the olpc xo laptop as a ple

The OLPC XO laptop

as a PLE

fabio serenelliandrea mangiatordi

OLPC

One Laptop Per Child

(in a nutshell)

The tradition

The traditionTeacher

The traditionTeacher

Class

One Laptop Per Child

One Laptop Per Child

One Laptop Per Child

One Laptop Per Child

One step beyond...

One step beyond...

One step beyond...

One step beyond...

One step beyond...

Where is the computer now?

Let’s take a closer look...

XO laptop

A rugged, energy-efficient, low cost laptop

designed for learners in developing countries

XO laptop

a custom operating systembased on GNU/Linux...

but designed for children!

featuring

Child-centered

Child-centered

Favorite apps stay

around the child

Child-centered

Favorite apps stay

around the child

Is this a PLE?

Probably, but...

is there any possibility that the XO laptop as a whole could be considered a PLE?

Let’s think of it as a

Cognitive Artifact

[Interaction Design] [Don Norman] [Seymour Papert]

we said the computer disappears when it

permeates the environment.

OK.

(Remember the green

background???)

hence, it’s probably not the hardware

(what makes something look like a PLE)

Could it be the software?

Could it be the software?

(tip: we live in the era of cloud computing...)

We think

this case is slightly different...

We dare call this

BORDERWARE

belonging to a community

it is the mark of the

(an horizontal one)

it can create links

it can create links

Acting as a Social Amplifier

and it can be

a cognitive amplifier

enhancing

enhancing

calculating

writing

drawing

thinking

memorizing

abilities

and in the future?

and in the future?Children will grow up

and in the future?Children will grow up

and will still need a PLE

and in the future?Children will grow up

and will still need a PLE

something designed for

and in the future?Children will grow up

and will still need a PLE

something designed for

life-long learning

and in the future?Children will grow up

and will still need a PLE

something designed for

life-long learning

life-wide learning

A possible solution?

Thank you!

andrea.mangiatordi@gmail.com

fabio.serenelli@gmail.com

University of Milan Bicocca, Italy