Educational Origami

Wikipedia is amazing. It is with out a doubt the first stop of most students as they research any topic. Its huge, its peer created and peer moderated. Its also online, and this can pose a problem. This vast body of knowledge can only be accessed via the internet, and for those with our reliable or infact in many case any internet connectivity this tool is unavailable.

Until recently…. Enter wikimedia foundation and SOS Children’s Villages.

This join project has seen the product of an OFF LINE Wikipedia, a 2.9GB DVD, downloadable via bit torrent

Here this an extract from the project announcement about the product…

” The updated selection has the content of a 20 volume encyclopaedia – with 34,500 pictures, 20 million words and articles on more than 5500 topics. This revision, which can be freely downloaded or collected free from SOS Children is selected and organised around the UK National Curriculum and aimed at 8-17 year olds who broadly follow the UK National Curriculum and similar curricula elsewhere in the world.”

source: http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/charity-news/2008-wikipedia-for-schools.htm

Here is the wikimedia release page - http://schools-wikipedia.org/

This is a brilliant effort not just for those in developing countries, but also for those who are struggling with poor internet access. This is a product that I can see making a difference.

I have been privileged to be involved in providing some schools and organisations in the 3rd world with laptops. We furnished each of the laptops with the tools available on the open disc

projects – http://www.theopendisc.com Next time we will be including this brilliant wikipedia selection.

Get involved – when you download this using bittorrent – you share in the distribution process acting as part of the swarm and helping others access this resource.