A Chicken in Every Pot; One Laptop per Child: The Trouble with Global Campaign Promises

Abstract

The object of this article is to analyse the possible viability of the global education project One Laptop per Child (OLPC), and to trace some of the recent events impacting the project. The XO laptop, a unique machine, has itself become an iconic symbol. Its impact as a cultural product in a global market that targets the transformation of primary education in the developing world is examined. This article also looks at the larger issue of information and communication technology and its use in development (ICT4D). Intellectual property rights in the global context, the workings of global governance structures, the future of Net neutrality, and the use of open source software vs. proprietary software could each have a lasting impact on this project. This article also takes a view of the project from an educational policy perspective, looking at issues of global convergence of policies and practice.