We saw a report by Human Rights Watch on Edtech hazards to children, and an academic media article covering it for the Australian context.
We thought about our OLPC XO-1, XO-1.5, XO-1.75, XO-4, and NL3 laptops and checked our processes against the advice to technology companies.
stop collecting and processing children’s data for user profiling, etc; the only data that we collected was laptop serial number and Sugar activity name, for determining usage patterns of OLPC OS, not user profiling,
stop sharing children’s data for purposes that are unnecessary; the data we collected was not shared or sold,
apply child flags when data is shared; the data was not shared, but we do keep aware that the little data we have is child-related data,
inventory and identify personal data; no personal data is collected, and we do not track serial number against child, though we can’t guarantee that this isn’t done by the owners of the laptop, such as schools and other education facilities,
stop collecting categories of data that heighten risks to rights, such as location data and advertising identifiers; no such data was collected, and our laptops did not contain a location system such as GPS.
Looking forward, we partner with several other technology providers, and we rely on them to comply with regulations and human rights.
MIAMI (Monday, June 21, 2021) – The Revenue Optimization Companies (T-ROC) in partnership with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) and First Star University of Miami (UM) Academy surprised 25 rising juniors and seniors of the First Star 2021 – 2022 academic program with new laptops and intensive technology career experiences that will lead to summer-long internship opportunities. T-ROC Founder and CEO, Brett Beveridge, greeted 18 of the 25 students imparting some words of wisdom and then left them stunned as they were gifted the brand-new laptops. The event took place outside on-campus at the University of Miami at 11 a.m. Monday, June 21st.
PHOTO CREDIT: Manny Hernandez
Receiving the laptops is a critical step in helping the group of Miami-Dade high school students, who have been part of the foster care system, participate in this year’s First Star UM Academy for an intensive four-year college preparation program. The laptops will go on to serve them as they continue their education and even begin their careers. As part of the partnership with First Star, T-ROC’s subsidiary companies, Mobile Insight and SYMBITS, created a tailored curriculum for the students and those graduating this year will join the T-ROC team as summer interns, with a chance at landing jobs as T-ROC employees to kick off their careers.
“We wanted these rising stars to know that having a difficult start to life doesn’t mean you can’t shape your future to be bright,†said Beveridge. “Providing laptops to these students will support their learning and enable them to get one step closer to achieving their career goals. I look forward to seeing what all these kids will come to accomplish.â€
“Partnering with T-ROC and One Laptop Per Child for this year’s program has meant the students will have a great opportunity to learn and succeed,” said Kele Stewart,Associate Dean of Experiential Learning at University of Miami School of Law.” We’re so proud of how our community comes together to make great things happen for kids who deserve it most.â€
As of January 2021, OLPC has delivered over 3 million XO laptops in 25 languages in 46 countries. OLPC’s approach to learning is child-centric, rather than teacher-centric. The laptop is a learning platform and teachers are important guides in the learning process, but learning belongs to the learner.
“OLPC did its first project in Miami in 2010. That project pioneered some new concepts. Partnerships became an essential model that we are now replicating across the world,†said Mariana Ludmila, CEO of One Laptop Per Child. “It is great to be adding a new project in Miami and we are thankful that T-ROC chose OLPC to benefit students of First Star University of Miami Academy.â€
“Our goal is to educate as many youths around the world as possible and this partnership with T-ROC and First Star means that happens for even more kids in South Florida,†said Maria Tefel, Administration, Operations and Logistics Manager of One Laptop Per Child. “We’re excited for the new things these students will learn and the opportunities they will have thanks to this scholastic alliance.â€
First Star UM Academy is an intensive four-year college preparation program on the University of Miami campus for youth affected by the foster care system. Students live in residence halls and attend daily academic and life-skills classes. Using a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach, the summer program seeks to ensure youth graduate high school prepared for higher education and have the supports and social-emotional skills necessary to successfully transition to adulthood. T-ROC’s program will coincide with the Academy’s program.
“This is the type of partnership that truly helps us achieve First Star’s mission for our students,†said Maria Pia De Castro, Program Director of First Star University of Miami Academy. “The kids not only benefit from the laptops, but from the relationships we will be building together with T-ROC and One Laptop Per Child as well as the opportunities for our First Star participants.â€
T-ROC is a retail branding and consulting partner that supports companies in navigating through today’s retail shopping experience, redefining the power of people and technology. T-ROC offers a unique combination of people-based services, applications, technology management, mystery shopping programs, actionable market research and competitive insights that support the complex needs of assisted selling. T-ROC’s expertise and next-generation technology is delivered by a team that’s all in to drive sales, optimize performance and deliver measurable ROI for businesses every single day.
ABOUT ONE LAPTOP PER CHILD
One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide every child in the world access to new channels of learning, sharing and self-expression. In partnership with the public and private sectors and non-governmental organizations and supported by comprehensive implementation and pedagogical services, OLPC seeks to provide each child with a rugged, low- cost, connected computer that empowers individual learning and growth. OLPC is more than a laptop, it is a learning project. To learn more, visit one.laptop.org. To donate and/or fund a project, visit: onelaptopperchild.org
ABOUT FIRST STAR UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI ACADEMY
First Star University of Miami Academy is an intensive four-year college preparation program for youth affected by the foster care system. National non-profit First Star, Inc. partners with universities and child welfare agencies throughout the country to make a long-term investment in foster youth and change the course of their lives, from trauma to academic achievement and self-sufficiency. The program consists of four residential summers, during which students live on the University of Miami campus, and monthly sessions during the school year. The First Star Academies — now on 13 college campuses across the country — have significantly improved the outcomes of participating youth across the country. To learn more, visit their website.
Quality education is needed so that there is a future!
Thanks to the joined efforts between ALGOSEC, One Laptop per Child and Zamora Terán Foundation, 21 students from the School Virgen de Suyapa, in Honduras, will begin their way to the future and will transform the way they learn through innovative pedagogical practices, using methodologies that will allow to strengthen their skills and encourage their values as citizens, so that they contribute and transform their communities.
Currently the population in this educational center goes around 1,208 students, from highly vulnerable areas; The educational center provides food and scholarships to their students to be able to support the community, since parents do not have sufficient resources to meet basic needs.
Actualmente la población en este centro educativo es de 1,208 estudiantes, los cuales provienen de zonas altamente vulnerables; el centro educativo provee alimentos y becan a estudiantes para poder apoyar a la comunidad, ya que los padres no cuentan con los recursos suficientes para satisfacer necesidades básicas.
Students of the School Virgen de Suyapa
Virtual education; Connect – Learn Program
This virtual distance education program seeks a successful transition from face-to-face to virtuality, by helping teachers to effectively. integrate discipline, pedagogy and technology. Virtual distance education is conceived as the key that will speed up the learning process of these children. The Conecta-Aprende (Connect-Learn) program conceives the teacher, as the key factor to ensure quality education through a new learning core: School – Students – Families
This program is developed and articulated to achieve a feedback cycle with teachers, through 3 phases:
1- Transition 2- Focus 3- Virtual School. Developed through different training modalities: Express workshops, scheduled short courses, complementary educational resources and permanent pedagogical accompaniment.
Today more than ever, we are focused on the future! The commitment to quality education does not know borders and we know that common efforts, will allow the construction of the future of Honduras.
Actualmente la población en este centro educativo es de 1,208 estudiantes, los cuales provienen de zonas altamente vulnerables; el centro educativo provee alimentos y becan a estudiantes para poder apoyar a la comunidad, ya que los padres no cuentan con los recursos suficientes para satisfacer necesidades básicas.
¡Hoy más que nunca, dedicados al futuro! El compromiso con la educación de calidad no conoce fronteras y sabemos que la unión de esfuerzos en el presente, permitirá la construcción del futuro de Honduras.
