1.
How does the One Laptop Per
Child Initiative Impact Children,
Teachers, and the Community?
Japan Comparative Education Society
49th Annual Conference
IV-9 Development and Education
July 7, 2013 12:30 - 13:00
Yamaguchi-Takada Lab
Shinobu Yamaguchi
John Auxillos
The Yamaguchi-Takada Lab holds the copyright of all images in this presentation unless otherwise specified.
Findings from a Mixed-Methods Research in Mongolia
Slides Available Here: http://goo.gl/KPJK7
1Sunday, July 7, 13

2.
Outline
Background - 3 min
Methodology - 3 min
Findings - 12 min
1. Community
2. Teachers
3. Children
• Case of Tsast-Altai
Conclusion - 2 min
Q&A - 10 min
2Sunday, July 7, 13

3.
Presentation Focus
“ICT in Education”
3Sunday, July 7, 13

4.
Computer Aided
Instruction
One-to-One
Learning
Presentation Focus
“ICT in Education”
3Sunday, July 7, 13

5.
Computer Aided
Instruction
One-to-One
Learning
Presentation Focus
“ICT in Education”
3Sunday, July 7, 13

6.
Background
4Sunday, July 7, 13

7.
5Sunday, July 7, 13

8.
US Based Non-Profit Organization
Spin-out from the MIT Media Lab
5Sunday, July 7, 13

9.
Why?
5Sunday, July 7, 13

10.
Why?
- One Laptop Per Child Mission
“empowerment of world’s poorest
children through education”
5Sunday, July 7, 13

11.
How?
6Sunday, July 7, 13

12.
How?
“provide each child with a rugged, low-
cost, low-power, connected laptop...
for collaborative, joyful, and self-
empowered learning”
- One Laptop Per Child Mission
6Sunday, July 7, 13

13.
What?
7Sunday, July 7, 13

14.
What?
“we have designed hardware, content and software”
XO1
- One Laptop Per Child Mission
7Sunday, July 7, 13

15.
“we have designed hardware, content and software”
Media 1 GB flash memory
Operating
system
Fedora-based (Linux) with Sugar GUI
Power NiMH or LiFePO4 removable battery pack
CPU AMD Geode LX700 Clocked at 433 Mhz
Memory 256 MB DRAM
Display dual-mode 19.1 cm/7.5" diagonal TFT LCD
1200×900
Input Keyboard, Touchpad, Microphone, Camera
Camera 640×480; 30 FPS
Connectivity 802.11b/g /s wireless LAN, 3 x USB 2.0,
MMC/SD card slot
Dimensions 242 mm × 228 mm × 32 mm
Weight 1.45 kg-1.58 kg
XO1
- One Laptop Per Child Mission
7Sunday, July 7, 13

16.
“we have designed hardware, content and software”
Media 1 GB flash memory
Operating
system
Fedora-based (Linux) with Sugar GUI
Power NiMH or LiFePO4 removable battery pack
CPU AMD Geode LX700 Clocked at 433 Mhz
Memory 256 MB DRAM
Display dual-mode 19.1 cm/7.5" diagonal TFT LCD
1200×900
Input Keyboard, Touchpad, Microphone, Camera
Camera 640×480; 30 FPS
Connectivity 802.11b/g /s wireless LAN, 3 x USB 2.0,
MMC/SD card slot
Dimensions 242 mm × 228 mm × 32 mm
Weight 1.45 kg-1.58 kg
This was back in 2005.
XO1
- One Laptop Per Child Mission
7Sunday, July 7, 13

17.
greater than 100,000
10,000-100,000
1,000 to 10,000
100-1,000
less than 100
source: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployments
8Sunday, July 7, 13

18.
greater than 100,000
10,000-100,000
1,000 to 10,000
100-1,000
less than 100
53 Countries
~2,000,000 XO Laptops
source: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployments
8Sunday, July 7, 13

19.
greater than 100,000
10,000-100,000
1,000 to 10,000
100-1,000
less than 100
53 Countries
~2,000,000 XO Laptops
source: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployments
8Sunday, July 7, 13

20.
greater than 100,000
10,000-100,000
1,000 to 10,000
100-1,000
less than 100
53 Countries
~2,000,000 XO Laptops
12,100 XO1s
47 Schools
Distributed in 2008
source: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployments
8Sunday, July 7, 13

21.
greater than 100,000
10,000-100,000
1,000 to 10,000
100-1,000
less than 100
What happened to the OLPC
initiative in Mongolia?
53 Countries
~2,000,000 XO Laptops
12,100 XO1s
47 Schools
Distributed in 2008
source: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Deployments
8Sunday, July 7, 13

22.
Mongolian Education Reform
• Collapse of USSR (1991)
– Decentralization and
democratization
– Transition into market
economy
– Economic shock all sectors
– Decreasing the national
budget
Issues of the Education Sector
– fall in enrollment
– increase in dropout rate up to 8.8%
– deterioration of facilities
– lack of training materials
– under-paid teachers
– no investment in the sector (i.e. no
single school or dormitory was built)
– closure of many rural school
dormitories
Policies related to education reform
– New Education Law (1993, 2003)
– New Educational Standard (2005)
– Mongolian Government Action Plan (2008-2012)
– Education Master Plan (2006-2015)
– Information and Communication Technology in Education Policy (2012-2016)
9Sunday, July 7, 13

23.
ICT in Education in Mongolia
ICT Related Policies
– Education Master Plan
(2006-2015)
– Amendment on New Education
Law (2012)
– Information and
Communication Technology in
Education Policy (2012-2016)
World Bank: Supplement Rural Education
and Development Project (Netbook Project)
Supplement Rural Education and Development (READ) Project
JICA Grassroots Project: Sustainable Use of
ICT to Improve the Quality of Education in
Rural Mongolia
MEXT: Sustainable ICT Use in Education:
Introducing Technology to Assist Teacher
Professional Development (Phase I) (Phase II)
World Bank FTI-ICT project on ‘Level-up’ training
on advanced level of ICT for primary school teachers
ACCU : Promoting Sustainable Development in Education
through UNESCO Development Project in Mongolia
UN Human Security Fund “Rehabilitation of
Boarding Schools and Provision of Refresher
Training Course for Headmasters and Teachers
in the Dzud affected Gobi Desert provinces”
ADB IIROM: Education Sector Reform Project
2003
2004
2005
2007
2009
2010
2012
2013
2017
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
10Sunday, July 7, 13

24.
Methodology
11Sunday, July 7, 13

25.
1.Treatment-control
comparison (before
and after, with and
without OLPC)
2.Attitudinal comparison
(computer disposition)
3.Understand the
experiences of the
users (children,
teachers & community)
Mixed Methods Research Design (1)
12Sunday, July 7, 13

26.
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

27.
introduced
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

28.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

29.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

30.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

31.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

32.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

33.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Analysis
• difference-in-differences (DID) to measure treatment over time
• average school student learning achievement test scores
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

34.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
Computer Attitude Measure
For Young Students
(Teo & Noyes 2008)
Computer Disposition
1) perceived ease of use
2) affect towards computers
3) perceived usefulness
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Analysis
• difference-in-differences (DID) to measure treatment over time
• average school student learning achievement test scores
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

35.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
Computer Attitude Measure
For Young Students
(Teo & Noyes 2008)
Computer Disposition
1) perceived ease of use
2) affect towards computers
3) perceived usefulness
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Analysis
• difference-in-differences (DID) to measure treatment over time
• average school student learning achievement test scores
Analysis
• descriptive analysis
• significant tests of means
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
13Sunday, July 7, 13

36.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
Computer Attitude Measure
For Young Students
(Teo & Noyes 2008)
Computer Disposition
1) perceived ease of use
2) affect towards computers
3) perceived usefulness
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Analysis
• difference-in-differences (DID) to measure treatment over time
• average school student learning achievement test scores
Analysis
• descriptive analysis
• significant tests of means
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
Interviews & Focus Group
Discussions at the Schools
13Sunday, July 7, 13

37.
introduced
World Bank Rural Education
And Development Project
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=4,750 5th Grade Students
166 Schools from all Regions
(12 selected as OLPC Schools)
National Achievement Test of
Mathematics and Reading
n=2000 5th Grade Students
Computer Attitude Measure
For Young Students
(Teo & Noyes 2008)
Computer Disposition
1) perceived ease of use
2) affect towards computers
3) perceived usefulness
2008
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
7 OLPC
Schools
Tested 7
OLPC
Schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
7
Paired
non-OLPC
schools
Pairing Strategy
• nearby school (similar conditions)
• on the advice of local education specialists
Analysis
• difference-in-differences (DID) to measure treatment over time
• average school student learning achievement test scores
Analysis
• descriptive analysis
• significant tests of means
Mixed Methods Research Design (2)
Interviews & Focus Group
Discussions at the Schools
Today’s Presentation Focus
• Interviews & Focus Group Discussions
• CAMYS
13Sunday, July 7, 13

38.
• Visited 8 (of 47) OLPC
schools in Mongolia
– 2 Urban
– 6 Rural
• Interviews
–school administrators (6)
–local education specialists
and directors (4)
–parents (3)
• Class Observations (2)
• Focus Group
Discussions (11)
–teachers (40)
–Gr 5 Children (42)
Interviews and Focus Group Discussions
14Sunday, July 7, 13

39.
Findings
Community Teachers Children
15Sunday, July 7, 13

40.
Findings
Community Teachers Children
Case of
Tsast-Altai
15Sunday, July 7, 13

41.
1. Community
16Sunday, July 7, 13

42.
Perspective from the
Community and Parents
17Sunday, July 7, 13

43.
• There is a positive acceptance of the OLPC
initiative.
–Parents actively participate in school competitions.
–Take financial responsibility for one-to-one learning and
investing in ICT.
Perspective from the
Community and Parents
17Sunday, July 7, 13

44.
• There is a positive acceptance of the OLPC
initiative.
–Parents actively participate in school competitions.
–Take financial responsibility for one-to-one learning and
investing in ICT.
• OLPC initiative helped trigger an ICT movement
from the grassroots level
–Children teach their parents
• Parents create on the XO with children
• Parents willing to invest (e.g. buy a PC)
–Parents request local government for laptop project
(Zavkhan)
Perspective from the
Community and Parents
17Sunday, July 7, 13

45.
2. Teachers
18Sunday, July 7, 13

46.
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (1)
19Sunday, July 7, 13

47.
• OLPC helped trigger an ICT movement in the
school
–Teachers teamed up together to teach each other to catch
up with the ICT trend.
–Teachers type out lesson plans, use email, get news from
the internet.
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (1)
19Sunday, July 7, 13

48.
• OLPC helped trigger an ICT movement in the
school
–Teachers teamed up together to teach each other to catch
up with the ICT trend.
–Teachers type out lesson plans, use email, get news from
the internet.
• Despite limited training, XOs were used and
integrated into childrens’ learning
–Teachers discovered that lesson plans need to be
rewritten using student centered approach to fully utilize
the XO1s.
–Teachers realized that the XO is best used as a self-
learning tool for children
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (1)
19Sunday, July 7, 13

49.
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (2)
20Sunday, July 7, 13

50.
• Recognize that it is a “great opportunity for
children to be exposed to ICT at an early age”
–Children learn basic ICT skills
–Able to type, turn on/off a computer
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (2)
20Sunday, July 7, 13

51.
• Recognize that it is a “great opportunity for
children to be exposed to ICT at an early age”
–Children learn basic ICT skills
–Able to type, turn on/off a computer
• There are concerns
–Safety of children who bring laptops to and from school is
an issue (at Ulaanbaatar).
–Some teachers receive complains from parents that
children “spend all their time on this green thing”.
–There are isolated cases where some teachers are made
to bare the cost of repairing or replacement of XOs.
Teachers’ View on the OLPC (2)
20Sunday, July 7, 13

52.
3. Children
21Sunday, July 7, 13

53.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
22Sunday, July 7, 13

54.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
• Measure for computer disposition (Teo & Noyes
2008)
–perceived ease of use
–attitude towards use
–perceived usefulness
22Sunday, July 7, 13

55.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
• Measure for computer disposition (Teo & Noyes
2008)
–perceived ease of use
–attitude towards use
–perceived usefulness
• 12-item 5-point likert scale
22Sunday, July 7, 13

56.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
• Measure for computer disposition (Teo & Noyes
2008)
–perceived ease of use
–attitude towards use
–perceived usefulness
• 12-item 5-point likert scale
• Expect to find that students who have XOs have a
higher disposition for computers
22Sunday, July 7, 13

57.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
• Measure for computer disposition (Teo & Noyes
2008)
–perceived ease of use
–attitude towards use
–perceived usefulness
• 12-item 5-point likert scale
• Expect to find that students who have XOs have a
higher disposition for computers
• Findings
–We find differences in the computer disposition between
OLPC and non-OLPC schools in the rural area.
22Sunday, July 7, 13

58.
Computer Attitude Measure
for Young Students
• Measure for computer disposition (Teo & Noyes
2008)
–perceived ease of use
–attitude towards use
–perceived usefulness
• 12-item 5-point likert scale
• Expect to find that students who have XOs have a
higher disposition for computers
• Findings
–We find differences in the computer disposition between
OLPC and non-OLPC schools in the rural area.
–Children in urban schools (OLPC and non-OLPC) have
the same level of computer disposition
22Sunday, July 7, 13

59.
Computer Attitude Measure for Young Students
Rural Urban
23Sunday, July 7, 13

60.
Computer Attitude Measure for Young Students
Rural Urban
23Sunday, July 7, 13

61.
Computer Attitude Measure for Young Students
Rural Urban
23Sunday, July 7, 13

62.
Computer Attitude Measure for Young Students
Rural Urban
Urban Teachers: Children have access to computers and smartphones at home
23Sunday, July 7, 13

63.
Case of Tsast-Altai School
in Khovd Province (2013-01)
24Sunday, July 7, 13

64.
Quantitative Measures:
Student Learning Achievement
2012 2012
OLPC OLPC
25Sunday, July 7, 13

65.
Quantitative Measures:
Computer Attitude
N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
OLPC
Non-OLPC
110 81% 0.11714 0.01117
102 62% 0.18909 0.01872
CAMYS Total Score in %
Levene's Test for
Equality of Variances
Levene's Test for
Equality of Variances
t-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Meanst-test for Equality of Means
F Sig. t df Sig. (2-
tailed)
Mean
Difference
Std. Error
Difference
95% Confidence Interval
of the Difference
95% Confidence Interval
of the Difference
Lower Upper
Equal variances assumed
Equal variances not
assumed
19.014 0.000 8.597 210 0.000 0.18428 0.02144 0.14202 0.22654
8.453 166.173 0 0.18428 0.0218 0.14124 0.22732
OLPC
26Sunday, July 7, 13

66.
Perspectives on Children
27Sunday, July 7, 13

67.
Perspectives on Children
Children
enjoy playing and creating
helping each other out
staying after school to use the XO (and the connecting to the internet)
finding that accessing information on the internet is easy
would like to show our works
27Sunday, July 7, 13

68.
Perspectives on Children
Children
enjoy playing and creating
helping each other out
staying after school to use the XO (and the connecting to the internet)
finding that accessing information on the internet is easy
would like to show our works
Teachers
disciplined
creative
collaborative
self-starting
27Sunday, July 7, 13

69.
Perspectives on Children
Children
enjoy playing and creating
helping each other out
staying after school to use the XO (and the connecting to the internet)
finding that accessing information on the internet is easy
would like to show our works
Teachers
disciplined
creative
collaborative
self-starting
School Management
increase in medals
improves school reputation
great opportunity to use ICT at an early age
27Sunday, July 7, 13

70.
Perspectives on Children
Children
enjoy playing and creating
helping each other out
staying after school to use the XO (and the connecting to the internet)
finding that accessing information on the internet is easy
would like to show our works
Teachers
disciplined
creative
collaborative
self-starting
School Management
increase in medals
improves school reputation
great opportunity to use ICT at an early age
Parents
playing, exploring, creating
learn very fast
has willingness to teach family
center of ICT in the family
27Sunday, July 7, 13

71.
Perspectives on Children
Children
enjoy playing and creating
helping each other out
staying after school to use the XO (and the connecting to the internet)
finding that accessing information on the internet is easy
would like to show our works
Teachers
disciplined
creative
collaborative
self-starting
School Management
increase in medals
improves school reputation
great opportunity to use ICT at an early age
Tokyo Tech
unreserved
confident to express themselves
proud to show off what they can do
Parents
playing, exploring, creating
learn very fast
has willingness to teach family
center of ICT in the family
27Sunday, July 7, 13

72.
Conclusion
28Sunday, July 7, 13

73.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395763,00.asp
29Sunday, July 7, 13

74.
Conclusion
30Sunday, July 7, 13

75.
Conclusion
• One-to-one learning has benefits that impact
not only children, but also teachers and the
communities they are introduced in.
30Sunday, July 7, 13

76.
Conclusion
• One-to-one learning has benefits that impact
not only children, but also teachers and the
communities they are introduced in.
• This preliminary results suggest the need for
that multiple approach to reflect the reality of
the use of the XO1s.
30Sunday, July 7, 13

77.
Conclusion
• One-to-one learning has benefits that impact
not only children, but also teachers and the
communities they are introduced in.
• This preliminary results suggest the need for
that multiple approach to reflect the reality of
the use of the XO1s.
• Our research findings cannot be generalized
for the entire Mongolia and further research
is needed.
30Sunday, July 7, 13

78.
Thank you for listening!
Shinobu Yamaguchi
yamaguchi@gsic.titech.ac.jp
John Auxillos
auxillos@ap.ide.titech.ac.jp
31Sunday, July 7, 13