Ragib Ehsan Shadab
Student at Ontario Tech University, Co-Founder and CTO of JaduPc
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada / Asian/Asian American
👨 he/him/his
🎓 Student at Ontario Tech University
😁 Ragib has lived all over the world and is a computer and a music nerd, but also a high school varsity athlete.
Ragib bridges the digital divide by providing underprivileged youth with affordable technology.
ABOUT HIS WORK
Ragib Ehsan's work with JaduPc harnesses affordable technology to close the digital divide, a substantial barrier to marginalized youth's access to education and employment opportunities. Access to computers and the internet is a necessity in today's world, yet not all families can afford the cost of a computer. Ragib's mission strives to bridge this gap by delivering affordable computers to underprivileged youths using new, open source, and affordable technology, allowing them to learn digital literacy and special skills such as programming, robotics, and computer graphics and gain access to resources that are critical for academic and career success. By tackling this issue, JaduPc seeks to establish a more equitable society in which everyone, regardless of financial situation, has an equal opportunity to achieve.
WATCH & DISCUSS
Watch: What is ICT (Information and Communications Technology)?
Discuss:
You have the opportunity to teach someone computer science. What would you want to teach them?
OTHER RESOURCES
ARTICLES
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF
Ragib first learned computer science in elementary school (grades PreK-5, ages 5-11)
“I would like to tell my younger self to not think of programming just as a tool but as a way of thinking. The understanding of how to do critical analysis to build complex algorithms not only helps with writing code but also with making some of the most important decisions in my life. To adapt the concept of critical thinking and to not be scared of venturing on projects on my own.”
HOW HAS RAGIB'S WORK CONTRIBUTED TO OR HARNESSED COMPUTER SCIENCE'S GOOD, NEUTRAL, AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS?
Ethical or Moral Impacts of Computing: “Some of the moral and ethical dilemmas related to the impacts of computing have been the acceptance gap in rural culture for modernization. Rural cultures are often against computing and the acceptance of modern resource utilization for fear of cultural disconnect. I have tried tackling this by introducing role models of people who have been able to utilize computing for success within the culture to break the fear and stigma of the introduction of computing in everyday lives.”
Good: JaduPc's project in rural Bangladesh illustrates the significant positive impact of computing. Through a computer lab and digital literacy education, underprivileged students gained crucial technology skills quickly. These students, once unfamiliar with computers, quickly became proficient in programming and online learning. This initiative empowers marginalized youth, offering them valuable skills for future careers and leadership, showcasing how computing can bridge educational disparities and uplift communities.
Neutral: JaduPc's work is developing the custom open-sourced operating system, Shopno OS. While it offers a platform for students to access computing and tools, its neutrality stems from the fact that it serves as an enabling technology without inherently positive or negative consequences.
Negative: JaduPc recognizes potential negative impacts, including e-waste from their affordable computers. While these devices are essential, they could contribute to the e-waste problem. JaduPc is actively working on sustainable solutions, such as eco-friendly casings and recycling programs, to mitigate this issue. Additionally, there are moral and ethical dilemmas concerning the acceptance of computing in rural cultures, where some fear cultural disconnect. To address these concerns, JaduPc introduces successful role models integrating computing into rural culture, helping dispel fears and stigmas.