PC Tablets Involve Many Systems, Download Problems: Thai Education Ministry

[webfact]

PRE-POLL PROMISE

PC tablets involve many systems, download problems

Supinda Na Mahachai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) has reported that only 789 schools, out of the 24,098 entitled for the "One Tablet PC Per Child" project, had fibre optic lines to connect the Internet, permanent secretary for Education Sasithara Pichaichannarong said yesterday.

The Obec survey of the 24,098 entitled schools, covering 507,148 Prathom 1 students eligible to receive the tablets in May, divided the schools into three groups.

The first group with a fibre optic system totalled 789 schools and her ministry would ask the ICT Ministry to install more signal enhancing boxes; the second group with ADSL system totalled 6,475 schools and her ministry would ask for more telephone lines; and the third group with a satellite system totalled 16,652 schools, she said. This third group remained rather problematic about Internet connection.

The ministry would gather information on all schools under agencies such as local administrative organisations and the border patrol police command to plan a thoroughly-comprehensive network, she added.

Sisithara's comment was made after a meeting with 14 private publishers' representatives about preparation of content for the tablets for Prathom 2-6 and Mathayom 1-6. Sasithara said because Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej wanted all levels of students to use the tablets, elder kids' contents needed tablets with larger memory of 16GB. Previously the "Learning Objects" and e-book content for Parthom 1 tablets occupied 4GB out of their 8GB memory.

Most publishers told Sasithara the primary level contents were ready while the secondary level content would be ready in March, she added.

Four solutions for content procuring procedures were discussed at the meeting - first: terms of reference for a contractor to do the job; second, downloading from the publishers' servers; third - building a central server for publishers to upload their contents for the schools to later download ; and fourth - having publishers download content into SD cards. The second and third suggestions got the most publisher votes.

Sasithara said the ministry would ask various publishers to propose an appropriate solution by Friday, so the ministry could draw a conclusion and submit it to the IT Minister.

From February 21-22, the Education Ministry will announce its strategy at Muangthong Thani about the tablets' project. She said the prime minister would preside over the event's opening and the publishers would be invited to present their material.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

[looping]

The Office of the Basic Education Comittee...

With the emphasis on BASIC.

[whybother]

The idiocy of this project grows by the day.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[woodyleonhard]

This project definitely has potential. Much depends on the execution.

One big problem at this point: the schools with satellite-only access are going to be in a world of hurt. I wonder how many of them can be converted to HSPA "3G"? The government may find it more cost effective to get HSPA out into the boonies, rather than trying wired connections.

(You cynics in the crowd should realize that Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US through its iCloud services and iBooks Author. At least in concept, it makes a lot of sense.)

[digibum]

This project definitely has potential. Much depends on the execution.

One big problem at this point: the schools with satellite-only access are going to be in a world of hurt. I wonder how many of them can be converted to HSPA "3G"? The government may find it more cost effective to get HSPA out into the boonies, rather than trying wired connections.

(You cynics in the crowd should realize that Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US through its iCloud services and iBooks Author. At least in concept, it makes a lot of sense.)

I think the point is that people doubt the execution.

[whybother]

This project definitely has potential. Much depends on the execution.

One big problem at this point: the schools with satellite-only access are going to be in a world of hurt. I wonder how many of them can be converted to HSPA "3G"? The government may find it more cost effective to get HSPA out into the boonies, rather than trying wired connections.

(You cynics in the crowd should realize that Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US through its iCloud services and iBooks Author. At least in concept, it makes a lot of sense.)

There are lots of things that they COULD do. I just wonder how they are going to do it in 3 months.

[otherstuff1957]

I agree that they should just skip the wired connections & go for 3G, but I work in the middle of Bangkok and have to walk to the end of the street to pick up 3G! If they can't get it right here, what are they going to be doing upcountry?

[scorecard]

This project definitely has potential. Much depends on the execution.

One big problem at this point: the schools with satellite-only access are going to be in a world of hurt. I wonder how many of them can be converted to HSPA "3G"? The government may find it more cost effective to get HSPA out into the boonies, rather than trying wired connections.

(You cynics in the crowd should realize that Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US through its iCloud services and iBooks Author. At least in concept, it makes a lot of sense.)

But, right now, it makes more sense to spend the massive budget on fixing the foundations.

[virtualtraveller]

Point being.... 50 tablets x 4 classrooms of P1 students all trying to study simultaneously with multi-media sites (ie bandwidth heavy) is going to be a nightmare. Rather invest the money in broadband infrastructure so that the computers in the classrooms can be effectively used.

[chinook]

Imagine a classroom of 40 Thai kids yelling 'Teacher, battery mot!'......

[webfact]

Imagine a classroom of 40 Thai kids yelling 'Teacher, battery mot!'......

+1

[Pib]

Imagine a classroom of 40 Thai kids yelling 'Teacher, battery mot!'......

But teaching Thai kids to say "mot laeo" early in life prepares them for their future jobs as store sales associates where they say "mot laeo" all the time.

[TAWP]

789 schools, out of the 24,098

That's 3.24..% that will have the 'proper foundation' for good connectivity.

[ozzieman05]

who is the manufacturer of these units ?????

[REM]

And this is a surprise???? We all knew this last year, now they're just acknowledging it!!! I wonder when they'll launch their satellite for the other 16,000 schools???? Maybe that will big brothers saving grace?

Also, I don't see those kids reading books on those tablets.........

Edited February 7, 2012 by REM

[SomTumTiger]

This project is such a farce. Notice, not even the TV Thaksinistas will touch it. lol

[TackyToo]

This project definitely has potential. Much depends on the execution.

One big problem at this point: the schools with satellite-only access are going to be in a world of hurt. I wonder how many of them can be converted to HSPA "3G"? The government may find it more cost effective to get HSPA out into the boonies, rather than trying wired connections.

(You cynics in the crowd should realize that Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US through its iCloud services and iBooks Author. At least in concept, it makes a lot of sense.)

First and foremost- just because “Apple just proposed doing something like this in the US” doesn’t automatically mean it’s good anywhere else.

It’s quite a bit tiring to hear this mantra-like “what is good for America is good for the world.”

And what would you like to find on PC tablets for Thai students?

Propaganda for the soap opera like American way of life, fast food and consequently resulting obesity. Consumerism and justification of the US understanding of democracy when only the host with the most becomes President, no matter how incompetent the person is? A copy of the US education system that only caters the rich leaving high school students with the cognition Mexico and Canada are “overseas.” The exportation and pathetic religious conversion of what the weirdest hillbilly-preacher emphasize as the only true belief?

Regarding Apple: Isn’t that the company whose CEO lived on a 1 Dollar salary to cheat the government of taxes?

Sorry, but I believe it’s time to quit bothering the world with this profit driven neo-colonialism!

[Siam Simon]

Good to see implementation issues on this project have been well surveyed. How they are addressed is key to whether or not the project will get off to a solid start.

[TackyToo]

who is the manufacturer of these units ?????

God! Perhaps with a little help from a supplier based in Dubai...

Edited February 7, 2012 by TackyToo

[whybother]

Good to see implementation issues on this project have been well surveyed. How they are addressed is key to whether or not the project will get off to a solid start.

Or get off to a start at all. Although I'm sure the PTP supporters will be proclaiming success when 3% of grade 1 students have their tablets with reasonable access to the internet.

It's interesting that the government are planning to distribute 900,000 tablets by the start of the school year in May, but only a small percentage of schools will actually have access to online content by then.

[Joeb]

Reminds me of the program years ago to put a computer in every school. They bought high bid from the education minister's brother in law and sent them to the schools. Then you started seeing the letters from teachers saying, thank you for the computer, can you now run some electricity to the school so we can use it. With all the advance planning that went into this I am sure they were already aware that most schools were not anywhere close to a reliable internet connection, if such a thing exists here. PLanning, research, sorry, I forgot where I was for a moment. I am sure they did succeed in getting some votes out of this though, with my taxes.

[Moruya]

In about 6 months they will have completed all the up-front analysis required to have told them that it was a bad idea 9 months ago.

Around that time the same will probably be said of 300B per day, 15,000B per month, 20,000B per tonne and 500B per appearance.

[ginjag]

Good to see implementation issues on this project have been well surveyed. How they are addressed is key to whether or not the project will get off to a solid start.

Or get off to a start at all. Although I'm sure the PTP supporters will be proclaiming success when 3% of grade 1 students have their tablets with reasonable access to the internet. It's interesting that the government are planning to distribute 900,000 tablets by the start of the school year in May, but only a small percentage of schools will actually have access to online content by then.

This promise, pre election was a total NO NO in the first place, no research was done prior to the announcement hence the total cock-up now. A waste of tax payers money that cannot be fulfilled only a small % of a chosen few will receive. FOR GODS SAKE scrap it. like you have done with most other pledges--come clean, use your brains for hells sake no wonder there are far more negative posts than positive. This is to do with how genuine you are in government.

[Thaddeus]

The Obec survey of the 24,098 entitled schools, covering 507,148 Prathom 1 students

My second thought on this was, just supposing that they managed by hook or by crook to get these kids connected to the net, god help any business that needs a stable internet connection during school hours.

[ratcatcher]

Imagine a classroom of 40 Thai kids yelling 'Teacher, battery mot!'......

The mind boggles. No doubt the tablets will too.

Do Thais actually say "battery"?, most times I hear "batt mot leo"

[thaicbr]

Good to see implementation issues on this project have been well surveyed. How they are addressed is key to whether or not the project will get off to a solid start.

Or get off to a start at all. Although I'm sure the PTP supporters will be proclaiming success when 3% of grade 1 students have their tablets with reasonable access to the internet. It's interesting that the government are planning to distribute 900,000 tablets by the start of the school year in May, but only a small percentage of schools will actually have access to online content by then.

This promise, pre election was a total NO NO in the first place, no research was done prior to the announcement hence the total cock-up now. A waste of tax payers money that cannot be fulfilled only a small % of a chosen few will receive. FOR GODS SAKE scrap it. like you have done with most other pledges--come clean, use your brains for hells sake no wonder there are far more negative posts than positive. This is to do with how genuine you are in government.

"for hells sake no wonder there are far more negative posts than positive. This is to do with how genuine you are in government."

It's actually to do with the types of posters who dominate and bully this particular part of the forum. Most (but not all) of the posts from the usual lot, like in all the other politics discussions, contain speculative insults, probables with no supporting facts, and nothing constructive.

Simon going on the information released by the government so far can you give us the positive's.

My list of info released.

900,000 tabs by May

2,000 schools without electricity

2,400b unit price

No manufacturer set

no spec set

fibre optic wifi infrastructure in only 789 of 24,098 schools

content not agreed upon yet

the fact that this article is implying that the tabs may be shared between older students.

There's more but i have to be off to work.

Regards

[pastitche]

<snip>

You have to be off to work at 5:15pm? Obviously not a teacher then - so why the interest?

[rubl]

<snip>

You have to be off to work at 5:15pm? Obviously not a teacher then - so why the interest?

No offence and all that, but may I nominate you for the 'stupidest question of the week' award?

[cdnvic]

Guys, please stop this fight now. I hate the paperwork involved when I have to do something about it.

[Soi Sauce]

It t appears that the powers that be are not happy with the appallingly, low, university-entrance exam scores and are determined to make the already chronic Thai education standards worse.

First, there's the ill-concieved, but election victory aiding plan to give prathom students tablet PCs. Thai university students seem incapable of doing anything in a classroom without consulting their phones, tablets or laptops, and as a result have little or no information or knowledge in their heads. Thay think all they have to do is key a few words into a search engine and then copy the resullt. Their total lack of general knowledge and a complete inabilty to think for themselves is an obvious consequence of this approach.

With a government that would be terrified of a populace with critcal thinking skills, because with them the populace would quickly see through politico lies and, rightly, not believe half of what politicos tell them, the education minister wants to ensure that future generations have even less mental skill than the current ones. What better way to do this than to give the kiddies tablets as a substitute for developing their brains. They'l end up knowing nothing which is just the way the government wants them.

Add to this the Education Minister's ridiculous plan to have kiddies assess their teachers, and Thailand is going back to the middle ages. Thai students are notoriously, lazy, unmotivated, and uncaring towards their studies. Imagine the feedback teachers wuld get if they were dumm enough to push students. No! Better to let the kids run riot, play games on their computers and phones, and tell them a few jokes. That way, the kids will like their teachers and give them good assessment. Does not take Einstein's mind to realize that success in teaching will therefore mean not actually doing such. This approach makes sense from PTP as their leader once said that students do not need education, they only need to enjoy school so teachers should tell jokes.

The two above schemes may mean that Thailand ends up with some of the best video game players in the World, but the country needs a lot more educated people than it currently has. it ain't gonna get them with these two policies, only a lot more less-educated youngsters. Watch the politicos rejoice when next years uni exams are even lower than this years. Also watch them rejoice when, of course, they get the kickbacks from this project.