ICTbased InService Teacher Education for Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania

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ICT-based In-Service Teacher Education for
Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania

• Presentation at the GESCII Workshop Perspectives
  on North/South Research Partnerships for ICT in
  Education, 21 th April 2009
  

Dr. Jabiri Bakari, Open University of Tanzania
Bengt Nykvist, Mid Sweden University

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-Up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-Up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Introduction

• Project background
• The millennium goal to achieve general primary
  school for all is about to be reached in
  Tanzania.
  
• 60 attended primary school year 2005, 97 year
  2007
  
• But short supply of secondary teachers with
  adequate capacity!
  
• Admission at OUT for Education Degree program
• High dropout
• ICT-Based In-Service Teacher Education for
  Secondary School Teacher in Tanzania" (ICT
  BITES)
  

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-Up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Problems

• The education programme started in January 2007
  by admitting 1500 students in five degree
  programmes as follows
  
• (i). B. A. Ed 666
• (ii) B. Com. Ed. 47
• (iii) B. Ed. 362
• (iv) B. Sc. Ed 390
• (v) B. B. A. Ed. 35
• By January 2008, only 825 have been registered
  into the second year programme
  

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Problems

• Communication breakdown problem after
  face-to-face sessions between students and OUT
  lecturers Probably one of the reasons of high
  dropout ( e.g. even getting assignments)
• Accessibility problems
• Power problems
• Band width / Internet infrastructure problems
• Affordability problems
• Low availability of PCs
• Limited knowledge how to operate PCs and
  computer networks
  

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Motivation

• Some of these problems can be addressed by
  m-learning and usage of mobile phones
  
• Mobile phone networks have high coverage in
  Tanzania
  
• Cheaper equipment (Almost all teacher OUT
  students, have mobile phones )
  
• Equipment that can operate without daily access
  to electricity, can also be charged by car
  battery, solar
  
• Equipment familiar to student and teachers

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Why mobile learning (general) ?

• Less time and place constraints, Learning on the
  move flexible technology.
  
• Introducing "authenticity, learning on site.
• Supports just-in-time learning.
• Collaboration can be enhanced, with other
  students, teachers and tutors.

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Project Objectives

• The aim of the project for ICT-based in-service
  teacher education will be to improve performance
  of secondary school teachers by providing
  training on pedagogy and subject specialized
  education.
• Focusing on short course trained teachers /
  licensed teachers

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Project partners

• Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
  (MoEVT) of Tanzania
  
• The Open University of Tanzania (OUT)
• University of Dar es Salaam
• Mid Sweden University

Sponsored by The Swedish Program for
Information and Communication
Technology in Developing Regions (SPIDER)
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Some characteristics of the project

• Exploit the interactive potential of ICT in the
  provision of modern education theory and practice
  via distance education programmes.
  
• Use available infrastructure and media Develop
  models for communication and distribution of
  learning material for different technical
  environments (broadband, VSAT, mobile phones,
  CD/DVD, memory cards etc).
• Exploit other possibilities of the new global
  world of information and communication Support
  teachers to handle the challenges of using
  e-resources through knowledge sharing, networking
  and collaboration for improving teaching. Use of
  Open Courseware.

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Use of the broadest channel available
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Support of learning, access to learning material

• On the memory cards in the mobile phones
• overviews, slideshows for each learning module
• study guide in text
• study guide interpreted as voice
• additional materials such as films
• Access to Internet (3G or GPRS) for additional
  learning material

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Learning activities and communication with fellow
students and teachers / tutors

• Students do quizzes on their mobile phones
• Students report development of their assignments
  (in short form) via SMS
  
• Teachers respond using mobile phones or PCs
  sending SMS through the Moodle system

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Phone specifications

• 3G/GPRS
• Java
• SMS
• QVGA display, 320240 pixels, display not smaller
  than 2 inches
  
• Ability to play MP3 audio and MPEG4 / 3GP video
• Memory card option, card size e.g. 4 GB Micro SD

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Introduction of pilot group, January 2009
The 18 students quickly learnt the operation of
the phones, how to access the learning material
and how to communicate using mobile phones.

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Preliminary Findings

• All of the 18 students thought that the Moodle
  system and the mobile phones would increase their
  possibilities to be successful in their studies.
  Some of the reasons mentioned were
• Course material is now close to me available on
  time as text, voice and media files.
  
• Communication is improved, and updated course
  information can be communicated.
  
• The Internet access possibility in the mobile
  phones makes it easier to find material.
  
• Continuous assessment is made possible, and
  networking with fellow students is improved
  

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Preliminary Findings, cont.

• A survey was answered by thirteen students
• Twelve had more than three years experience of
  mobile phones.
  
• All of the students agreed or strongly agreed
  with the statement Learning through mobile
  phones is feasible and productive.
  
• Twelve of the thirteen students liked or liked
  very much to play the media files on the mobile
  phones.
  
• Twelve of thirteen thought that the use of SMS
  for quizzes and assignments was useful or very
  useful.
  
• Eleven students out of thirteen found the text
  material in the mobile phones easy or very easy
  to read.
  

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Problem Area and Motivation
• Project Objectives
• Project Set-up
• Preliminary Findings
• Conclusion and Outlook

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Conclusion and Outlook

• During the second half of 2009, the pilot project
  will be evaluated and possible additional tests
  will be planned.
  
• If the pilot is successful, a suggestion for a
  nationwide programme and guidelines for
  mainstreaming the model will be prepared.
  
• The main target group in the project is the
  licensed teachers in secondary schools at Open
  University of Tanzania, but the experiences from
  the pilot project can also be used in other
  teaching and learning contexts.

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Welcome to contacts us!
E-mail jabiri.bakari_at_out.ac.tz bengt.nykv
ist_at_miun.se