Comments on: Shared Access Computing is the Most Economical and Scalable Model http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/ Educational Technology Debate Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:12:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jenny H http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-945 Jenny H Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:38:21 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-945 I've found many benefits of 1:1 since I've had it in my classroom, but also many technical and social challenges. But to date, the benefits have outweighed the disadvantages. The ad-hoc internet searching to find just-in-time information is super-valuable and the classroom discussions generated have been great. Then there's the jewel-in-the-crown - using the laptops as "clickers". We use a program called Student Response Network - <a href="http://studentresponsenetwork.com" target="_blank">http://studentresponsenetwork.com</a> - which has revolutionized what we do. I can get instant responses from the whole class to a variety of questions and the brainstorming that happens with the free-text response has been fabulous. Highly recommend this for any 1:1 setting. I've found many benefits of 1:1 since I've had it in my classroom, but also many technical and social challenges. But to date, the benefits have outweighed the disadvantages. The ad-hoc internet searching to find just-in-time information is super-valuable and the classroom discussions generated have been great. Then there's the jewel-in-the-crown – using the laptops as "clickers". We use a program called Student Response Network – http://studentresponsenetwork.com – which has revolutionized what we do. I can get instant responses from the whole class to a variety of questions and the brainstorming that happens with the free-text response has been fabulous. Highly recommend this for any 1:1 setting.

]]> By: PaulRigterink http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-347 PaulRigterink Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:50:48 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-347 Ian, School personnel would not be asked to install stuff on servers. The system I envision would be a server with 20 workstations that costs less than $2000 (including software) and requires no maintenance except for yearly updates ( a turnkey system). The system you are proposing seems to be more expensive and seems to require much more system maintenance by computer professionals (which can be expensive). The system you are proposing seems to require training that third world teachers don't have (It is expensive to train them). What are your budget requirements? I am trying to keep the costs to less than $100/child including maintenance costs. Ian,
School personnel would not be asked to install stuff on servers. The system I envision would be a server with 20 workstations that costs less than $2000 (including software) and requires no maintenance except for yearly updates ( a turnkey system). The system you are proposing seems to be more expensive and seems to require much more system maintenance by computer professionals (which can be expensive). The system you are proposing seems to require training that third world teachers don't have (It is expensive to train them). What are your budget requirements? I am trying to keep the costs to less than $100/child including maintenance costs.

]]> By: Wayan http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Wayan Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:24:25 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-348 You may want to check out projects like <a href="http:\/\/moulinwiki.org\/" target="_blank">Moulin</a> and <a href="http:\/\/www.widernet.org\/digitallibrary\/" target="_blank">eGranary</a> for simple yet effective "content on USB" examples that do not require connectivity at all and can offer great content repositories to everyone quickly. You may want to check out projects like Moulin and eGranary for simple yet effective "content on USB" examples that do not require connectivity at all and can offer great content repositories to everyone quickly.

]]> By: PaulRigterink http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-349 PaulRigterink Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:51:35 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-349 Ian, School personnel would not be asked to install stuff on servers. The system I envision would be a server with 20 workstations that costs less than $2000 (including software) and requires no maintenance except for yearly updates ( a turnkey system). The system you are proposing seems to be more expensive and seems to require much more system maintenance by computer professionals (which can be expensive). The system you are proposing seems to require training that third world grammer teachers don't have (It is expensive to train them). What are your budget requirements? I am trying to keep the costs to less than $100/child including maintenance costs. Ian,
School personnel would not be asked to install stuff on servers. The system I envision would be a server with 20 workstations that costs less than $2000 (including software) and requires no maintenance except for yearly updates ( a turnkey system). The system you are proposing seems to be more expensive and seems to require much more system maintenance by computer professionals (which can be expensive). The system you are proposing seems to require training that third world grammer teachers don't have (It is expensive to train them). What are your budget requirements? I am trying to keep the costs to less than $100/child including maintenance costs.

]]> By: Ian http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-345 Ian Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:17:22 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-345 Because there are all sorts of issues getting schools to install stuff on servers and why should we not provide the flexibility for individuals not in schools to learn in the way they want to? Of course you could have an option to download the stuff but what about links to thousands of other sites on the internet? Generally we don't install Wikipedia on a local server or You Tube, My Space or Facebook. I'm not talking about just a big text book on-line, but a means of letting learners participate in designing and originating their own learning resources. That is a logical extension of web 2.0. The idea that you "update" a curriculum every year seems very limited given the way technology has changed. Language translations are better done by people even now and projects like Wikipedia and web based content management systems such as Drupal have all the tools for doing it. Because there are all sorts of issues getting schools to install stuff on servers and why should we not provide the flexibility for individuals not in schools to learn in the way they want to? Of course you could have an option to download the stuff but what about links to thousands of other sites on the internet? Generally we don't install Wikipedia on a local server or You Tube, My Space or Facebook. I'm not talking about just a big text book on-line, but a means of letting learners participate in designing and originating their own learning resources. That is a logical extension of web 2.0. The idea that you "update" a curriculum every year seems very limited given the way technology has changed. Language translations are better done by people even now and projects like Wikipedia and web based content management systems such as Drupal have all the tools for doing it.

]]> By: PaulRigterink http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-344 PaulRigterink Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:10:00 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-344 Why not load the full K-12 curriculum on a computer server and distibute the server with an appropriate number of workstations to schools that need it. You would not need internet access and would save the cost of buying a full set of textbooks for each student as the students progressed from one grade to another. With properly designed software you could have the student interact with the textbook material from his/her workstation. Updates to the K-12 curriculum could be distributed on a yearly basis or as needed. The curriculum material could be translated into a wide variey of languages by the computer software. Why not load the full K-12 curriculum on a computer server and distibute the server with an appropriate number of workstations to schools that need it. You would not need internet access and would save the cost of buying a full set of textbooks for each student as the students progressed from one grade to another. With properly designed software you could have the student interact with the textbook material from his/her workstation.
Updates to the K-12 curriculum could be distributed on a yearly basis or as needed. The curriculum material could be translated into a wide variey of languages by the computer software.

]]> By: Ian http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-342 Ian Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:09:45 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-342 Since cellphones outnumber PCs more than 3:1 and are rapidly becoming routinely connected to the internet, it is fairly easy to envisage a disruptive innovation that shifts the de facto standard for internet access to the cell phone. A recent UN report reveals that half the globe now pays to use one, with the fastest growth taking place in Africa and a 50 billion investment in broadband networks there. Ok it might take 10 or even 20 years but it's likely to be the future so given that, starting on a free on-line curriculum is a reasonable strategy because that too will take time to develop. Let's face it a lot of the developing world does not have electricity but that isn't a reason to say that will be the case forever. Its more getting sustainable social enterprise models than specific technologies because then you can finance sustainable access to the information needed for education. Since cellphones outnumber PCs more than 3:1 and are rapidly becoming routinely connected to the internet, it is fairly easy to envisage a disruptive innovation that shifts the de facto standard for internet access to the cell phone. A recent UN report reveals that half the globe now pays to use one, with the fastest growth taking place in Africa and a 50 billion investment in broadband networks there. Ok it might take 10 or even 20 years but it's likely to be the future so given that, starting on a free on-line curriculum is a reasonable strategy because that too will take time to develop. Let's face it a lot of the developing world does not have electricity but that isn't a reason to say that will be the case forever. Its more getting sustainable social enterprise models than specific technologies because then you can finance sustainable access to the information needed for education.

]]> By: Wayan http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-341 Wayan Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:18:58 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-341 I think its interesting that you mention a "free <i>on-line</i> K-12 curriculum" when there is even less Internet access than access to un-connected computers, and the provision of Internet access can be even more expensive, on a 5 year basis, than the computing technology itself. I think we'll see at least another decade where intermittent Internet access (at the best) is the norm for most schools in the developing world. And I'm being hopeful with that estimation. I think its interesting that you mention a "free on-line K-12 curriculum" when there is even less Internet access than access to un-connected computers, and the provision of Internet access can be even more expensive, on a 5 year basis, than the computing technology itself.

I think we'll see at least another decade where intermittent Internet access (at the best) is the norm for most schools in the developing world. And I'm being hopeful with that estimation.

]]> By: Ian http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-340 Ian Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:47:41 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-340 We need to stop focusing primarily on yesterdays and to-days technologies and look at business models and social enterprise models that can sustain learning in the developing world. What we need is a free on-line K-12 curriculum so that anyone with an internet connection can access it. Then we need low cost devices. Smartphones perhaps connectable to bigger screens and keyboards could do that especially as they evolve further. Many more people in the developing world have cell phones than PCs. We then need to pair schools in the rich west with those in the developing world so kids can gain social enterprise qualifications in schools in the developed world for raising money to provide an internet connections for their peers in poorer countries. They can then communicate and those in the developing world then have access to learning from the on-line curriculum. Education is really the only hope for long term leveling up of global living standards. For education the first need is a curriculum and organised learning environments, the means of accessing this will get easier and easier as time goes on. We need to stop focusing primarily on yesterdays and to-days technologies and look at business models and social enterprise models that can sustain learning in the developing world. What we need is a free on-line K-12 curriculum so that anyone with an internet connection can access it. Then we need low cost devices. Smartphones perhaps connectable to bigger screens and keyboards could do that especially as they evolve further. Many more people in the developing world have cell phones than PCs. We then need to pair schools in the rich west with those in the developing world so kids can gain social enterprise qualifications in schools in the developed world for raising money to provide an internet connections for their peers in poorer countries. They can then communicate and those in the developing world then have access to learning from the on-line curriculum. Education is really the only hope for long term leveling up of global living standards. For education the first need is a curriculum and organised learning environments, the means of accessing this will get easier and easier as time goes on.

]]> By: Ian http://edutechdebate.org/individal-and-communal-computer-usage/shared-access-computing-model/comment-page-1/#comment-339 Ian Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:36:05 +0000 http://edutechdebate.org/?p=287#comment-339 Its called the smartphone ;-) Its called the smartphone ;-)

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