WCIT 2008: children + technology = ideas

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should consider setting up a think-tank comprising primary and secondary school students, said chipmaker Intel Corp.

The think-tank would introduce the children to working with technology, with the aim of generating ideas for using technology to better the lives of Malaysians and improve the country’s industries.

“Innovation is the backbone of the modern economy and technology education is one of the passports to success, said Intel Asia-Pacific general manager Navin Shenoy at the World Congress on Information Technology 2008 here this week.

Intel, he said, believes that students all over the world deserve to have the tools they need to be the next generation of innovators.

Shenoy said Malaysia has the potential to make such an initiative happen. “Encouraging children to experience technology and to generate ideas is something that every country can do,” he said.

“Already there are 10 classrooms each in 10 Malaysian schools that are using our Classmate PCs (since last year) to achieve (something like) this.”

There are still some hurdles to be overcome, such as broadband infrastructure issues, but the goal is attainable, he said.

According to Intel, a think-tank comprising students has been set up in Victoria, Australia.

Called the Ideas Lab, the facility is aimed at boosting the use of technology in the classroom.The lab(www.nmr.vic.edu.au/ideaslab) begins operations in August.

Intel will be sharing its best-practices on one-on-one e-learning with the Ideas Lab, which is a Victoria state government project.