[BozemanLUG] OLPC Lending Lab coming to Montana soon - 10 OLPCs

[Scott Dowdle]

FYI

----- contributors at laptop.org wrote:

> Approved: 10 semi-refurbished XO Laptops shipping soon, thanks Scott
> for making MT happen!!
> 
> Please work with Community Mentors Caryl Bigenho and Sandra Thaxter
> wherever you need a hand kickstarting XO/Sugar Learning Environment
> projects Montana.  We expect more activity than
> http://olpc-france.org
> since your land is so much more expansive :-)
> --Adam Holt
> 
> 
> Community Review from 2PM EDT Mtg Fri Oct 2 2009-- status "APPROVED"
> :
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Contributors_program/October_2%2C_2009
> 
> [ PROJECT #3 : MontanaLinux.org Learning Lab - Bozeman, Montana, USA
> ]
> 
> <CanoeBerry> Onto Project #3 now:
> <CanoeBerry> MontanaLinux.org Learning Lab - Bozeman, Montana, USA
> <CanoeBerry>    http://rt.laptop.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=47973
> <CanoeBerry>    http://www.montanalinux.org/OLPC.html
> <CanoeBerry>    Requests 10 XO's over 36 months
> <CanoeBerry>    Project Objectives:
> <CanoeBerry>    The BozemanLUG has a connection with the Computer
> Science Department and
> <CanoeBerry>    the Education Department at Montana State
> University...
> and some LUG 
> <CanoeBerry> members
> <CanoeBerry>    have experience in both education and programming as
> well as system 
> <CanoeBerry> administration.
> <mafe> CanoeBerry: yep
> <CanoeBerry> The BillingsLUG has a connection with the folks at Rocky
> Mountain 
> <CanoeBerry> College.
> <CanoeBerry>    The project objective is to set up a lending lab
> where
> individuals 
> <CanoeBerry> across the
> <CanoeBerry>    state of Montana can request / borrow an OLPC from
> MontanaLinux.org 
> <CanoeBerry> and if
> <CanoeBerry>    requested, can get a presenter to visit and give a
> custom presentation on
> <CanoeBerry>    hardware, software and project... in an effort to get
> more people 
> <CanoeBerry> interested
> <CanoeBerry>    in developing software and doing pilot projects at
> rural
> schools in 
> <CanoeBerry> the state
> <CanoeBerry>    of Montana.
> <CanoeBerry> Montana is the 4th largest state in the US but ranks
> 47th
> with regards to
> <CanoeBerry>    population. Montana has a number of rural schools
> where
> OLPC pilot 
> <CanoeBerry> projects
> <CanoeBerry>    would be welcome... but it will take some effort to
> grow
> interest.
> <CanoeBerry> PLZ DISCUSS ABOVE PROPOSAL :)
> <CanoeBerry> Aside: the applicant joined our Support Gang last
> night..
> <mafe> i thought we have already an existing lending lib their under
> Caryl?
> <CanoeBerry> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Support_Gang
> <CanoeBerry> mafe: that's California, not Montana
> <sandrat> question about how to reach out to the rural population
> that
> could benefit
> <CanoeBerry> +1 here, if the "librarian" shows dedication to make
> this
> work -- he seemed very busy when I talked to him last night, but if
> he
> has skills to delegate this will work.
> <mafe> CanoeBerry: ow i got mixed up ..coz Caryl is everywhere...
> <sandrat> effort to grow interest.. takes a lot of work.. I think it
> would be good  for a stage one , mayb smaller number of XOs to do
> presentations and assess interest, then do more
> <CanoeBerry> (Libraries are generally approved by default, if the
> library shows sufficient structure / TLC to make itself effective)
> <Katelyn> i like the idea that presenters will give a custom intro to
> the XO
> <sandrat> the first stage is to do a lot of those intros ...
> <CanoeBerry> Conclusions please?
> <mafe> since we don't have one lib there ...+1
> <CanoeBerry> 10 XO's for 36 months sounds reasonable to me, given the
> applicant extensive open source contacts across Montana.
> <CanoeBerry> +1
> <CanoeBerry> Objections??
> <CanoeBerry> Calling once..
> <Katelyn> no objections here :)
> <CanoeBerry> Callin twice..
> <CanoeBerry> APPROVED.
> <sandrat> Just think it would be good to expect some assessment of
> the
> outreach success before 36 months.  How about 12 and then a check in
> <mafe> you can add this up to the lib advocacy of caryl...
> <mafe> :)
> <CanoeBerry> sandrat: can you recommend a mentor?
> <mafe> CanoeBerry: 6 months
> <CanoeBerry> Caryl's mentoring dozens of projects now and we need
> more
> dedicated mentorship!
> <sandrat> Maybe I will ask Mathilda Hills.  She is retired prof from
> U
> Rhode Island.. I'll ask her
> <CanoeBerry> sandrat: think about it and recruit for us please.
> <mafe> monthly updates to the group will do -note: this apply to all
> projects :)

-- 
Scott Dowdle
704 Church Street
Belgrade, MT 59714
(406)388-0827 [home]
(406)994-3931 [work]