Intel’s Classmate PC, the company’s answer to the XO Laptop, will soon be in the hands of Portugal’s schoolchildren. Some 500,000 laptops will be given to the country’s six-to-10-year-olds as part of a government initiative to improve education. Laptops for educations? Sounds familiar.
While the Classmate will no doubt help the youngsters, Portuguese teachers recognize that a laptop isn’t the be all, end all to improve education, saying that the laptops are part of a “holistic” approach to education.
Who didn’t learn how to ford a river (and more!) by playing Oregon Trail in their school’s computer lab?
At right is Portugal’s greatest export, Cristiano Ronaldo.
As a Portuguese person I would like to tell you that this article is very offensive to me. I have nothing against Ronaldo but you assertion that he is the best Portugal has produced in terms of intellectual achievements is very disturbing … especially coming from a New Yorker, from a city well know for their crumbling public education system, where most students can’t even identify most countries on a world map and if asked I am certain would never be able to pinpoint Portugal on the map.
Yes, we are a small country but that does not mean we are dumb. We have a very high literacy rate and we do know our place in the world…. It is this type of unilateral view of the world that makes Americans seem like assholes for the rest of us.
Yes, and that includes you!
Whoa there! I have no problems with Portugal at all. I studied the language for two years in college for no reason other than I thought it and the country was cool.
If you read us a lot, you’ll notice that I put footballers photos when dealing with a story from their country. New cellphone in Spain? Then I’d put a photo of Fernando Torres. Giant TV in Italy? Yup, Luca Toni will be pictured. That sort of thing.
Sinto muito.
-na
That is all.
I am sorry if I misinterpreted what you were saying… The problem with you article is that you are talking about education an then you say that our biggest export is a football player that did not even finish highschool. It did seem a bit pejorative, it is just that small countries like my own are sometimes mocked and mischaracterized and although we are small we still have our pride… I did not want to offend you and thank you for you clarification.
Cheers
Duarte
Lol, i agree with u Duarte… But what can we do?
Americans got the reputation outside their country, their are the only ones who can’t see how dumb they are xD