Group work
that encourages intellectual curiosity, creativity, and communication
Goals
To change
the way teachers teach to allow students to seek the truth through interaction
and exploration by using XO, “windows to the world,” and other tools that
develop their thinking.
To offer the
teachers of the Marina Orth School an opportunity to relearn how to teach in a
more dynamic way.
To encourage
pertinent reflection by the teachers concerning the development of Project
VUELA (Taking Flight).
To improve
classroom projects based on the experiences of the pilot project.
To use
technology to educate the teachers as well as the students.
To construct
and develop classroom projects with the teachers.
To implement
group learning projects in the classrooms.
To
periodically review with the teachers the values and methods of Project Vuela
(Taking Flight).
First Phase Teachers
Preschool
Teacher Ligia Ester Saldarriaga
First Grade
Teacher Martha Lia Valencia
Second Grade
Teacher Bernarda Gomez
Second Phase Teachers
Third Grade
Teacher Margarita Maria Gallon
Fourth Grade
Teacher Martha Lily Hernandez
Fifth Grade
Teacher Claudia Henao
Core Values
Responsibility,
Independence, Creativity, and Respect
To question: to seek and investigate
To create: to plan, design, and resolve
problems
To
communicate: to
disseminate ideas and share strategies
Processes
Family Awareness-150 families
We have held five family information sessions to this point with the goal of
encouraging parents to get involved in the use and maintenance of the laptops.
General Teacher Training
All of the teachers in the school, including those who are not directly
involved in the project, have received training in the use of the laptops and
their value in the classroom.
Specialized Teacher Training
The foundation has a cooperative partnership with the Fundación
Universitaria Catolica del Norte through which it has developed the educational
plan and has been developing a plan for training in info virtual tools. The
three teachers who initiated the project September 1, 2008 constructed the
first classroom project based on new technology with the help of both
foundations. The project is titled “Living Beings,” and teaches the children to
explore the lives of animals.
Beginning October 1, the teachers of third, fourth, and fifth grade began
the process of implementing XO work in their classrooms. They are currently
developing a course in technological tools for the coming school year.
Student Initiation
Before the first handout of the computers, the students attend 6 sessions to
familiarize themselves with the laptops. They learn with relative ease the
actions “open, close, turn on, turn off, etc.” We were surprised to discover
that 90% of the preschool students learned the aforementioned actions in less
than one minute with no previous experience with the laptops. Several of the
students have discovered by themselves how to chat, make and share videos, and
take photos. The children who have not yet officially received their laptops
may borrow the laptops during their breaks and weekends in order to maintain
their motivation.
On October 1, the students of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades received their
laptops, and from that day on they have been bringing them to their houses.
OLPC Monitors Group.
We have convened a group of students from the secondary with a special
interest in Project VUELA (Taking Flight). They execute diverse technical
processes that require the laptops to work properly. At the same time, they
learn to work well in groups. They have been developing an IT training plan for
the other students.
Little OLPC Scientists.
The children have loved these devices so much, that through their own
initiative, they have put together the group of “Little Scientists” who have
been conducting experiments and exploring different uses for the machines. One
discovery of this group was made by Daniela, an 11-year-old 5th grade student.
Through experimenting with broken laptops, she discovered why these laptops
were deactivating and developed a process to reactivate the laptops.
Changes in the Children
We are seeing with pride how the group interactions provided through the
laptops has sparked a change in behavior, especially among boys and girls who
were difficult cases for their teachers. Today we find them more sociable, less
aggressive, and able to share better with their peers and adults. The children
speak of their discoveries and advances, and demonstrate enormous joy in them.
Children with learning problems have surprised us when they have shown us their
creative abilities on the laptops.
Difficulties:
We have identified two specific difficulties with the project thus far:
First, without prior warning, the laptops will deactivate due to misuse by the
children or instability on the electrical fluid of the hamlet. Second, some
children have mistreated the hardware. Three children have pulled out keys from
their key boards. A screen has also been broken, but right now we attribute
this damage to an accident. Another issue has been that the students want to
save their activities, but do not have USB memory cards for this purpose.
Evaluations
The present report seeks to outline our expected results. Once Project VUELA
(Taking Flight) has been fully implemented and conducted for a significant
length of time, we will conduct a study to collect empirical evidence of the
effects of this project. Right now, our data and observations indicate that the
students have improved noticeably, although there are cases where this
improvement has not been evident.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS AT MARINA ORTH
SCHOOL
2009 has
been a year of great steps for the foundation. We have received visits from
Germany, France, South Korea, and the United States, as well as visits from
important national foundations such as L.E. Urrea Educational Foundation, Exito
Hunger Foundation, and Inder Sports Foundation. Local Institutions such EAFIT
University and CINDE have contacted us to get involved in the foundation. The
highlight of the year thus far has been the visit of U.S. Ambassador to
Colombia, William Brownfield, in March.
IMPORTANT EVENTS
In
September, we held a ceremony to commemorate the day that we handed the laptops
to the students of third, fourth, and fifth grades. The younger students
received their laptops in July, and had already had their laptops for several
months, while the students of third, fourth, and fifth had been eagerly
awaiting their turn to use these special tools. The delay in the hand out of
the laptops was due to the preparation needed to develop a curriculum for the
laptops in the upper grades of the primary. The lower primary grades developed
their curriculum first. Although the students had all received their laptops by
September, the official ceremony to commemorate the launching of the OLPC
project was not until October.
LAUNCH OF PROJECT VUELA (TAKING OFF)
October 7,
2008
In the fieldhouse of the Marina Orth School, Principal Beatriz Cecilia Mejia
welcomed the 160 excited guests assembled for the kickoff of the OLPC project
at the school. This day had been eagerly looked forward to for two months, and
all of the preparations and arrangements were finally coming to fruition. The
excitement in the crowd was palpable, and with good reason: this project would
change the lives of the students and their families, and a group of people
ranging from corporate executives to teachers and children were there to
commemorate this milestone of achievement at the school.
After the playing of the Colombian national anthem, Master of Ceremonies, sixth
grade student Juliana Quintero, took the microphone and welcomed the guests in
her own words in both Spanish and English. Foundation Executive Director Luis
Fernando Sanchez gave a brief history of the foundation and its work at the
school before giving up the stage for the singing of the school hymn in
English, performed by the entire school. Next, students Cindy Milady Quintero
and Julian Ibarra explained the mission and work of OLPC, and the effect that
they hoped it would have at their school. They made it clear that this project
was not simply putting toys in the students’ hands: it was opening up an entire
world of possibilities that these students had never before known.
Chuck Kane, OLPC president, took the microphone next. He gave a stirring speech
about the mission of OLPC and his hopes for the future of the students at
Marina Orth School. He urged the children present to dream big dreams and not
let anyone or anything discourage them from reaching their goals.
Maureen Orth, founder of the foundation, took the stage to personally thank
each of the 12 organizations that contributed directly to the launching of the
OLPC project. Each organization received a commemorative plaque as a token of
gratitude from the foundation and the school. Wes Lohec, Chief of Operations
for Chevron in Latin America, expressed his pleasure at Chevron’s involvement
in the OLPC project at Marina Orth School. These words capped a memorable and
special day for all the organizations involved, but most important, the 350
students of Marina Orth School. We hope we will one day look back when we have
developed successful projects in Aguas Frias and throughout Colombia and
remember the day that began everything.
