media that
>> "240,000 laptops" have been bought by the goverment for the poor children in
>> Peru.  Photos, newspapers, and that will be all.  Develop a study to measure
>> the impact cost money, and can bring some "not so good news".. it is a
>> possibility.  I don't think that is the job of a "normal politician".
>>     
>
> Maybe being an outsider I have been mislead as well, but I found the
> people that I have been working with at the ministry of education in
> Peru and the teachers I have met and worked with to be anything but
> political hacks. They are dedicated to improving the lives of the
> children of Peru and are putting in an extraordinary effort. The fact
> that I am bombarded with questions about how to do things better
> suggests that they are interested in more than just phot
> opportunities. The fact that they are first targetting the most needy
> children is a sign that they are willing to take risks to help those
> most in need.
>
>   
>> And.. just to start to speak in a right way: you need to establish a "BASE
>> LINE".. before you do any deployment, before you do any training, before you
>> develop any pilot, before you move one pencil or speak one word in front of
>> the general audience.  No base line? Then you can do anything and say that
>> it was a success.
>>     
>
> I don't know the details of the baseline, but surely there are some
> statistics about the current state of learning in Peru--indeed, you
> yourself cite one statistic: the current ill state of preparation of
> teachers in the country. One of the reasons for chosing a
> Constructionist approach is exactly to move the undertrained,
> underprepared teacher into a new role where he/she can be of more
> utility to the children.
>
>   
>> Here we can see that some people has think that this XO +
>> Construccionism + Open Source + Sugar + Linux +... (many other ingredients)
>> is the good formula to help the poorest children.  Knowing poverty from
>> first hand, and seeing how my own different groups of people (north, south,
>> center people) is not the same, don't behave the same, don't think the same,
>> don't need the same... then I wonder how the method to introduce this
>> "SOLUTION" is just one.
>>     
>
> I am not sure that the forumla you cite is so proscriptive as you
> suggest. In fact, the whole point is that it is not proscriptive--it
> is a methodology of adapting to the authentic needs of the learner. So
> in this case it is a wise choice, a rational compromise.
>
>   
>> I think there was a lack of accurate map.
>>     
>
> Accurate to what measure? There is certainly knowledge as to where
> every school is--and you yourself tel us that every village is known.
>
>   
>> Don't take me wrong: those XOs will be useful.  Oh yes! But the intended
>> goals (of the OLPC) has been "wounded" because we have put "the wagon in
>> front of the mules".
>>     
>
> I don't suggest that things cannot be done better; this is new and
> Peru is taking some risks. But they know they will learn and iterate
> on the process to improve it. And remember, the riskiest path is the
> status quo that we know if failing children. The fact that we can even
> have this discuss about Peru is a testament to Oscar and his team.
>
> -walter
>
>
>   

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