THOUGHTS ABOUT STATISTICS
THOUGHTS ABOUT STATISTICS
At www.lernu.net you can click on "About Lernu" and then click "Statistics." There are two pages, and my remarks are based on the second page. It is very worthwhile to examine this information.
What can we learn from the Lernu statistics?
They may not accurately represent other Esperanto sources because naturally they reflect only people registered at Lernu. Furthermore, they obviously are limited to computer users. Therefore, a high economic level can be assumed for both the countries represented and their inhabitants who use Lernu instruction. Thus, poorer people are not represented.
In countries with greater population and highest number of computer users, a higher percentage of Esperanto students learned of Esperanto via a computer search on the internet. They are self-recruited.
The age groups of learners reflect the age groups who are already avid users of computers.
Anyone who lives in a poor country with few computers and few internet servers, or who is techophobic and unlikely to use computers even if availabe must learn of Esperanto from a non-computer source and must study in a non-computer way.
If we rely too heavily on the internet to inform, enlist, and educate people about Esperanto, we will discriminate against those in advanced countries who do not use computers, and against almost everyone in disadvantaged countries where computers and internet servers are too costly for most people.
What other lessons can you extract from the Lernu statistics?
Beginning in our own country, we must inform and recruit others by means of personal face-to-face contact.
I don't think most people are willing to do that, or even to learn how to do that.
At www.lernu.net you can click on "About Lernu" and then click "Statistics." There are two pages, and my remarks are based on the second page. It is very worthwhile to examine this information.
What can we learn from the Lernu statistics?
They may not accurately represent other Esperanto sources because naturally they reflect only people registered at Lernu. Furthermore, they obviously are limited to computer users. Therefore, a high economic level can be assumed for both the countries represented and their inhabitants who use Lernu instruction. Thus, poorer people are not represented.
In countries with greater population and highest number of computer users, a higher percentage of Esperanto students learned of Esperanto via a computer search on the internet. They are self-recruited.
The age groups of learners reflect the age groups who are already avid users of computers.
Anyone who lives in a poor country with few computers and few internet servers, or who is techophobic and unlikely to use computers even if availabe must learn of Esperanto from a non-computer source and must study in a non-computer way.
If we rely too heavily on the internet to inform, enlist, and educate people about Esperanto, we will discriminate against those in advanced countries who do not use computers, and against almost everyone in disadvantaged countries where computers and internet servers are too costly for most people.
What other lessons can you extract from the Lernu statistics?
Beginning in our own country, we must inform and recruit others by means of personal face-to-face contact.
I don't think most people are willing to do that, or even to learn how to do that.
posted by Ricxardo at 3:39 PM
1 Comments:
We'll Richard, I think you are very correct. And not just Esperanto. Recruiting is very difficult and scary for anyone and about any subject. However I would like to report that we at Ek-Ek, just at regular meetings have been informing people sitting near us about Esperanto. We have found a few people that are interested this way, and a few have even seemed to have joined and come along. We also, went to a youth world unity fair in Ft. Collins Colorado recently and put all our effort into an all out booth to educate and intest people. That seemed to interest several many people and I believe a few of them may start coming as well. So, even though it is hard to do, I can say that it works even if you only do a little.
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