One Laptop per Child

One Laptop per Child
Name	One Laptop per Child
Founder	Nicholas Negroponte, Mary Lou Jepsen
Location	Cambridge, Massachusetts

One Laptop per Child is an initiative founded by Nicholas Negroponte and Mary Lou Jepsen at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide low-cost, low-power XO laptops to children in developing countries, with the goal of improving Intel-based ICT4D and UN-supported MDG outcomes. The project has been supported by various organizations, including Google, Microsoft, News Corporation, and the UNDP. The initiative has also been endorsed by several world leaders, such as Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, and Jimmy Carter. The project's mission is to provide children in developing countries with access to Wikipedia, Wikimedia resources, and other digital tools, such as Khan Academy and Coursera, to enhance their learning experience.

Introduction

The One Laptop per Child initiative aims to provide children in developing countries with access to affordable and durable laptops, designed to withstand rough handling and extreme environmental conditions, similar to those faced by NASA's Mars rovers. The laptops are equipped with Wi-Fi and USB ports, allowing children to connect to the internet and access a wide range of educational resources, including MIT OCW and edX. The project has partnered with various organizations, including Red Hat, AMD, and Quanta Computer, to develop and distribute the laptops. The initiative has also received support from Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and other prominent philanthropists, who have donated to the project through the Gates Foundation and other charitable organizations, such as the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

History

The One Laptop per Child initiative was launched in 2005 by Nicholas Negroponte and Mary Lou Jepsen at the MIT. The project was initially supported by Google, Microsoft, and News Corporation, and later received funding from the UN and other organizations, including the World Bank and the IMF. The first prototype of the laptop, called the XO-1, was unveiled in 2006 at the WEF in Davos, Switzerland. The laptop was designed to be low-cost, low-power, and durable, with a target price of $100, making it affordable for children in developing countries, such as Brazil, China, and India. The project has since expanded to include other countries, such as South Africa, Egypt, and Turkey, and has partnered with organizations like UNICEF, Save the Children, and the Red Cross.

Hardware

The XO laptop is designed to be rugged and durable, with a waterproof keyboard and a LCD screen that can be read in direct sunlight, similar to those used in Amazon Kindles. The laptop is powered by a Linux-based operating system and features a range of educational software, including Sugar, a learning platform developed by Walter Bender and Ivan Krstić. The laptop also includes a range of peripherals, such as a USB port, a SD card slot, and a camera, allowing children to take pictures and videos, similar to those taken by National Geographic photographers. The laptop's hardware is designed to be easy to repair and maintain, with a modular design that allows components to be easily replaced, similar to those used in Dell and HP laptops.

Software

The XO laptop comes with a range of educational software, including Sugar, a learning platform that provides access to a range of educational activities and resources, such as Khan Academy videos and Wikipedia articles. The laptop also includes a range of other software applications, such as AbiWord, a word processor, and GCompris, a suite of educational games, similar to those used in Sesame Street and PBS Kids. The laptop's software is designed to be easy to use and navigate, with a simple and intuitive interface that allows children to access a range of educational resources, including MIT OCW and edX courses. The laptop also includes a range of tools and applications, such as Firefox, a web browser, and GIMP, a graphics editor, similar to those used by Adobe and Autodesk.

Deployment

The One Laptop per Child initiative has deployed laptops to children in over 30 countries, including Peru, Uruguay, and Rwanda. The project has partnered with local governments, schools, and organizations to distribute the laptops and provide training and support to teachers and children, similar to those provided by UNESCO and the WHO. The initiative has also established a range of programs and activities to support the use of the laptops in education, including teacher training and curriculum development, similar to those used in Finland and Singapore. The project has received support from a range of organizations, including USAID, the World Bank, and the EU, and has partnered with companies like Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco to provide technical support and resources.

Impact

The One Laptop per Child initiative has had a significant impact on education in developing countries, providing children with access to a range of educational resources and tools, similar to those used in Harvard and Stanford. The project has also helped to improve digital literacy and ICT skills among children and teachers, similar to those promoted by Digital Divide initiatives and CSEdWeek. The initiative has received recognition and awards from a range of organizations, including the UN, the WEF, and the MIT TR35, and has been endorsed by world leaders, such as Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, and Vladimir Putin. The project has also been studied by researchers at MIT, Harvard, and Stanford, who have published papers on the initiative's impact and effectiveness in journals like Nature and Science.

Category:Computer science