Laptops as Fishing Rods?

What’s the one thing developing countries need to succeed? When first asked this question I would be likely say the infrastructure to secure food, water, and shelter. After more consideration, education would be my likely response, remembering the research papers I’d written in college that identified the critical role of education for developing social and economic stability. You know, teach a man to fish yada yada. Education, final answer. Great, we’ve solved the world’s problems. As easy as it is to make the statement that education is a key component to sustainable regional development, how exactly can this be done for places with very few resources? One company suggests that laptops are the answer and I’m starting to think they have the right idea.

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One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), a non-profit based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, began with the goal of developing and distributing laptop computers that are inexpensive and durable to children in developing countries. Laptops? Really? At first glance, this seems like something that would be on the 15th page on a list of necessities for developing countries, behind minor considerations like medical care and qualified teachers. It wasn’t until I reflected on the strategy behind this ingenious concept that laptops moved to the first page of my list of necessities for developing regions.

The newest computer by OLPC, the XO-3, has a projected price point of $75 USD and is the second edition to a line of computers that cost less than $100. OLPC markets these computers to governments of third-world countries to be distributed to students. According to the New York Times, 1.6 million first edition XO laptops have already been sold to governments of developing countries. Unlike their flashy, glorified counterparts, these computers are designed to be durable, waterproof, viewable in both bright sunlight or darkness, and consume low levels of electricity.

This led me to consider the role of technology for education. Where do I go when I want to learn a new skill? www.lynda.com. What to do if I have the flu? www.WebMD.com. Find drinkable water when trapped on a desert island? Google.com and pray for 3G coverage. For the same reason we have standards in textbooks, laptops can be a way to qualify the teacher that may not have all of the answers. With a laptop for every child, we can empower the kids of developing countries or even the less advantaged here in Vermont to explore their world — and help teach themselves to fish…