What do you think of Bill Gate's "next bold move"?

[Joel Bryan Juliano]

On 9/26/07, Jonathan Jesse <jjesse at iserv.net> wrote:
> On Monday 24 September 2007 18:39:21 Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> > I hate to be the critic, but why the 'easily available in the internet'?
> >
> > On 9/24/07, Joel Bryan Juliano <joelbryan.juliano at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On 9/25/07, Joel Bryan Juliano <joelbryan.juliano at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > On 9/24/07, Kevin Cole <kjcole at ubuntu.com > wrote:
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > Yesterday's (Sunday, 2007.09.23) Washington Post Parade magazine --
> > > > > or as I like to call it the "What the 10 Worst Dictators Eat and
> > > > > Earn" magazine, which if you've read it you'll understand ;-) wants
> > > > > to know what readers think of their article "Can Bill Gates Fix Our
> > > > > Failing Schools" ([In the News] p.23)
> > > > >
> > > > > The last paragraph reads:
> > > > > > Do you agree with Bill Gates and his solutions
> > > > > > -- or do you have your own?  Tell us at parade.com
> > > > >
> > > > > P.S. Parade is actually syndicated in several newspapers across the
> > > > >      country.
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Kevin Cole                    |  Key ID: 0xE6F332C7
> > > > > Ubuntu Linux DC LoCo Team     |     WWW: http://dc.ubuntu-us.org/
> > > > >
> > > > >            ". ! 1 |" -- Rene Magritte's computer
> > > >
> > > > I think the world needs is cheaper hardware, and open source to provide
> > > > their software, if all that happens,
> > > > then kids can have their own tablet PC's, where they can have access to
> > > > open education providers like ccLearn
> > > > inside and outside the classroom.
> > >
> > > I also think that all information inside the classroom should be shared
> > > and are easily available for use by other students and educators, where
> > > each students should easily participate in open education providers,
> > > where they can easily share their knowledge through their comments,
> > > opinions that are easily available in the internet to see.
> > > --
> > > sounder mailing list
> > > sounder at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/sounder
>
> Wouldn't they need to be able to read before they use internet?  I guess I
> wonder why so many people think easy access to computers and the internet
> will help w/ education when there are people who struggle to read even close
> to the level of education they are at.  BillG is advocating teaching
> phonetics as a way to help w/ the literacy problem instead of providing cheap
> technology when literacy is a bigger issue (IMHO)
>
> Jonathan
>

The problem with traditional learning systems is that it doesn't work,
soon those kids will be forced to memorize things, but the thing is
the brain doesn't work that way.
What those kids needs to improve is their learning ability, since it
will affect reading, listening and everything else.

To quote Confucius, "Tzu-kung asked how to become Good. The Master
said, A craftsman, if he means to do good work, must first sharpen his
tools."[1], in this case, tools may refer to our human brain, learning
materials and anything else, IMHO, the second most intuitive tool a
child need is a computer hardware, and since "you have to generate
just as much energy to goof-off as paint a masterpiece, you might as
well just paint a masterpiece."[2], and in this case, you might as
well use the proper tools and methods for learning.

[1] - The Analects of Confucius, Translated by Arthur Waley
[2] - Alan Gevins, "Electrical Potentials in Human Brain During
Cognition," Science, August 21, 1981