Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 8, 2008

Micronesia left quite an impression on me. Apparently, typhoons are a big deal in Micronesia. Micronesia is hard to sum up in a few words. I saw aspects of American and Japanese society overlaid on a societies trying to preserve their traditions and languages. Waste disposal is hard on these tiny islands.

Micronesia 100

Micronesia Reflection Guam Marshall Islands 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 20, 2008

The main goal of visiting Micronesia is for me to gain a real-world perspective on schools and books for students with disabilities. Students on Pohnpei learn in the vernacular (Pohnpeian) until they are in third grade, when they start learning English. The books in the local languages were not in as great a shape.

Micronesia 100

Micronesia Classroom Student Language 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 5, 2008

The final stop for my Micronesia trip was Guam, a U.S. The native people of Guam are called Chamorros, and the language is resurgent. Not quite ready for students, yet! But, we're hoping to tune up the local language synthesis, or supplement our text e-books with human narration, which might be more practical.

Guam 100

Guam Micronesia South Korea Marshall Islands 100