<p>Now that I'm okay, lets talk. Okay so welshie says that we need to teach them practical skills, but then the internet aids the development of those skills. My dad stands testament to this, he says that if he had the internet in his age he would have outperformed most of his foreign peers. American and british books used to be damn expensive and there was no other way to study. Thomas Friedman has said this too, the internet is bridging the great divide. The internet plays a big role in flattening the world. The MIT OCW stand example.So I believe that laptops will help to educate these children in a good way but this article shows that human thinking is always the same wherever we go. I don't think that the developers had the tiniest idea that children would actually lookup porn when they are barely getting by. But well it happened. As for perception (my fav word) trackbabi17 you perceive that these laptops are needed before basic skills are imbibed, Welshie perceives it differently he feels that basic skills are needed first and i tend to concur. So I believe that I have defended myself properly and I'll wait for your reply.</p>
<p>no i never said that the laptops are needed before basic skills because I never assumed that these kids did not have basic skills. The education(not the system) in Nigeria is a lot more ahead than America. These children learn basic math and reading skills earlier in their school career, if they have not already learned from their parents.
As for the money being spent on surfing for porn, that's a dumb thing to say because, like mcqdeltat said that would happen anywhere in the world.</p>
<p>And I'll say again, it is not uncommon for computers to be in a Nigerian school. It is the most advanced nation in West Africa.</p>
<p>I know that most countries are better at imparting K-12 education than the US. I do agree that Nigeria is advanced my dad's co-worker was nigerian and I've not met a more intellectual person. But if you talk about the other places where these computers are going, Sudan is in flames, look at Somalia, the African interior is not as rosy as some people assume. They don't have basic necessities to go on, I believe that survival has a priority over internet connectivity. Do you agree?</p>
<p>But what do computers in Nigerian schools have to do with Sudan or Somalia? That's like saying, "Well, American kids shouldn't be wasting time on the net. Mexico is poor and with a weak government, Jamaica and Puerto Rico people are suffering, so America needs to value survival of the internet because of the troubles in these counties."</p>
<p>Africa is a continent not a country. The troubles of one region do not apply to others. And also specify that the trouble in Sudan is mostly in the Darfur region.</p>
<p>I mean, it's not like the ONLY thing these kids are doing is watching "Naughty Nurses Part 4" or whatever..the internet is controversial because while it allows access to thousands of pieces of information and study tools that are inarguably beneficial to any education, access is also readily available to more questionable things.
I'd say the question here is more about whether or not the benefits of these kids being exposed to so many different resources outweigh the risks of this exposure..</p>
<p>Don't the donated computers have any boundaries or firewalls?</p>
<p>Are computers in nigeria more important than spending money in Darfur? Come on who can actually agree with that stand. btw trackbabi17 I totally agree with "Well, American kids shouldn't be wasting time on the net. Mexico is poor and with a weak government, Jamaica and Puerto Rico people are suffering, so America needs to value survival of the internet because of the troubles in these counties." Why can people understand the value of what they have? Btw you seem to be exactly like a character from A Raisin in the sun, if you've read that book you'll know.</p>
<p>It was a private charity that donated the laptops, not the U.S. government. While there are absolutely starving, underprivileged people in Sudan and all over the world, not every charity needs to concern itself with only one issue (i.e. Darfur). </p>
<p>Your (parents') tax money wasn't spent on these computers, so I don't really see why this situation concerns you in the slightest..</p>
<p>Wow! Are you kidding me? I know people from Darfur and I don't say that that Darfur isn't being glorified by the media but I also know of people who would probably die in India if we do not provide them with food and shelter. So yes if you should know this situation does concern me because my family does spend a lot of its income on charity. People need to be fed before they go on to other things. Allocation of charity money isn't done properly at all. If it was, no one in the world would have to go hungry. I believe most people don't grasp the magnitude of the problem, writing checks to the salvation army sitting in your house may clear your conscience but it definitely doesn't do the same thing for me.</p>
<p>I absolutely was not saying anything that would diminish the significance of the genocide in Sudan, especially coming from a Jewish background with family members who've experienced a similar genocide firsthand. I was also deeply involved in a club in high school meant to specifically raise awareness about humanitarian issues like that one..</p>
<p>What I was trying to say was that you shouldn't fault a PRIVATE charity for being interested in a specific issue just because you personally don't find it important enough to invest money in. Absolutely no one is forced to contribute to a private aid organization. However, if the U.S. government decided to use some of its (very small) foreign aid budget (which comes from your tax dollars) to purchase these laptops for the Nigerian school, you could object by voting against the politicians who encouraged the designation of funds.</p>
<p>..you dig? haha</p>
<p>sorry for coming off a little strong, I'm going though an emotional tempest right now. but yeah i agree private charities can spend their money however they like.</p>
<p>are you talking about Beneatha? We read that play in 8th grade. And no, I do not believe I am like her because I really am from Nigeria and not trying to acting like I am like she was</p>
<p>I sorta had the feeling you were from nigeria, your defense was indicative of that.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Now that I'm okay, lets talk. Okay so welshie says that we need to teach them practical skills, but then the internet aids the development of those skills.
[/quote]
Internet doesn't aids in learning. It just overwhelms you with information. Huge amount of information doesn't necessary mean good education. Small information internalized properly makes good education. Which is why K-12 education in US is the best. Grade-12 kids may not be taught quantum theory and other similar sh|t but at least they really learn what's taught to them.</p>
<p>There might be some point in using internet for incremental education, but educational content upto undergraduate level isn't incremental. It's static.</p>
<p>Having access to Online encyclopedia with videos would be great, but it won't be worth of the money spent developing the infrastructure. I can't see the need of this One-laptop-per-child project when there are more cheaper and robust ways of delivering information. We'll need 50,000$ for a 500 children school in Africa/India/wherever to arm them with computes. That's a huge amount; and it's pain to see some governments in africa/asia falling into this racket.</p>
<p>TrackBabi17 and her black nationalist outcries against racist america, racist americas, racist earth, and racist universe---precious</p>
<p>money is better spent on books than laptops for african children. they barely have enough to eat...</p>
<p>Trackbabi17
Thank YOU! Nigeria is an advance country & smart
I feel really complimented:D
Us nigerians possess intellegence; at least the ones I know</p>
<p>^^agreed So Authentic!! But I think the private company should have used th money to fund new schools and school materials and pay teachers (according to my aunt there are constantly teacher strikes because they do not get paid enough.) Simply giving lab tops does not solve the problems in the educational system.</p>
<p>What the hell are you guys talking about that these kids don't need laptops(not u koolmaria). Elementary age Nigerian kids are smarter than a lot of middle school aged kids in America. Stop using the whole of Africa to define a small portion of it. Not all of Africa is the same. Computers are nothing new to Nigerians. Donating some kids computers there is no different from donating some public school children here computers</p>
<p>They already have books because unlike American children they read a lot. These kids learn calculus in like middle school, them using computers is nothing new.</p>
<p>TrackBabi17, no need to get infuriated. Can't get mad over these little misconceptions. Also, try not to Say "Unlike American children they read alot" because you don't want to come off as stereotypical. There are some American children that does alot of heavy reading.</p>
<p>"These kids learn calculus in like middle school, them using computers is nothing new."</p>
<p>^^I oppose that advanced S***. Its good to be ahead in certain things but why the hell would you learn calculus in middle school? Take it slow. Dammit, they need to stop rushing things. Development comes gradual. You can't rush things. So learning calculus in middle school is just going over-board. children have their whole lives ahead of you. Thats why I disbelieve when they say "Life is too short" because its not</p>
<p>Koolmaria139, yeah the government in Nigeria is kind of corrupted currently so im not surprised. If the governement can fix themselves they wouldn't be in that predicament</p>
<p>Waste of taxpayer money as usual. Whats so new here?</p>