| Period of Performance: | 30 September 2002 through 30 September 2003 |
Themes:
Basic education, information technology, gender equity, capacity building
Project Vision:
To improve current educational methodologies by fostering learning processes that are rooted in experience, are integrated, use local knowledge and technologies, interact effectively with local development problems, and make appropriate use of Information Communication, Broadcast Technologies (ICBT).
Project Mission:
To increase the capacity of a selected cadre of trainers/teachers and community leaders to:
- Create culturally appropriate and language specific instructional materials for youth and adults based on sound, innovative pedagogy (project-based learning);
- Increase access to ICBTs;
- Increase media literacy;
- Incorporate gender equity into instructional processes; and
- Leverage the use of ICBTs to facilitate the better achievement of the project Vision and Mission.
List of Implementing Partners:
- International Education Systems, Education Development Center (EDC)
- YouthLearn Initiative, Center for Education, Employment and Community (CEEC), EDC
- Academy for Educational Development (AED)
EDC and AED staff will ensure above all that project activities will lead to the achievement of the following Program Results:
PR1 – Establishment of a Community Learning and Resource Center in the Vanga community, Bandundu Province. The Center will provide the technical infrastructure needed for training of health and education workers, community members and primary school children in the use of information communications technologies (ICTs). As girls and women are often marginalized with respect to IT use, special outreach efforts will target girl students, female teachers and community women. The telecenter will house up to 20 multimedia computer workstations, two notebook computers, related peripherals and other support equipment and supplies. Six community members will be trained to manage the telecenter and respond to technical and administrative needs.
Twenty modules will be crafted to assist in the development of instructional materials through the use of technology to supplement basic instructional materials. Ten modules will be designed as teacher training tools. Another ten modules (sample lesson plans) will be specifically designed to complement existing math, French and other core instruction. Both sets of modules will be based on the YouthLearn methodology for youth development programming which affirms that project-based activities as central to an engaging learning environment. Project-based activities require teamwork, promote inquiry, and engage youth in hands-on assignments. This spirit of collaboration draws young people into a process where the exploration of ideas and perspectives is as vital as the finished product. This creative learning environment can revitalize learning, and when harnessing the power of technology, opens new doors for both educators and learners. The twenty modules will be highly interactive, possibly web-based and designed around existing community needs and capacities. Content may also be backed up via CD-ROM. These resources will be fashioned so that they can be adapted to both traditional class time and out-of-school hours.
PR2 – Assess and pilot complementary instructional interventions in the Luozi community to support classroom instruction in selected thematic areas and grade levels of the national curriculum. A needs assessment will analyze the appropriate use and application of digital and broadcast technologies in terms of instructional and learning needs of teachers and students, infrastructure needs and limitations, and barriers and opportunities to implementation. The Luozi pilot activity will demonstrate complementary instructional interventions to education planners, policymakers and practitioners. It will also begin to train a cadre of teachers in Luozi. The local cadre of teacher and community leaders will build their capacities in pedagogical processes and the application of innovative instructional strategies to existing curricula that are relevant to local development problems and gender issues, integrate indigenous knowledge with health, agriculture and micro-enterprise, and are rooted in concrete practice. Complementary instructional strategies will be designed to reduce rote learning through project-based instruction and will use digital and/or broadcast technologies to increase access to capacity building opportunities.
For more information, please contact:
- EDC Project Director, Sonia Arias, sarias@edc.org
- EDC Chief of Party, Francine Ahouanmenou-Agueh, FAhouanmenou-Agueh@edc.org
- EDC Project Coordinator, Konjit Hailu, khailu@edc.org
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