An ALM student in Africa: A visit to the Intel School in Moshi, Kilimanjaro

I take for granted that Harvard Extended readers have a basic understanding of computing technologies, own their own computers, and have some form of home Internet access. It can therefore be quite sobering when you read about the relatively limited impact of computers in parts of the developing world, despite the intense desire of the people there to learn more about them. Rick, the ALM Management student who maintains the "Once More Unto The Breach" blog, has shared a few observations about African computer use based on his travels around East Africa, and his visit to a private university, the Intel School in Moshi, Kilimanjaro:

Half the reason I was asked to come though was because the students and staff really wanted to see an actual Macintosh. They had all heard of them and wanted to learn about them, but they have never seen one and have no way to acquire one. I spent the last hour of class doing tricks on my Macbook Pro. It was amazing. This computer impresses people back home, so you can imagine the reactions I got here. Every time I clicked on something, ten people would go "oooooh!"

After class, they were so enthusiastic that they were following me out the door asking me questions. One really smart man who asked a lot of questions even got my e-mail address as I was walking out. He doesn't have internet. He's getting my address so he can pay to be at an internet cafe just to ask me questions through e-mail.

Stories like this make me think that the One Laptop Per Child project can potentially have an enormous impact in rural Africa and other parts of the world where electricity, Internet communications, and access to computers is limited.