Cheap Computers

From LiteracyTentWiki

From: David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3653] Changes in technology cost and access that we need to think about
Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 11:06:59 -0400 (EDT)

NIFL-Technology Colleagues,

I saw an ad today for a major brand name, new, $299 desktop computer with a 17” monitor-Intel® Celeron® processor at 2.40GHz, Shared9 DDR SDRAM at 400MHz, 17” (16.0”vis) Monitor, 40GB5 Ultra/ATA 100 Hard Drive, Integrated Intel® Extreme 3D Graphics, 90-Day Limited Warranty and At-Home Service.

It reminded me of several things:

1. We are on the cusp of very cheap new computers. MIT is designing one for under $100, which will not require electricity -- it's a wind- up -- like radios which do not use batteries. That would open up computer use to the world's remote villages without electricity. The goal of affordable computers for nearly everyone in the U.S. is now in reach. http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2005/09/this_laptop_cos.html

2. If everyone -- all your students, for example -- had a computer, and if we are not taking advantage of that in adult literacy education, we need to do some serious re-thinking about our practice. Taking advantage means at least putting curriculum and lessons online so students can access them from class, from home, from work, from everywhere. What else does it, or might it, mean?

3. Within four years Boston will offer free or low cost wireless access throughout the city's neighborhoods and downtown. Philadelphia will, too. Other cities will likely follow. With a laptop or mobile device which accesses the Web, our students will have anywhere anytime access to learning. How are we taking advantage of that opportunity?

4. I recently presented at a national workshop held at a modest- priced hotel which offered its patrons free wireless access. We had the room set up with a multimedia projector, and used the wireless access. It worked fine, but what we really wanted -- and would have greatly benefited from -- was a computer lab which was prohibitively expensive. At the end of the workshop, we learned that nearly every participant had brought a laptop, most with wireless access. If we had asked in the workshop invitation that participants bring a wireless laptop, we would undoubtedly have had enough for people to work in pairs. This is significant. Soon we will be able to _expect_ that conference participants will have brought wireless laptops. If we do workshops at national conferences we should ask that the conference venues offer free wireless access to participants.

What other technology changes should we be thinking about? What are we doing to take advantage of these, and to help students take advantage of these?

David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net