Our Mission - To get it clear from the start

[Simeon Oriko]

We are organizing a series of events in various high schools in and
around Nairobi to teach kids two things:

1. The potential technology has
2. How these kids can harness technology to make a positive impact in
their communities

An understanding of this should be the foundation of our efforts. Do
we all get this?

If not, please let us know and we will respond accordingly.

Simeon

[Samuel Mbugua]

My 2 cents:

Meeting and talking with the kids is a great start and i believe we can take it one step further:

• The Primary selling point is that the computer is a resource. A vast catalogue of information that will empower them to make informed career decisions. Of course, this is Dependant to a great extent in getting the said computers online...
• So to address this issue, we may want to try and get CD/DVD versions of electronic encyclopedia's. I believe Microsoft would be receptive to making donatgions of old Encarta Encyclopedias. Howstuffworks used to provide a set of DVD's covering all the content available on the site. I'm not sure this facility still exists though. 

Right...end of 2 cents

--
Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lies your vocation. - Aristotle

[AkiraChix Team]

Am not sure whether giving them CD/DVDs will work. Many of  these kids might not have access to computers or CD/DVD player.
I think we need to first confirm if the schools we are visiting have computers and/or CD/DVD players.

Jamila.

[Edmund Ochieng]

Greetings all,

I totally agree that not all of the students may have access to a
computer today. However, this is not a reason why we shouldn't give
educational CDs/DVDs.

My take. When developing a new product we should focus on future
projects and not what happens today or used to happen yesterday. I
believe that as time goes by all offices and about every household
will have a PC and then the disks shall be put to use. Right?

On 6/17/10, AkiraChix Team <in...@akirachix.com> wrote:
> Am not sure whether giving them CD/DVDs will work. Many of these kids might
> not have access to computers or CD/DVD player.
> I think we need to first confirm if the schools we are visiting have
> computers and/or CD/DVD players.
>
> Jamila.
>
> On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 8:58 AM, Samuel Mbugua
> <samuel...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> My 2 cents:
>>
>> Meeting and talking with the kids is a great start and i believe we can
>> take it one step further:
>>
>>

>> - The Primary selling point is that the computer is a resource. A vast

>> catalogue of information that will empower them to make informed career
>> decisions. Of course, this is Dependant to a great extent in getting
>> the
>> said computers online...

>> - So to address this issue, we may want to try and get CD/DVD versions

>> of electronic encyclopedia's. I believe Microsoft would be receptive to
>> making donatgions of old Encarta Encyclopedias. Howstuffworks used to
>> provide a set of DVD's covering all the content available on the site.
>> I'm
>> not sure this facility still exists though.
>>
>> Right...end of 2 cents
>>
>> On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 8:37 PM, Simeon Oriko
>> <oriko....@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> We are organizing a series of events in various high schools in and
>>> around Nairobi to teach kids two things:
>>>
>>> 1. The potential technology has
>>> 2. How these kids can harness technology to make a positive impact in
>>> their communities
>>>
>>> An understanding of this should be the foundation of our efforts. Do
>>> we all get this?
>>>
>>> If not, please let us know and we will respond accordingly.
>>>
>>> Simeon
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lies your
>> vocation. - Aristotle
>>
>

--
Yours sincerely,
EDMUND OCHIENG'.

[Moses Katembu]

We should also encourage spirit of opensource... It may not be possible to  purchase/get 2-3 genuine "as law stipulate" microsoft educational CDS/DVDs for every school, but its possible to give each and every student a copy of original linux CD/DVD.

Have just made an order of 1000cds though it may take time to be delivered. Unfortunately edubuntu  which might be more useful to them is not yet being shipped, but we can download it and make copies too.

To me there is more challenge in learning new technology and we should embrace that as opportunity too.... a case of google shifting from Microsoft should be under estimated

[Edmund Ochieng]

I love the idea of introducing Linux. We should do a presentation on
the pros and cons of both Linux and Windows and let them choose what
they would wish to use at the end of the day. Lets not make a decision
for them by giving a biased opinion.

[David Nahinga]

Greetings,
My main contribution would be in teaching them how to use tools that would make them more effective. The web/internet in itself is a big forest and in my opinion if I can teach them one or two things they can directly apply, I would feel i have done something.

A good start would be Open Source Project Management tools like www.xmind.net
Am sure they can use it to revise and stuff.
We need to perhaps envisage a future where the recipients of the info we give have laptops or smart phones for that matter.

We can focus on thematic areas like
>Time Management tools
> Career Planning
> Project Management tools etc
I think so because the internet is a BIG thing. We need to concentrate our efforts and perhaps have Modules which are systematic and focused on Themes.
Its in focussing that we shall be able to tell if we are more effective or what.

Even simple things like teaching them how to set up a questionnaire on Google. How to use Eventbrite to organize their events/tournaments, How to find e-books and learning materials online/GoogleDocs/Gutenberg.org etc

Cheers guyz.
Am travelling to Voi/Taveta to check out some construction projects.
Will be back over the weekend. Keep the fire burning.
Check out www.huddle.net its a great tool for collaboration





Best Regards,
David Nahinga.
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On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 8:37 PM, Simeon Oriko <oriko....@gmail.com> wrote:

--

[Simeon Oriko]

I beleive we've lost a bit of focus. Were are concentrating on the
mission here and not on the materials to be used in training. Lets
first and foremost concentrate on refining the mission till we all get
it and then we can perhaps talk about the materials when the
appropriate time comes.

If you deem the materials an important issue, I would suggest starting
another topic on this group to discuss this.

Simeon

[Samuel Mbugua]

Ok...Back to the board.

Can the individual with the original idea kindly share the entire vision and mission?

[john-paul sagala]

i thought we'd agreed that we'd introduce the topic "technology"...broad as it is, once we got to the school(s) and from that, learn just what the kids understand and more importantly, want to learn about technology. Then having established that, through the idea of having EVERYBODY in the know about at least something, (and maybe having prepared for it in advance), one or more of us would then proceed to teach them more about what they're interested in knowing. Hence not imposing topics on them as it were.

[tonee ndungu]

I think the feed back is more than fantastic! I believe we should all keep talking :-)

I have put a few things together and will share them next week. But I appreciate the conversation an people should keep talking whatever the topic is:-)

Warm regards,

Tonee

--
Tonee Ndungu
00254 (0) 721583605
skype: toneendungu
www.twitter.com/ToneeNdungu
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139-00621 Village Market
Nairobi Kenya

It's easy..if you don't think about it.