Day: September 8, 2014

A Letter to the Boston Globe

In response to the editorial “Who should pay for classroom technology?” published in the Boston Globe on August 31st, CEO Richard Rowe considers the following issues concerning education and technology: 1) What makes up a great education? The data are clear that, by far, the most important component of a great education is great teachers who are well…

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True or False? “There is now nothing more important to education than access to the Internet”

At a recent e-Learning Africa conference in Uganda, attended by 1,500 delegates from 68 countries, a lively debate was organized on the above motion, asserting the prime importance of the Internet in today’s education. Educators for the Pros and the Cons of the motion presented strong arguments but, in the end, the e-Learning Africa audience voted to…

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A Fatal Flaw in Information Delivery

During recent discussions with two high-profile social benefit organizations, I was struck by the narrowness of their strategic framework. Their focus was almost exclusively on delivering information to people in developing nations. Yes, much of the information delivered may be useful, but their theory of change misses a vital element: listening to their “users” about…

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Listening in Dadaab

What does it take to launch an effective program in a resource-poor region of the world? Although we at OLE believe there are no “silver bullet” answers to this question, our research and experience demonstrate it is vital to listen to the people you’re seeking to serve. They know their culture. They know their needs….

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