Rwanda is rolling out a software and firmware update to the students and teachers in their current schools, as they prepare to deploy a new batch of XO-1.5s as they approach their 100K milestone. Â Project lead Nkubito Bakuramutsa gave a few interviews about the process, which started two weeks ago in southern Rwanda.
The security update may also give them a chance to reflash their current machines to XOOS 11.2, which has improved solar charging performance and overall power management along with many speed and interface improvements.
The planned expansion of their program will make Rwanda the largest OLPC deployment outside of South America, surpassing even the US and Mexico.
@Nicholas, please take a look at some of the related pages on the OLPC wiki:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/ClassActs/Resources http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Australia%27s_first_deployment
There is also a support gang for helping or starting community-based projects:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Support_Gang
@Mollie, thank you for telling us! We would love to hear more from the Rubona school, or from your work with teachers there. Would you be willing to write a guest blog post?
The local primary school in Rubona in Rwamagana District, where I am working, just received their laptops, and everyone is extremely excited. I am helping a teacher learn how to use the laptops, which seem very user-friendly. In an area with a severe shortage of books and few resources to make sure all have access to all the books, the laptops are extremely helpful. We are all looking forward to getting internet soon, but the information already available on the computer is itself a big boost.
Have followed the events relating to the release of the XO with some interest. My concern though is that i have found little material on how to get these systems deployed in local settings so that small groups can integrate them into their learning environments.
I recently found a How-To-Guide for installation of Software onto an XO, i am yet to find a guide on how to match curricula to XO systems and their software.
Some of our governments may not necessarily be ready to implement the OPLC project but that does not mean that we cannot invest in XOs and start small community based projects.
Please help!