Feedback from Patricia Escauriza

Patricia Escauriza is a specialist in Educational Innovation in Paraguay and has wide experience in education and technology projects. Although my initial meeting with her was brief (I plan to reach out to her once more this summer in hopes of advice for the expansion of the Digital Equity Project) she asked specific questions about the methodology of recording the growth of the pilot group’s digital literacy, as well as offered much advice in the directions I might take in the near future. 

In response to my inquiry about branching out to other organizations, she advised that it may lead to more accurate data and efficiency if I stay working with the organization I had worked with in the pilot phase of the project. Expanding on this, she suggested some ideas about what I could do with Centro Melodia in collaboration with the students who participated in the pilot phase of the Digital Equity Project, one of which was the creation of a contest to showcase their project outcomes. However, she also recommended areas like Uruguay for the project's expansion, referencing one of the areas initially targeted by the original One Laptop Per Child Project. 

When we talked about the One Laptop Per Child Project, she stated that one takeaway that I should have had and implemented into the pilot phase of DE (which I did in collaboration with Centro Melodia) was to listen to the local teachers first, as the researchers leaving out the cultural integrity and the existing teachers in the original OLPC Project was one contributor to its shortcomings. She also recommended that I read the book “Learning to Change the World: The Social Impact of One Laptop Per Child” to gain more insight and inspiration before venturing into the second phase of the Digital Equity Project. 

Regarding the mention of the second phase of the Digital Equity Project, she also recommended that the next phase of the project focus more on digital citizenship rather than digital literacy, referencing the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) standards for educators (https://iste.org/standards). ISTE standards require every student to be a good digital citizen. To meet this standard, students must be able to manage their digital footprint, engage in safe and positive online behavior, understand and respect intellectual property, and safeguard their digital privacy and security. Such criteria help students understand the rights and responsibilities associated with using modern technology. Beyond that, it requires students to act ethically, legally, and safely online. Students must understand how their personal information works online, as well as who has access to it. Knowing this information helps learners contextualize the modern world.   

In sum, this conversation provided me with much insight into where the direction this project should go in.