Julia crosses her heart on computers for kids

I was watching the great debate last night and during her closing speech, Julia mentioned, in a long list of promises, that she would continue working to get computers to every child in the country. The fact that this statement was included in her final, best of the best, list of important issues that she felt she needed to be broadcast to the nation, is a good sign.

The importance of bridging the digital divide and bringing as many students as possible up to a level where they can learn on and be confident with new technologies is becoming more and more clear to Australia's politicians and the education sector. My investigations have helped me realise just how vital closing the digital divide is in helping disadvantaged students catch up to their peers. Not only for their immediate educational interests, but for their future opportunities.

I appreciate the fact that this issue is in the public eye enough to warrant mention is our red-headed PM's final words last night. I hope that the promise is followed through on, and I hope that programs like OLPC are embraced by the government and used as an important vehicle in overcoming the digital divide.

And thats about it!

Research Analysis #2: Bridging the digital divide with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)

The ‘digital divide’ was a term coined during the mid-90s describing the space between those with effectual access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and those with little or no access. It encompasses both the imbalance in physical access as well as possession of the skills needed to successfully engage with the technology (“Digital Divide”, n.d.). Through my investigations on the digital divide, I decided to examine the provision of ICT to students in need as a means of reducing the digital divide in education.

Data in 2002 showed that less than a third of low-income families had internet access at home and three-quarters of students from low-income families did not use the internet at home. This provided a dire contrast to figures showing that almost half of the corresponding Australia wide population used the net in their homes (McLaren & Zappalà, 2002). One would assume that these figures would have improved in recent years, however the digital divide is still significant. A recent study in Australia shows that digital literacy levels are significantly lower among students in regional areas when compared to their urban peers (Patty, 2010). Clearly, financial and geographical factors are major determinants in digital literacy and children in remotely located, low-income families, often have restricted access to ICT.

Helping to reduce this inequality, Sandars (2009) referred to the development of numerous aspects of e-learning on an international scale, noting the establishment of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) campaign. OLPC aims “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” (OLPC, 2010).

OLPC develop and manufacture a specially designed laptop called the ‘XO’. The Member for Solomon (N.T.) delivered a speech in Parliament last year elucidating on the XO laptop’s hardiness and usability; designed to withstand harsh conditions, improve digital literacy, and provide a fun tool for achieving educational outcomes (Parliament of Australia, 2009). The XO laptop provides access to thousands of pages of educational content as well as 150 educational mini-games and interactive adaptations of curriculum material to provide feedback for students (Ashling, 2010).

Ashling (2010) reports that over 2,000 laptops are being delivered to Haiti by OLPC in the near future. Almost 800 laptops have been recently distributed to children in Afghanistan bringing the worldwide total to over 1.4 million laptops distributed by OLPC (Ashling, 2010). The government of Rwanda are currently planning to provide XO laptops to every child in the country aged between 9 and 12 years inclusive (“Upgrading the children”, 2009). In Australia, Channel Ten’s 7pm Project recently broadcast a story on the delivery of 1500 laptops in remote Northern Territory and the impact these computers are having on the communities involved (Ten Television Network, 2010). OLPC is not the only agency working to provide ICT to disadvantaged students. For example, the Waveplace Foundation buys laptops, supplies local distribution and provides training and teaching materials for Caribbean children (Ashling, 2010).

Though OLPC is providing a valuable and much needed service to the world’s disadvantaged children, philanthropy on its own will not improve the education level of students. Though no studies on the efficacy of the XO laptops as educational tools have been published, it is important to stay keenly aware of how the students are using the computers and which programs and applications are providing results. It is imperative that any ICT delivered to students has a positive effect on educational outcomes. In an Australian context, programs such as OLPC will need to ensure that local languages are incorporated into the computer based learning in order to engage students, and help sustain this vital part of indigenous culture.

In regard to the viability of OLPC provided laptops, the present version of the OLPC machine is considered too expensive and too slow by many potential investors. The charity has not sold the volume of laptops it had projected, with some governments stalling on proposed deals with OLPC (“Upgrading the children”, 2009). Kraemer, Kenneth, Dedrick, & Sharma (2009) make reference to the fact that OLPC have shipped far fewer laptops than originally planned. Criticisms of programs such as OLPC have also included the attitude that building schools and libraries are more important tasks than providing computers (Pelham, Crabtree, & Nyiri, 2009).

If the OLPC program and other similar incentives are to succeed, money must be provided to continually maintain and update the laptops distributed (Economist, 2009). In an age where technology is moving faster than most developed communities can keep up with, it will be a constant challenge to provide ICT to children in need that is functional and up to date. In addition, organisations such as OLPC will need to take greater measures to understand and adapt to the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of the countries in which they operate (Kraemer et al., 2009). If the issues above are considered and acted upon, programs like OLPC have the potential to provide an invaluable service to disadvantaged students and go a long way to reducing the digital divide among the world’s children.



References:

Ashling, J. (2010). Laptops Bridge Gap in Structured Learning. Information Today; May2010, Vol. 27, Issue 5, p22-23.

Digital Divide (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 3, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_divide

Kraemer, K., Dedrick, J., Sharma, P. (2009). One Laptop Per Child: Vision vs. Reality. Communications of the ACM; Jun2009, Vol. 52, Issue 6, p66-73.

McLaren, J., Zappalà, G. (2002, November 4). The 'Digital Divide' Among Financially Disadvantaged Families in Australia. First Monday, Volume 7, Number 11. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1003/924

One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) (n.d.) Vision: Mission Statement. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from http://laptop.org/en/vision/index.shtml

Parliament of Australia (2009, November 19).OLPC Australia in Parliament [Video file]. Retrieved July 10, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI_Y4fQ8psQ&feature=player_embedded

Patty, A. (2010, April 23). City-rural divide hits computer literacy. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/cityrural-divide-hits-computer-literacy-20100422-tg28.html

Pelham, B., Crabtree, S., & Nyiri, Z. (2009). Technology and Education. Harvard International Review; Summer2009, Vol. 31, Issue 2, p74-76.

Sandars, J. (2009). The e-learning site. Education for Primary Care; Jul2009, Vol. 20, Issue 4, p324-325.

Ten Television Network (2010, May 25). OLPC on The 7PM Project - TEN Digital - Tue 25 May 2010 [Video file]. Retrieved July 8, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68p4kmKilyI&feature=player_embedded

Upgrading the children (2009, May 12). Economist; Vol. 393, Issue 8660, p60-60.

City-rural divide hits computer literacy

The Sydney Morning Herald published this article earlier this year reporting on recent figures regarding the digital literacy levels of Australian students.

The most prominent (and relevant) finding of the study (conducted by The Australian Council for Educational Research) found that "the percentage of year 6 students attaining a proficient standard was 61 per cent in metropolitan areas, 48 per cent in rural areas and 38 per cent in remote regions".

This figure highlights the fact that the digital divide is still a significant obstacle for education in Australia. The report found that, overall, digital literacy levels had improved Australia wide since 2005. However, the fact that students in rural and remote areas are still performing at a lower level than their urban peers shows that measures need to be taken to try and narrow the significant gap in digital literacy levels that currently exist.

The article recognises the importance of this area of education, especially in providing students with vital skills for their future workplaces. The ubiquitous use of ICT in Australia's modern workplaces means that students will need to have proficient computer skills to survive in the modern workforce.

Parliamentary speech on the OLPC organisation

This is kinda long and poorly read by the Member for Solomon (N.T.) but it gives more information on the OLPC organisation and their quest. The XO laptop computer that they are distributing is ideal for use in remote communities (due to its hardiness and usability) and is designed to improve digital literacy as well as provide a fun tool for acheiving other educational outcomes.

OLPC are looking for government funding in order to roll out large scale distributions of the laptops to remote communities around Australia. This seems like an awesome initiative to me. The computers are cheap, hardy, made specifically for the conditions in which they'll be used. They seems really user friendly too. They have internet access. The works! Obviously there will be obstacles in getting something like this out to everyone who needs it, but all in all it seems that OLPC are doing a great job of making things happen in reducing the digital divide. Hats off!

Another great clip about the OLPC initiative

This is nice because it has some interview pieces from teachers involved in the communities targeted. You also get to see a fair few shots of the kids using the laptops. They seem really easy to use and one of the teachers interviewed actually reports that he was suprised and impressed by how quickly the kids picked up on how to use the computers.

Laptops in remote communities

Here we go. This is what I'm talking about! This SBS news piece pretty much sums up what I'm interested in for my second research analysis. The issue of providing ICT to disadvantaged children (financially, geographically, or both) in order to help their digital literacy and overall learning. This news piece reports on a fantastic initiative that will hopefully go a long way to reducing the digital divide for these students.

Access to ICT for financially/geographically disadvantaged Australians

This article on the digital divide for financially disadvantaged families in Australia provides some insight into the extent of the gap entering the 21st century.

The data (from 2002) shows that less than a third of the families surveyed (low income families) had internet access at home and three-quarters of the students surveyed did not use the internet at home. This is compared to almost half of the corresponding Australia wide population using the net in their homes.

The article stresses the importance of home internet access in improving student performance. I would say that level of importance has only increased since 2002 with many assignments/projects in schools these days requiring extensive internet use for successful completion.

In addition, having access to ICT at home will impact on studetns' digital literacy levels. This will potentially give certain students immediate advantages/disadvantages over other students in classrooms that integrate ICT in learning.

Thinking about my earlier idea of ICT access in remote areas, I guess that if all students in a given community have restricted access to ICT then no one has any advantage over anyone else in the way mentioned above. However, looking beyond that specific rural/remote community, these students as a whole may be disadvantaged when compared to students in other (urban) areas. This could potentially restrict their educational opportunities in future (tertiary education for example).

What does the world of wiki have to say about the digital divide?

Wikipedia (i.e. everyone in the world that has bothered to publish on it) defines "the digital divide" as

"the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology, and those with very limited or no access at all. It includes the imbalance both in physical access to technology and the resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen."

this is interesting for 2 reasons.

1. The first part is basically what I just said.
2. The second part wasn't.

SO, it not only includes the gap between those who physically, tangibly, have the technology and those who don't, but also encompasses inequalities in digital literacy levels.

i like that. i can work with that.

The wikipedia article also mentions that the term can refer to inequalities in broadband network (internet) access. Here it is not a case of tangible product, or of digital literacy, but of access to an intangible service. I guess there could be a number of reasons for this. The 2 most obvious that pop into my mind are income and geographical factors. Obviously, those with lower incomes cannot afford the service and those in geographical locations that do not have the service available simply cannot access it.

Actually, this could provide an interesting (more focused) topic for research: How does lack of access to broadband network facilities effect learning in remote communities? How can the digital divide be overcome in this case?

My last topic (efficacy of Wii use in PE) focused on how technology should/should not be used to enhance learning. I like the idea of this time focusing more on how we can get technology and technological skills to those who may not have them readily available. Kids need to have it before they can use it right. This time I'm gonna focus more on how we can get it to them maybe. hmmmmm...

"The Digital Divide"...

"The Digital Divide"

This phrase is the starting point for my second series of journal entries. I saw this phrase listed in the suggested topic areas in the details for our assessments on the LWT blog. The phrase was something I immediately recognised and had a reaction to. It's basically the gap between those who have technology and those who don't right?

I'm gonna look things up, check things out, and start researching what exactly "the digital divide" is and how it relates to education.

Research Analysis #1: Using the Wii in Physical Education

The Nintendo Wii (and its accompanying Wii Sports and Wii Fit games suites) simulates numerous physical activities. In recent years, the Wii has begun to appear in educational contexts. As a future PE teacher, I was interested in use of the Wii for physical education (PE) purposes. My initially broad investigations researched whether the Wii had been used in PE to date. Further inquiries led to more specific target questions such as whether the Wii could be a worthy substitute for ‘regular’ PE. Ultimately, my investigations led me to address the question: In what ways (if any) can the Wii be a beneficial tool in Physical Education?

Initial investigations revealed that the Wii had been introduced in PE classes in a number of schools around the English speaking world (including Australia, England, and the USA). Chalk’s (2008) article in online magazine ‘The Escapist’ reported that the UK government had approved a program to introduce the Wii for PE programs across the country. This year The Daily Telegraph reported that a number of NSW schools were offering the Wii as an option in PE classes (Mayoh, 2010).

These reports show that the Wii is being embraced by the education sector. However, this does not certify that the Wii is effective. It appears as though these schools/organisations may have made the decision to use the Wii with little empirical evidence to support the notion that it is actually beneficial. My research found few reputable studies in this new field. Evidently, this is something that will need to be addressed before any solid conclusions can be drawn as to the Wii’s efficacy in a PE context.

Though few studies have been undertaken so far, one report that did give an indication of the validity of the Wii as a substitute for other forms of physical activity was released by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) last year. The press release by the ACE reported that in all cases performing the actual activity yielded much greater calorie expenditure than performing the virtual equivalent (ACE, 2009). Results also revealed that the Wii Sports suite provided opportunities for greater calorie expenditure than the Wii Fit suite. A small number of other studies have supported the suggestion that Wii Sports’ boxing activity provides the most vigorous physical activity and most closely replicates the activity levels of the actual sport (Baumann, 2007; Trout and Christie, 2009).

These results seem to suggest that the Wii may not be valuable in the realm of physical activity levels. Nevertheless, the console could prove useful for other purposes. Hayes and Silberman (2007) listed a number of potential benefits of using video game consoles for educational purposes. Using the military as an example of how simulations can help improve performance of the actual task (i.e. flight simulators), they argued that this same principle can be applied to video game consoles in schools (Hayes and Silberman, 2007). This means that although the Wii cannot replicate the physical activity levels of the ‘real’ sports, it may help students develop the motor and other skills needed to successfully play a given sport. Further research is needed to determine whether the Wii successfully simulates elements of sports other than physical activity levels.

In a classroom context, it should be noted that the Wii can only be used by a maximum of 4 students at a time. This means a significant drop in student participation levels when contrasted with traditional outdoor PE. Student engagement is also at risk of plummeting if the majority of students are inactive during much of the lesson.

Although the Wii seemingly cannot provide a suitable replacement for outdoor physical activity in terms of providing vigorous exercise, it may have other benefits. For example, it may have the ability to aid students in learning, improving, and refining their skills in a given sport. It could also be a useful tool in teaching students the basic rules and concepts of a new sport before they move outdoors and attempt to learn the practical skills of that sport. The Wii can provide an alternative for outdoor sports on rainy days. Furthermore, the Wii has the potential to aid students with disabilities to gain skills in sports that may otherwise be beyond their capabilities. Using this technology in PE classes may also help to improve student ICT literacy.

This is a relatively new field in the sphere of ICT in education. Studies focusing on the topics mentioned above will greatly increase people’s awareness of the benefits and shortcomings of this technology. This will ideally lead to the Wii being used more effectively in educational contexts.


References

American Council On Exercise (2009, November 11). Test Results Reported on Fitness Benefits of Nintendo's Wii Fit and PC-Based Exergame, Dancetown. Retrieved from http://www.acefitness.org/pressroom/442/test-results-reported-on-fitness-benefits-of/

Baumann, M. (2007). Slimming Down with Wii Sports. Information Today, Apr2007, 24(4), p.47.

Chalk, A. (2008, January 30). U.K. Government Endorses Wii For Physical Education Programs. The Escapist. Retrieved from http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/81028-U-K-Government-Endorses-Wii-For-Physical-Education-Programs

Hayes, E. & Silberman, L. (2007). Incorporating Video Games into Physical Education. The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, March 2007, 78(3), p.18-24.

Mayoh, L. (2010, April 4). This is the future of sport in schools - Wii instead of PE. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/this-is-the-future-of-sport-in-schools-wii-instead-of-pe/story-e6freuy9-1225849277763

Trout, J. & Christie, B. (2009). Do Interactive Video Games Stimulate Enough Activity? JOPERD: The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Aug2009, 80(6), p.3.