Evidence from the One Laptop per Child Program in Rural Peru

https://www.nber.org/papers/w34495

52•danso•3h ago

Comments

anonymousiam•1h ago

Sad if true. I was a donor, and the program had good intentions.

Arrowmaster•58m ago

At least now instead of just theory we have one study of the results and a data point to use in the next attempt at a similar project. The idea is probably still solid and could be attempted again but with a more refined implementation.

baobun•33m ago

75% or so of venture-backed startups fail within 5 years. OLPC results certainly aren't enough to invalidate the concept or model.

ChrisArchitect•1h ago

OLPC? like, the Negroponte thing from way back? That was dead in water within 5 years or so? (As sad as that was) Just surprised to see a study/report on it this many years later.

actionfromafar•46m ago

They got way ambitious with the interface (GUI). I didn’t understand how to do anything with it.

ChrisArchitect•1h ago

A similar NPR report from 2012:

One Child, One Laptop ... And Mixed Results In Peru

https://www.npr.org/2012/10/13/162719126/one-child-one-lapto...

diziet•1h ago

An unfortunate yet unsurprising report to those familiar with the literature on cognitive ability. I too donated to similar programs. I hope better computer skills make some sort of earning impact, though the prevalence of smart phones probably makes a bigger difference.

rowanG077•54m ago

I'm not sure why people here call it a failure. The children who got a laptop have reached superior skill in using computers, while it seems like not sacrificing any other capability. That seems like a great result, skilled computer use is a highly valuable skill.

crooked-v•38m ago

A lot of people seem to have thought the progression would be "1. Give computers; 2. ???; 3. Better at everything".

alephnerd•37m ago

The tens of millions per year spent on OLPC could have been better applied to programs that have demonstrated tangible positive impact on human capital development in developing countries, such as free meal programs [0], early childhood developmental screening [1], and other evidence-based policies.

Heck, most policymakers in LDCs panned the program at the time as well not actually prioritizing the aid that was needed [2]

[0] - https://econ.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/Bonds.pdf

[1] - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5859813/

[2] - https://web.archive.org/web/20170210165101/http://edition.cn...

fragmede•12m ago

That has an Effective Altruism feel to it though, which is unfortunately tainted due to SBF's involvement and other drama surrounding it.

jazzyjackson•4m ago

Bit like the argument that we shouldn't have gone to the moon

marcosdumay•23m ago

Yes, it was a clear success. It not only did they improve the education of several children and gathered valuable information on how we can try it better next time, they also scared an oligopolistic industry into diversifying their products and supplying several needs that were ignored.

That said, OLPC was extremely ambitious. I don't think they achieved any of the project's objectives. They get a lot of criticism because of that, and it's all ridiculously unfair.

rayiner•10m ago

Many people thought that giving kids computers would make the smarter and more generally educated, not just give them better skills with computers.

true2octave•38m ago

AI will have similar effect in general population

No significant effect except in the minority who have the drive and capabilities to leverage new technology to achieve their goals

There is always a bias on the effects of new technology because the early adopters are already highly capable people

aserr•31m ago

There’s a book, The Charisma Machine (https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262537445/the-charisma-machine/), that examines outcomes from multiple OLPC initiatives and covers many of the failings.

ChrisArchitect•15m ago

Some of the more recent lookbacks with anecdotes and takes:

The Charisma Machine: The life, death, and legacy of One Laptop per Child (2022)

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29971982

OLPC’s $100 laptop was going to change the world (2018)

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16849374

bawolff•13m ago

I think the (overly utopian and unrealistic) ideological basis was not that students would neccesarily do better in traditional learning environments, but that they would become better self-learners and be able to teach themselves things that are relavent to their own needs which may differ from the official curriculum.

I doubt that happened, but i don't think this study would capture that if it did.

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