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It's Not (Just) About the Laptop: One Laptop per Child and the Movement to Improve Education Across the Globe Hardcover – September 18, 2012
There are thousands of social entrepreneurship programs in various stages of planning and implementation at any given time. For the most part, these programs start out small with the intention of “scaling up” based on trial and error. One Laptop per Child started out with a very ambitious mission—to provide more information and better education to the world’s poor via an inexpensive laptop. Almost immediately this organization garnered attention—the ambition, the caliber of people working on the program and the initial success. This book tells not only the story of this lofty group of pioneers, but also puts the lessons into perspective for future social entrepreneurs—what it means to work in this environment, how to collaborate with educators, organizations, countries, administrators, businesses. Part narrative history of OLpC, part social entrepreneurship lessons and part futuristic look at attaining the education goals it set out, this book offers a real on the ground look at how this group brought together, business, educators, technology, non-profits, and entrepreneurs to help bring an education to the world’s underprivileged.
- Print length256 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
- Publication dateSeptember 18, 2012
- Dimensions6.44 x 1.1 x 9.41 inches
- ISBN-100230337317
- ISBN-13978-0230337312
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Both the greatest opportunity for social entrepreneurs and the greatest obstacles to be overcome lie in the field of education. Learning to Change the World describes the challenges OLPC faced in working in countries where the educational system is most ineffective and entrenched. If our goal is to change the rules to ensure that the poor have a place in this world, the surest way to do so is by giving them the tools they need to help pave their own way. OLPC has been a pioneer in this attempt, and this book is a must read for those who would follow.” ―Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank
“This book is a must read for entrepreneurs who want to learn the complexities of bringing technology to poor children to improve their lives in real and sustainable ways. Bender, Kane and their colleagues tell the brilliantly crafted story of the innovations they realized and the setbacks they faced in creating, manufacturing and distributing the 'little green laptop' and developing its Sugar learning software. This book will inspire readers by illustrating how OLPC has successfully transformed the lives of young learners throughout the world.” ―Evangeline Harris Stefanakis, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Development, Boston University
“Learning to Change the World is a fascinating story of technology, social impact and entrepreneurship. The breathtaking ambition of the project is almost overwhelming. But it is in the details of the implementation and the lessons learned where great wisdom lies for the reader. The interaction between the bold vision and the operational reality of realizing impact was the best educational take away of all, and clearly highlights the daunting challenge of carrying on the revolution in education.” ―Bill Aulet, Managing Director, Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship, MIT
“Learning to Change the World honestly chronicles the remarkable story of One Laptop per Child. It shares in equal measure the triumphs and challenges along the OLPC journey and provides invaluable lessons learned for what it truly takes to impact the world. This is an important and must read book for social entrepreneurs, leaders in the public and private sectors and most of all citizens who want to use their energy and talent to make a difference in the lives of others. Read it, become inspired and pass the message along.” ―Alan Khazei, Co-Founder City Year, Founder Be The Change, Inc.
“The challenges associated with trying to scale the impact of a social entrepreneurial venture have never been described so clearly and compellingly. The One Laptop per Child team had audacious ambitions and have made significant progress toward their goals by building the capabilities needed for collaboration (with governments, high tech manufacturers, and financial institutions), cost reduction, and stimulating market forces. There are numerous lessons here for others eager to change the world.” ―Paul Bloom, Faculty Director at the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business
“Learning to Change the World documents a project at the intersection of educational reform, learning theory, technology and business innovation, and personal creativity. As such, this book might be as important for technology managers, heads of non-profit organizations, students in MBA programs, and government policy-makers as it is for teachers, instructional designers, or educational psychologists. Whatever your discipline, you will likely resonate with more than a few anecdotes and ideas in this book.” ―Dr. Curtis J. Bonk, Educational Technology magazine
About the Author
Walter Bender is the Executive Director of Sugar Labs. He is a technologist and researcher who has made important contributions in the field of electronic publishing, media, and technology for learning. Bender is on leave as a Senior Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab which he led as executive director between 2000 and 2006. He served as president of One Laptop per Child for Software and Content where he coordinated the development of software and content including the Sugar interface for the XO-1 Children's Machine computer.
Chuck Kane is the President of the OlpC Association and has previously served as President, Chief Operating Officer and an Advisor of One Laptop per Child. Mr. Kane serves as Senior Lecturer at the Sloan Graduate School of Business at MIT. He serves as an Adjunct Professor of International Finance at the Boston College Carroll School of Management.
Product details
- Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan (September 18, 2012)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0230337317
- ISBN-13 : 978-0230337312
- Item Weight : 14.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 6.44 x 1.1 x 9.41 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,909,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #754 in Non-Governmental Organization Policy
- #3,243 in Nonprofit Organizations & Charities (Books)
- #11,951 in Systems & Planning
- Customer Reviews:
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1. Discussing and making clear the theory of Constructionism and what is means in Education.
2. Discussing the conceptual and practical development of the OLPC XO Laptop and its deployments around the world.
3. Examining how an organization can work toward social change
Enjoy!
(Full disclosure: I am on the oversight board for SugarLabs, and my dissertation research is mentioned in the book)
OLPC was not just about laptops. There was a philosophy called constructionism that went with the laptops: the idea that children could and should take an active role in their own education, and that some of the most rewarding educational experiences a child could have might take place outside the classroom, when the child uses the computer to explore subjects that interest him. The user interface of the laptops (called Sugar) was designed to encourage students to work together to solve problems. The software provided Activities that made it useful for learning every subject, not just "computer literacy". Older students could create their own Activities, and even work on improving Sugar itself, and many have done just that.
Contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, OLPC is actually a successful project that has improved education for millions of children. I have been following this project almost from the beginning and there was a lot of information in this book that was new to me. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in education and the right way to use computers to improve it.
In the Bio Walter declares himself the founder of Sugar Labs when in fact he was one of several people. The deeper one looks, the more self promotional the book becomes.
