Research Reviews

This week's research post is somewhat different from the usual review of research in that it focusses on an innovation as it is happening. Three years ago in Uruguay, South America, a decision was made to introduce digital learning to school students by supplying every student with a computer and connecting all schools to the internet. Under the leadership of visionary Miguel Brechner, students in years 1 to 8 received an XO mesh based computer developed by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Nicholas Negroponte. Students in years 9 to 12 received an Intel Classmate. Uruguay has distributed over 420,000 XO and Classmate computers to students and teachers, and connected over 2,400 schools to the internet. Shanty towns in Uruguay have been connected by wireless and internet access improved throughout the country. Uruguay has become a fully connected country with an emphasis on education, according to Miguel Brechner.