----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Kinz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org> Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 4:30 PM Subject: Re: OLPC - "eaten my homework"
> On Wed, May 31, 2006 at 03:42:35PM -0400, David Ecklein wrote: > > Has the need for expensive "rugged" textbooks been taken for granted? > > Remember, we are discussing education in developing countries. > > > > In the Philippines (especially outside of Manila), it has been common for > > teachers to be the sole possessor of such textbooks, aside from the school > > library, from which it may have been borrowed. He or she then reproduces > > extracts on a mimeo and passes it out to the students as the lessons > > dictate. The students then have a copy of their own timely information - > > rather than anyone investing in "rugged" books that get outdated after being > > passed down just a few times to incoming students. By the way, everything > > rots in the Philippines, even "rugged" US-made textbooks. > > > And your shorts too, I've heard. :-) > In the rainy season, and especially Aug - Sept. I always went during a dry season. > > > In modern Greece, a society somewhere between the developing world and the > > most advanced industrial countries, the use of "expensive rugged" school > > textbooks is eschewed. Every Greek student receives a cheaply printed > > up-to-date book each year for each course. These paperback books are > > personal property of the students, and are not passed down - avoidance of > > multiple serial abuse plus pride of ownership are enough to keep the book in > > better condition. See Alan Cromer "Connected Knowledge" (Oxford 1997). > > I like this idea better than the teacher being the sole owner. I don't > suppose many people would keep their first year reading primer very long > but what the hey, its going to rot anyway. The Greek system has much to commend it. Why stick kids with antiquated books, just because fabricating new ones is so expensive? That there may be only one copy of a textbook is not by choice, but by the economics of life in the Philippines. Even used books in the Philippines are relatively expensive. I know, because as a bookaholic, wherever I am, I try to seek them out. I found that, although books can rot, they are treasured there - so some receive extraordinary protection. My prize from there was purchasing a physics book (in English, the language of science in the Philippines) with the WW2 Japanese censor's OK rubberstamped inside the front cover. It had lasted 40+ years, and was in good shape! > > /me shoots Dave E. for top posting...... :) Hope this is a compliment. Don't have much on the ball about Linux, usually here as a lurker. > > > -- > Jeff Kinz, Emergent Research, Hudson, MA. > Speech Recognition Technology was used to create this e-mail _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss