[Sugar-devel] Network proxy, configuration

[forster at ozonline.com.au]

> > If the laptop is take home, the user would want to be able to access
> > the internet in public libraries, Macdonalds restaurants, shopping
> > malls, cafes, home etc. To do this they need to be able to disable
> > the proxy.
> 
> This might be a rarer requirement in this deployment, but it would be
> interesting to hear how much need there is for it.

James

Thanks for the background on proxies in Australian schools. 

Take home is probably a rarer requirement in Australia as you suggest. My understanding is that take home policy in Australia is negotiated separately in each community with the community leaders. I get the impression that not many of laptops are take home.

I am guessing that if proxies are an issue in Australia then they are an issue in other places in the world, maybe I am guessing wrong.

I think take home internet access is a more important issue than the raw numbers alone would indicate for 2 reasons:

1)The teacher should have familiarity and confidence in the laptop if they are going to teach effectively with it. If they cannot use it at home they are more likely to reject it as a 'toy' computer.

2)I think there are early indications in the research* that the area of learning that computers are most effective is self-directed project-based learning. For me this is not about whether constructivist learning is better than explicit instruction, I believe that both are important. Its just that computers are little better for instruction than a teacher with a blackboard but they are powerful tools for self-directed project-based learning, particularly when used at home.

Tony

*I can't remember the links but I think its hinted in the Peru, Uruguay and Chile reports. If anybody wants I can look them up.