1. Persons who consider or might consider a KHouse pre-feasibility study
   (Decision makers, recommenders, funders)
2. Possible members of the pre-feasibility team.
3. Potential second-tier KHouse partners.
4. Others who might influence the quality of the pre-feasibility study, and the success of a possible subsequent KHouse.

On the first slide, click at the photo shown in the storyboard below to get slide #2.

• Global, non-commercial, virtual, user-owned organization based in Norway. Main focus:

  Empower kids and youth with free educational programs. To help them mature, get friends, create inter-personal networks, and collaborate with peers around the world.

• Since the start in 1990, children from 176 countries have participated. Used by teachers around the world. On museum since 1998.
• 86 conferences on the Internet in 19 languages. Private "chat" network for participants only. The knowledge network is supported by 500 volunteers in over 50 countries.
• 1st Prize in the Global Junior Challenge (Italy, November 2000): "Educational projects for users up to 18 years old". Competed with 600 educational projects from all over the world. 1st Prize in the Global Bangemann Challenge's "IT in all kinds of education" in 1999. World Bank supports Kidlink in Brazil (2001).
• The US Department of Education recommends Kidlink in its short "Teacher's Guide to International Collaboration on the Internet."

• An educational program extending over 8 months with schedules for the northern and southern hemispheres.
• 389 suggested questions and 244 activities divided into 6 modules that are translated into several languages:
  1. Who Am I?
  2. Where Do I Live?
  3. What Are My Rights?
  4. My Friends and Family
  5. What Are My Roots?
  6. Virtual Vacation

• Strengthen self-appraisal
• Prepare answers to questions asked by potential new friends
• Plan and test drive meetings with new friends on the Internet
• Organize meetings (acceptance/rejection)
• Do meaningful things together with new friends

Training in the act of living, growing up.
Personality development

1. First, face-to-face discussion in a local group (usually, without use of computers)
2. When the group has reached some kind of conclusion, publishing of views on the net (email, email conferencing, web pages)
3. Questions, answers, handling of lack of feedback, discussions

1. promotes independence, autonomy, and the ability to master one's own life
2. helps youth strengthen their social networks and build networks with peers around the world
3. strengthens youth psychologically by providing them with more knowledge of themselves
4. motivates them to be life-long and engaged learners
5. provides cultural and spiritual stimulation
6. supports efforts to fight bullying, violence, racism, absence, lack of concentration, depression, lies, broken promises, emotional problems, irregular habits, criminality and broken borders

Benefits for the Classroom:

1. It is student centered.
   1. gives students an audience and a purpose for writing
   2. brings real world meaning to classroom tasks
   3. promotes and supports engaged learners
   4. stimulates inquiry and problem solving
   5. encourages learning across curriculum areas
   6. broadens multicultural perspectives
2. It supports a child's teacher.
   1. provides discussion questions and classroom activities
   2. offers web publishing of student work
   3. facilitates interaction with global colleagues
   4. includes curriculum connections for each module
   5. gives online resources for each lesson
   6. suggests tips for using "Who Am I?" in the classroom
   7. includes a support team and coordination lists

The first module any time during the year. The advantage of doing it in the given periods is that students' audience will be larger. 

• A housewith doors open to the public, a computer lab, and connections to the Internet. May be a weekly "time slot" in someone's computer lab or Internet café.
• Supplies educational Kidlink services to economically less favored groups.
• KHouses come in three flavors:
  1. Kids: At least 2 hours on a certain weekday for kids that come from a school with their teachers, or different places (streets, hospitals, etc.) They come as part of a group
  2. Open: Kids that come without teachers, or adult coaches. They sign up formally, and come whenever they want.
  3. Family: Groups of senior citizens interact by email with KHouse kids.

Brazilian KHouses as of December, 2001

Comment on Kidlink's role

• The first KHouse was opened in cooperation with RDC (Rio Data Centro) and Puc-Rio (Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro), 1996.
• To function well, a KHouse need a manager, a pedagogical support person, a psychosocial support person, and technical support.
• By automn 2001, there were 30 KHouse Kids and 3 Khouses Family
• The KHouse Kids serve 2,600 children from public schools, homeless children, and children from indigenous communities.
• The KHouse Kids activities are supported by 120 professionals.
• The KHouse Family centers served 50 senior citizens, supported by 10 professionals (volunteers).

• Kidlink has demonstrated a tremendous educational potential across different countries. Despite having been originated in the developed world, today Kidlink is helping pilot the use of information and communication technologies for low-income populations in the developing world, including Brazil.
• In Brazil, infoDev is now supporting a specific Kidlink initiative aimed at expanding its educational program geared to low-income youth through an innovative methodology which trains senior citizens to be volunteer instructors of children.
• One of the most innovative features of Kidlink is that it combines both training and connectivity.
• By helping to build self-esteem, knowledge, and express artistic talents, Kidlink is has become an interesting case study on educational technology methodologies . On the one hand it is a highly flexible model, which is being adapted according to the local needs and educational contexts . On the other hand, it is based on a strong methodology and on the rigorous research work promoted by the Kidlink Institute.

• A pedagogical program based on Kidlink's offerings: the Who-Am-I? program
• Human Resources: Technical Support; Pedagogical Support (psycho pedagogy, pedagogy, or full license to teach); Psycho Social Support (psychology, social services, phonoaudiology or related area); A guard
• Volunteer assistance by parents, aunts and uncles, and senior citizens
• A computer laboratory with the necessary number of computers
• Minimum capacity:
  • Two classes of children, who are able to write and read.
  • Available at least two hours/week per class.
  • Two kids per computer (maximum three).
• Kidlink approval

• Purpose: To outline and document a desire to open a KHouse in a given area without worrying too much about whether the dream is possible to realize.
• The results of the pre-feasibility study will be used by the subsequent KHouse feasibility study team.It will help them fully understand the situation, the dream, available options, audiences, constraints, and challenges.
• The team must have members with good knowledge of the local area, including knowledge of local language(s). Kidlink will introduce the team to models, template approach, share experiences and ideas.

• 1-3 days for all members of the pre-feasibility study team.
• Provided by senior personnel from Kidlink Institute/Education
  1. Introduction to
     • Kidlink (organization, services, infrastructure, support)
     • KHouse models ("Kids", "Open", "Family") serving different groups of kids and youth
     • The pre-feasibility template
  2. Discuss tentative goals and answers to the pre-feasibility questions
     • Who-Am-I? applications
     • KHouse operations
     • Opportunities and constraints
     • Prospective models of cooperation.
• Team members should consider visiting Brazil to see how the KHouses function in practice, meet administrators , and learn about the KHouse support network.

• Define the desired goal in terms of the ideal KHouse for the desired area (include user groups, location, scope of activities, use of local languages, desired time schedule.)
• Funding opportunities
• Provide information for planning (include information on organizations that might be second-tier partners)
• Supply information for budgetting
• Present to decision makers

Contact: Odd de Presno, Kidlink Executive Director (presno@c2i.net)
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