[Olpc-za] Questionnaire

[Stuart Murray-Smith]

 Greetings all :-)

> I've therefore put together the first draft of the
> nowhere-close-to-official olpc-za questionaire and thought I'd bounce it
> off everyone so we can get a rough idea of what the olpc-za community
> looks like.

> 1. What is your name ?

Stuart Murray-Smith

> 2. What city do you live in ?

Cape Town

> 3. What role do you play in your day job ?
>
>    a) Educator
>    b) Administrator
>    c) Marketer
>    d) Software developer
>    e) Content developer
>    f) Hardware developer
>    g) Politician
>    h) Investor
>    i) Graphic/Web design
>    j) Artist
>    k) Psychologist
>    l) Anthropologist
>    m) Lawyer
>    n) Accountant
>    o) Nurse or Doctor
>    p) Policeman
>    q) Network administration
>    r) Telecommunications engineer
>    s) Researcher
>    t) Project manager
>    u) Builder
>    v) Student
>    w) Activist
>    x) Scientist
>    y) Lumberjack
>    z) Other (Please specify)

Sole proprietor product developer, so a modest mix of: a-e,h,i,l,q,s,t, and z

> 4. Do you have experience teaching computer science to school children ?

Minimal. A bit of adult education experience though

> 5. Do you have experience teaching other subjects to school children
> with the aid of computers ?

No

> 6. Do you have experiencing teaching school children with or without the
> aid of computers ?

Does Sunday School count? :-)

> 7. Do you have experience working in rural or inner-city schools ?

Rural

> 8. Do you have experience working in rural or inner-city communities ?

Rural

> 9a. Do you have experience working in private or other schools in high
> income areas ?

Yes, linked to Q4 above

> 9b. If yes, what do you see are the biggest benefits the kids receive
> from having more money spent on their education ?

I think that in an 'unlimited' resources environment, one's learning
curve is governed by the learner's aptitude more than available
teaching material. The advantaged learner may have a more sincere
understanding of their own capability, as well as a wider perspective
of what's available to them.

> 10. If we were to divide the job of bringing OLPC to South Africa into
> seven broad categories, which one would you see yourself being most
> active in ?
>
>    a) Being part of a grassroots community helping schools and educators
> to get the most from their laptops.
>
>    b) Developing software and/or content for the laptop.
>
>    c) Critic.
>
>    d) Using the laptop in the classroom.
>
>    e) Moral support.
>
>    f) Helping to drive the buy-in process to gain the support of
> Government, Education Departments, Provincial Administrations,
> Universities, Aid Agencies, Philanthropic Investors, Funding Agencies etc.
>
>    g) Documenting the progress and results of the project.

Any of the above

> 11. Do you think the first OLPC pilot program should be run in a rural
> school or an inner-city school ?

Inner-city school (favourable circumstances). I like to look at like
learning to ride a bike... at first it'll wobble a bit, but then it
becomes second nature. Then you can ride that bike just about anywhere
:-)

> 12. What are your top three reasons for why OLPC won't work (or won't
> work as well as it could) in South Africa ?

1. resistance to change (RTC)
2. political spin
3. required skill set

> 13. What are the top three benefits you see if South Africa were to
> invest in OLPC ?

1. much lower resource costs
2. greater awareness of the sciences
3. greater reach

> 14. What other questions should I have asked in this questionnaire ? :-D

None. The questions are quite comprehensive for now

> Thanks!

My pleasure :-)

Have a great Friday and weekend!

Regards,

Stuart


-- 
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.