Hope - Home Organized Personal Education A Powerful Personal Computer for a Powerful Brain

Imagine a Laptop computer filled with all the educational curriculum from grades K through 12.
Now imagine this same laptop filled with information, audio & video lessons, books, Textbooks, encyclopedias, Documentary Films, compressed movies, Farming Knowledge, Sustainable Living Knowledge, Nutrition Knowledge, hygiene knowledge, Eco-System Knowledge, Human Brain Knowledge and so on and so on. And what is not on the laptop people will also be able to search the Internet for more Information and Knowledge. They will also have access to News, Online Education, TV & Entertainment, Music, Libraries and of course be able to play Video Games as well.

Each laptop will come with a solar charger so electricity will not be needed. Each laptop will have a protective cover that doubles as a solar panel. Each laptop will have wireless Internet capabilities, a Webcam, Headphones and an external flash drive to store, share and back up material. The PC will also have an external CD and DVD-RW drive if the PC does not have one built in or if it fails.
Each laptop will also have a built in Solid State Drive, which consumes less power, generates less heat, has no moving parts, is more durable and quieter, has faster boot times, no more disk defragging, no more disk crashes and has a longer lifespan then a regular hard drive. The laptop can also be used as a digital book reader with a monitor that has a book reading power saving mode.

Each laptop will have the ability to change languages, teach languages and translate languages so that most people around the world would be able to use the laptops in almost any language.
Each laptop will also have dual operating systems, with one operating system being Open Source.

Each Laptop will be customizable, expandable, durable, versatile, recyclable and easily repairable. The PC will also have Touch Screen Tablet PC capabilities so that people can practice hand writing and sketching without having to depend on paper.  Gorilla Glass     Kinect

Each Laptop will also come with an assembly manual, parts list, trouble shooting guide and an operators manual. It will also be installed digitally so that it may reviewed and printed out anytime in the language of their choice. Software updates and hardware upgrades will be done by the owner of the laptop or by a qualified technician when needed, and of course it will be free.
Computer Knowledge

Each laptop would also have video and audio instructions on how to use the laptop incase the person has no computer skills. The PC will also have an easy to use Interface that can be easily customized for each skill level and age.   Interaction Design

Each Laptop will also come with it's own Cell Phone that has a Digital Camera that also shots Video. Each Cell Phone will be customizable, expandable, durable, versatile, recyclable and easily repairable just like the PC. Each cell phone will have a built in flash drive, an AM and FM Radio,
a Walkie-talkie feature and Satellite Capabilities. Each cell phone will have a protective cover that doubles as a solar charger.

Each Laptop and Cell Phone, or any other accessories, will not have Planned Obsolescence incorporated into its design. Everything will be manufactured using the Cradle to Cradle design and will be built to last like the Centennial Bulb. The laptops will be manufactured in each country where they are used and will be recyclable, reusable, easily repairable and long lasting from Cradle to Cradle. This way people will have quick deliveries and quick repairs when needed. This will also create manufacturing jobs and technician jobs in each country. Manufacturing most of the PC components in each country will also save on shipping. Use 3-D Printers to make some of its parts. 

Each PC will have the PI (π) symbol because it represents one of the most important mathematical constants, and this PC will be constantly improving, just like its operators.

Each PC will also have a Virtual Animated Teacher that will guide the student through all the subjects and computer programs if needed. The Teacher Avatar will be an expansion of the Microsoft Office Assistant where students choose the avatar character that they like. The Teacher Avatar will encompass all the best qualities and skills that every teacher should possess. If the student prefers a real person to communicate with then they can do so with the built in webcam and internet connection. One such program is already in place and can be accessed today.  Learn to be   
Intelligent Tutoring System    24/7 Assistance    Adaptive Learning    Learning Styles & Methods

 Visit Second Life to see a Teacher Avatar Example.  HyperLand is another example (Youtube)
 

Video lessons about various subjects is a great teaching tool. Imagine a teacher video taping their best teaching methods on a particular subject. Now imagine other teachers watching this video and learning from these techniques, or even better, making a new video discussing how they found new ways to improve these same teaching methods. Video can be compressed to take up less space without sacrificing quality. So now we can make education available to more students and improve teaching methods and strategies at the same time. Using Digital Technology for Education

The First Step is to build the first proto type PC. The Second Step will be perfecting this computer and all it's components, software and accessories. The Third Step would be the manufacture setup. Once I have a Laptop that is a clear example of what this PC should have and how this PC should operate, I will then look for Investors and volunteers to help distribute the Laptops to all who need them, starting with the less fortunate people who have limited means or have limited access to good schools, which happens to be almost every human on the planet. Sponsoring a child just took on a new definition. And if each person who receives the PC promises to share it with others we can help educate more people even faster. The Forth Step would be training thousands of teachers and people how to use and maintain each PC. Then those people would train other people how to use and maintain the PC. Each person who receives training would receive their own PC and repeat the process. A test, similar to a drivers license test would be used to determine if a person is allowed to operate and own this PC. Of course this is just a guideline to help deter theft and abuse and will most likely be modified depending on the needs of people. Each person who receives this PC must also fully understand the responsibilities that come with having an extremely important and powerful tool. Some of the first people to get these laptops will be teachers so they can use the PC as a teaching tool. Teachers would also be able to determine what students would benefit the most from having their own laptop. Mothers will also be first in line to receive these laptops. Mothers know the importance of education and deeply care about their children and their future. I will also work on a Pledge or a test that would help pick out the best candidates so that anyone with a thirst for knowledge can receive a laptop that would help advance their learning capabilities. But of course it will take more then a pledge or a promise for children to do the right thing because some children are already Incorrectly Educated and lack the abilities to learn or have no willingness to learn and possess very little Self-discipline. So children who are eager to learn and who possess self-discipline will be the most favorable candidates for these laptops, though it will not be a prerequisite.
Project Management Problem Solving

Another Great Idea...

Information Stations:
IPad style Touch screen with internet connection that is on 24 hours a day. Like a pay-phone that is placed in locations through a town or city where Residents and Tourists can quickly look up information, send e-mail, find directions, find phone numbers, look up events, times and dates for town meetings, city information, public transportation, find addresses of services and view websites.
Similar to the Hole in the Wall in India. The information station will also be a website with the exact same features so that any one can use it any where in the world and also be able to familiarize themselves with the interface. The IS can also have Speech Recognition that would recognize the language of the person who speaks in front of the Information station and then the IS would match the text, voice and symbols of that language. Maybe have the IS ask questions like "How can I help you?"  And then show symbols like water, food, shelter, health, services and directions.
You should also have the Information stations at bus stops and other public transportation areas.
And always have a button to change the interface

Laptops for Hospital Patients: When I visited my father in the hospital a saw him watching TV and thought how depressing and wasteful it was. Instead of TV hospitals should offer laptops to patients so that they can educate themselves about their condition or disease and also keep learning, working and stay connected to family and friends. They can also watch their favorite program or movie at their own time without disturbing other patients. So Candy Stripers would bring more the just books.  Hospitals with Internet Access     PC Pal

Since January 2009 I have started finding information and ideas on how to improve education that would make education more effective and comprehensive. I have also started putting together some Educational Resources and Websites to help accumulate the best knowledge and information that the world has to offer. It still shocks me that most students spend 12 years in school and come away with very little useful knowledge. 100's of millions of students desperately need a higher quality and a more thorough education. Education is not just a humans most important asset, education is the greatest instrument for Health, Happiness and Prosperity. The sheer lack of access to a higher quality and a more thorough education is the cause for most of the problems this world is faced with today. Mostly because people cannot make good decisions or make the right choices without correct sufficient knowledge. We cannot afford to wait for schools to improve and for our teachers to become good quality teachers. We have to use more then one way to fix this problem. We have to use all of our resources and abilities. Providing PC Laptops for people, filled with knowledge, is one way to accomplish this. I love the One Laptop Per Child and the Class Mate PC but I want to take it to the next level. The One Laptop Per Child PC is great for children of ages from 3 to 6 years old. The Classmate PC is great for children ages of 6 to 10 years old. Both of these PC's have great qualities and have opened the door to some really great ideas on how a Laptop PC can help improve a child's educational experience. But I want to make sure that we have the next generation of Learning Laptop PC's ready. Laptops that are faster with more memory and capabilities so that the students hunger for knowledge and learning are not hampered in anyway.
(Educause intelligent use of information technology)  Report on Laptops for Learning
The Learning Collective Instructional Designers

Every Company, Government, Community and Person must have a cause that they are dedicated to. I see no other cause more important then education, and not the education that we have in our schools today, I'm talking about a more comprehensive education that gives every human the life skills and knowledge that is needed to live and be a positive influence. Health, Happiness and Prosperity is not a dream, it is a goal, and the main goal of a quality and thorough education.

The laptops will be expensive, but if we don't educate humans properly and effectively it will end up costing the world much more then money could ever buy. So this is totally worth the investment. Every Human has questions that need to be answered, and every answer needs to be explained in more then one way so that everyone can understand.

Your life on a jump drive…
Now that you can carry portable memory with over a hundred gig of information on a key chain a person can literally carry their life’s work in their pocket where ever they go. A person can carry their diary, education, photos, favorite music, favorite movies, health information, family history, achievements, favorite activities, favorite sports, and anything else they can digitize. Of course the jump drive would be encrypted with the password that is only known by close family members and friends. If all the knowledge and information that is contained on these flash drives were to be shared into a central database we could accumulate information and knowledge that could be used to make improvements. We can learn a lot from each other but only if we are given a way to share our thoughts and ideas.

Improving education is now my passion in life and my most important goal. There is nothing more important to this world then education. My whole life I have been searching. I have always been asking questions. Throughout my life I have met all kinds people and I have traveled to many distant places. I went through many changes and experienced many moments of despair. I have made many mistakes and I have made many bad decisions. I have flirted with death so I am extremely fortunate, lucky and thankful to have lived this long. I have worked 100's of different jobs but felt no real purpose. But it all changed in 2007 when I disconnected my TV. I started to educate myself.
I finally became aware. I realized how little I new of myself and how little I new about this world.
This was my epiphany. It all made sense. Everything in life is in someway connected to education.
All my experiences now have meaning and purpose. And if it were not for the internet, and all who contributed to its vast resources of knowledge, I would have not been able to acquire the necessary knowledge and information that has enlightened me and inspired me to pursue this project.
And of course the invention of the computer was the main vehicle that helped this realization happen. Making the internet and the computer the main catalysts that helped to spawn this epiphany.
So it only makes sense that the PC and the internet will be major components of this project.
This will be my life's work. I don't believe in retirement, I only believe in redefining purpose.
You cannot deny destiny, you can only embrace it. 
 

"A life without cause is a life without effect"

Below are just some of the WebPages that I have created to begin collecting resources that will provide knowledge and information for each laptop. If you already have a laptop or desk top PC you will still be able to download all the information and use all the resources on the website when ever you need to.

Basic Knowledge 101
Education Resources, Online Education Links, Teaching Resources,
 Child Development, Reading & Writing and Books

Inspiration 101
Recommended Books & Reading Material to inspire students to be
Great Leaders and Great Teachers.
 

Carbon Offsets
Environmentally Friendly Ideas,  Eco-Initiatives, Eco-Conscious and Frugality

Ideas to Help Improve the World
Websites, Documentaries, and books for inspiration and ideas
 to help make positive changes in the world
 

Volunteering
Websites for all kinds of great causes and to help people in need.

Remember ‘Technology’ is just a tool. The major problem with Technology is that there are not enough qualified people who are skilled enough to know how to use technology effectively and efficiently or is there enough experienced people who have enough skills to teach others how to use technology effectively and efficiently. And of course this means that there are not enough knowledgeable people to fully understand the potential of technology or know when to implement its use. Just like any tool, if it’s not used properly it will not help. And if you don’t teach people how to use tools properly those tools will be wasted just like every other tool in human history. We train and educate people so that they can drive cars safely and productively. So who’s training people how to use computers and cell phones safely and productively? And just because people are wasting technology or misusing and abusing technology, this does not mean that it’s not helping civilization. So technology by itself cannot fix our enormous problems like poverty, starvation and education. Incompetence is not the fault of technology it is the fault of poorly educated humans. And to use technology to say that technology is not helping is not just Contradictory, it’s completely ignorant. That’s like saying a pitchfork can’t help feed starving people, but it can make it easier to loosen dirt that will help plant seeds, which can then help grow food which can then help feed people. Don’t blame the tool or the technology. Blame our education system that fails to teach students basic skills, knowledge and proper behavior. A laptop can’t teach everything to a child but it can help teach a child who has no teacher or no school as long as they know how to use the PC effectively and efficiently. It boils down to maximizing our actions and fully understanding our best choices and using our tools effectively. So communicating this information and knowledge is extremely important. You have to be clear when showing people the ways they can help. And technology can definitely help speed up this process. This is why every HOPE PC will have instructions on how to use technology effectively and efficiently. The easy to understand instructions will be in a video format and in writing. Independent Learning
Just because you are given abilities does not guarantee that you will use them correctly.

Cell phones with Internet access are only a weak and limited alternative and definitely not a replacement for a laptop or a desktop computer. To call a cell phone ‘a learning tool’ is a bit of a stretch. A cell phone is just another way of connecting to the internet, but not very efficiently.
If a laptop computer is a window to the world then the cell phone is a very tiny window to the world that only opens halfway. And just having an internet connection does not say that you will actually use it correctly or effectively. A Smart Phone will not make you smarter. It will most likely make you more of an idiot. And to think that a cell phone will somehow bridge the digital divide between people is a ridiculous statement. Our technology is just a tool, and we have many tools. But if I had a choice between a stick and a tractor to plow a cornfield I would have to go with the tractor. A stick or a cell phone may be useful but when you have a better and more productive method, you use it.
Our social connections are not our primary platform for learning in everyday lives. Relying on other people for knowledge and information is only affective and reliable when those other people are actually learning new knowledge and acquiring new information. "Knowing a lot of people is good, but knowing a few people who know a lot is much better." Having access to more information does not necessarily mean that people will be more educated. Increased communication between people using mobile social media also does not mean that people will be more educated or informed.
The potential of the Internet will be defined by how we use all our knowledge and information to help educate people and not by giving kids more cell phones. That is just irresponsible and ignorant.
And to say that these systems are not open enough to allow innovation and learning from street-level knowledge is also idiotic. I’m not saying that cell phones don’t have potential or that cell phones are not a useful and valuable tool, I’m just saying that the sharing of knowledge and information should not be so reliant on these tools that we use, but more importantly, that our knowledge and information needs to be accurate, organized and available to everyone no matter if they have a tool or not. Having a particular digital device or just having more technology tools will not make you smarter. The only way you become smarter and more knowledgeable is by knowing how to use the most reliable and the most important tool that every human has, which is the human brain. The human brain can learn how to make tools and learn how to use tools. But more importantly when the human brain is educated properly, the human brain also knows how to make sense of it all. And one of the things that the human brain makes sense of is that itself is the most important and the most powerful tool a person has in their possession. So wasting our resources will not make us smarter. We have to use our resources intelligently, appropriately, affectively and efficiently. But even then that is only one step in our education process. We have a long way to go. Simply providing technology tools to people will not make them more educated or make their life any better.
Teaching people how to make use of all the tools that we have, especially the tool in their head,
is the only sure way of educating people and improving life for everyone. 
What's inside a Cell Phone?    What is a Mobile Phone?

This is just some of the software that will come with each Laptop PC