Seymour Papert, Professor Emeritus/Senior Lecturer, Program in Media Arts and Science, MIT
In the 1960s, when Seymour Papert talked about children using computers as instruments for learning and enhancing creativity,
the idea of an inexpensive personal computer was then science fiction. But Seymour was conducting serious research at MIT. This
research led to many firsts. It was in his laboratory that children first had the chance to use the computer to write and
make graphics.
Today, Seymour is considered the world's foremost expert on how technology can provide new ways to learn. He
has carried out educational projects on every continent, some of them in remote villages in developing countries. He
is involved in developing the most influential cutting-edge opportunities for children to participate in the digital world.
Seymour lives in Maine, where he has founded a small laboratory called the Learning Barn to develop methods of learning that
are too far ahead of the times for large-scale implementation. He has been named Distinguished Professor by the University of
Maine and is credited with inspiring the first initiative aimed at giving a personal computer to every student of a State.
Seymour's last visit to Australia was to keynote the World Conference on Computers in Education in 1990. We are very excited
that he is returning to open our i3 Conference.
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Angus King, Former Governor, Maine USA
Former Maine Governor Angus King first announced a notebook initiative for all Grade 7 students in public schools in the State
of Maine in February 2000. A worsening economy and State budget shortfall threatened the project on more than one
occasion. Angus remained defiant when legislators suggested trimming or cancelling the plan, calling the move "an historic
mistake". "We have persevered. People in the education community have rallied around the idea, the legislature looked at it
and passed the plan, and now it's happening," said Angus. On 5 September 2002, he travelled to Kittery, Maine to
officially kick off the program.
This is the story of that challenge. How Maine under Angus King's Governorship became the
first State in the world to give every student in Year 7 a notebook computer to improve their opportunities for learning in
the 21st century.
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