Gift computers put to good use
The Nation 29.02.00

SEEING five-year-olds busily clicking away on 10 PCs would bring a smile to many. Even more impressive is that the scene takes place at Duang Prateep Kindergarten, school to some of Thailand's poorest children.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute of the United States recently donated the computers to the kindergarten, hoping to spread new-age technology to the less fortunate.

The teachers are already putting the gift to good use, giving the older children an hour on the sophisticated machines each week. Educational programmes and a few games have been installed on the machines, not to mention the formidable "Paint" application, a playground for any child looking to have some fun on the computer.

"I like the letter Jor Jarn and the colour blue," says youngster Jittima SaiFaeng. She proceeds to trace out the Thai alphabet on the screen and paint the background blue.

Although still very new to the computer, she handles the mouse with relative ease, although she does have some difficulty because it is larger than her hand. Undoubtedly a graphic artist in the making, she goes on to draw a picture of woman and another of abstract circles.

"I call it ''Playing Badminton''," Jittima boasts of her new masterpiece.

While playing on the computer, Jittima starts calling out to her friends, asking how she could turn on music on her machine. ''You have to come to this machine if you want to hear sound," a confident Pawitra Kongsuk shouts back.

Pawitra was earlier absorbed in a computer game of jigsaws. ''I went to the BoI 2000 Fair and played on a computer where we could touch the screen and move things,'' little Pawitra recounts.

Thanawat Nakatho is assuredly having no difficulty with his school lessons and his path towards Prathom 1 seems to be clear. He aces the tests in the educational programme designed to prepare pre-schoolers for elementary school.

The computer programmes, although designed for children, are often difficult to understand. This is no problem since a number of teachers, including Somwang Natrakard, circle the room and help the children.

"Since I am also assistant to the principal, I used computers mainly for word processing. When the computers were donated, Worcester Polytechnic also gave teachers a few lessons to familiarise us with the technology," Somwang says. "The children are really happy that the computers are here," she says.

For the moment, the computers will be reserved for the children in Duang Pratheep Kindergarten. But during vacations, children from surrounding areas will be able to give it a try as well. "It is a really good chance for the children to learn how to use computers, which are becoming increasingly important in today's world," Somwang adds.

The children may be happy that the computers have arrived, but it is far from being the their favourite pastime. "I still like playing in the playground more than staying here in front of the computers," several children say.

''We're here because the teacher told us to be here," whispers another child, clearly unaware that many adults still cannot click and drag objects on the screen as adeptly as she could. Most of the children have only used a computer for a few times, but it is clear that they are already making a smooth transition to the age of information.

Suddenly, the song "Busaba" by Nicole, playing on Winamp in Mp3 format, booms out from one of the computers, to the delight of the children. And as if on cue, all the children begin singing along, oblivious to anything else that is happening around them. Just seeing the bright smiles on the young faces seems to make the Worcester Polytechnic Institute's donations more than worth it.

BY NATEE VICHITSORASATRA
The Nation