On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 10:14 PM, Bryan Berry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The stuff that needs to be translated is the 65 page teacher training > guide. I believe that Prabhas Pokharel is interested in working on it > but I don't know how much time he has had for it as of late.
Is he on any of these lists? I would love to discuss it with him, and I may be able to help once there is a rough translation. I know just enough Sanskrit to almost totally fail to understand the Nepalese. ^_^ > http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Image:OLENepal_Trainer%27s_Manual.pdf > > I still need to post it in Word format to the wiki. That's my fault > > It's a pretty amazing document, takes lots of Constructionist examples > from Piaget and Vygotsky that kids learn differently than we > traditionally expect them to. Then takes those examples and explains how > XO's can be used to help kids in the manner they naturally do. > > > > On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 22:00 -0700, Edward Cherlin wrote: > > This is all excellent. It becomes even more urgent to have this > > material translated to English. Whom do we know who can help? Can > > others here ask for help through their networks on LinkedIn and other > > sites, or just their accumulated contacts in their address books, or > > any appropriate mailing lists? > > > > On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 5:25 PM, Bryan Berry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Dr. Saurav Dev Bhatta posted the review of the second week of teacher > > > training, which took place on-site at the schools > > > > > > http://blog.olenepal.org/index.php/archives/283 > > > > > > > > > We have just completed Part II of our teacher preparation program. The > > > complete teacher training consisted of two segments: > > > > > > Part I) A 4 day intensive residential, out-of-school training that > > > focuses on integrating digitial educational materials and ICT-based > > > teaching approaches in the regular classroom instruction process. This > > > was completed on April 1, 2008. An earlier blog post has details about > > > this segment of the training. > > > > > > Part II) A 4 day training in the teachers' regular classrooms where they > > > get hand-on experience in developing, implementing, and fine-tuning > > > child-centric, interactive, ICT-integrated lesson plans. This was > > > completed on Friday, May 2, 2008. The current post is about this segment > > > only. > > > > > > Training location > > > > > > For Bashuki teachers, the training was held at Bashuki Lower Secondary > > > School itself. Similarly, for Bishwamitra teachers, it was held at > > > Bishwamitra Lower Secondary School. > > > > > > Why in-school training? > > > > > > Important fact: TEACHING THE KIDS HOW TO USE THE LAPTOPS IS A RELATIVELY > > > EASY TASK. THEY PICK IT UP IN NO TIME (within a few hours!!). > > > > > > Even more important fact: THE REAL CHALLENGE IS INTEGRATING THE LAPTOP > > > AND THE AVAILABLE DIGITAL CONTENT IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION > > > PROCESS. > > > > > > The residential portion of the training did give the teachers some > > > experience in integrating E-Paati in the classroom process (apart from > > > making them completely familiar with the use of the laptop). But the > > > simulated classroom environment in any residential training is a far cry > > > from the actual setting in their own schools. Furthermore, since each > > > school is very different in terms of physical infrastructure, student > > > composition, community involvement and other resources, there are unique > > > practical challenges associated with each school. So we felt that it > > > would be very useful to give teachers hands-on experience in integrating > > > E-Paati in their regular classrooms. > > > > > > There is another important reason why in-school training is important in > > > this case. In most teacher training programs, it is possible for > > > teachers to learn about new approaches to teaching outside their school > > > (for example, through practice teaching in another school) and they can > > > take this knowledge to their own classrooms later. But in the present > > > context, successful implementation in the classroom also requires the > > > students themselves to learn about the new approach to learning and > > > teaching. And this can only happen in the school where the laptop > > > program is being implemented. > > > > > > Structure of the training > > > > > > Each day of the training was divided into four major segments: > > > > > > 1. Lesson plan review and revision > > > > > > * Content: group review of lesson plan for the day. > > > * Participants: all the teachers in the schools + facilitators > > > from OLE Nepal > > > * Time allocated: 1 hour (before the start of classes) > > > > > > 2. Classroom instruction and observation > > > > > > * Content: classroom teaching according to the lesson plan > > > * Participants: teachers (one teacher teaches the students; the > > > rest are observers) + OLE Nepal observers + students > > > * Time allocated: 3 to 4 full class periods (one period = 45 > > > minutes in Bashuki; one period = 40 minutes in Bishwamitra) > > > > > > 3. Feedback > > > > > > * Content: discussion on the day's experience (strengths, > > > weaknesses, recommendations for improvement) > > > * Participants: all teachers + OLE Nepal facilitators > > > * Time allocated: 1-1.5 hours > > > > > > 4. Lesson planning for the next day > > > > > > * Content: development of a detailed lesson plans for each class > > > * Participants: teachers delivering the lectures in these classes > > > * Time allocated: 1 hour > > > > > > On the first day of the training (Saturday, April 26), the teachers > > > focused on teaching the students how to use the laptop and the E-Paati > > > activities in the laptop. This was done in two 1.5 hour long sessions. > > > > > > During the remaining four days, the teachers conducted regular math and > > > English classes in grades two and six according to the ICT-integrated > > > lesson plans they developed. At Bishwamitra the ICT-integrated classes > > > were held on Sunday (April 27) , Monday (April 28), Tuesday (April 29) > > > and Wednesday (April 30). Bashuki conducted similar classes starting > > > Monday (April 29). But since they had decided to keep the laptops in > > > school for this first week of classes, they set aside Wednesday (April > > > 30) for giving students more practice on how to use the laptops. They > > > had a break on Thursday and completed the training program on Friday > > > (May 2). > > > > > > Overview of content covered in the training > > > > > > Lesson planning: Integrating ICT-based educational materials in the > > > classroom requires teachers to carefully plan their lessons. We wanted > > > to give the teachers a very simple framework for developing lesson plans > > > so that they would continue to use it even after the training. If they > > > were to use it throughout the year, they would have to see that planning > > > the lessons would not really take up too much of their time—and that it > > > would help them in their other classes as well. > > > > > > Each lesson plan in this training consisted of the following: a) listing > > > of the learning objectives of the class, b) listing and brief > > > descriptions of the topics or activities to be covered in the class, and > > > c) listing of time allocated for each topic or activity. E-Paati > > > activites were integrated in each lesson plan as one of the many > > > activities covered to meet the learning objectives of the class. We > > > emphasized that the goal should be to integrate E-paati in the classroom > > > lesson plan; not devise a lesson plan around the E-Paati activities. As > > > a rule of thumb, we emphasized that E-Paati use should not take up more > > > than 40% of the total time allocated for the class. > > > > > > Lesson plan review and revision: The lesson plans developed were > > > critically reviewed and revised by all the teachers together to make > > > sure that a) the learning objectives of lesson were properly clarified, > > > b) the topics covered—including E-Patti topics—were consistent with the > > > stated learning objectives, and c) the time allocated for each > > > topic/activity was appropriate. > > > > > > Classroom instruction and observation: This segment of the daily > > > training was designed to (i) give subject teachers hands-on experience > > > in teaching according to the integrated lesson plans and (ii) enable > > > other teachers to critically examine the teaching-learning process in > > > the regular classroom. Hence, while the subject teacher was conducting > > > the lesson, the other teachers noted down their critical observations in > > > the following areas: > > > > > > a) Classroom structure (including appropriateness of seating > > > arrangement, placement of charging racks, seat assignment schemes etc.) > > > > > > b) Correspondence between lesson plan and practice > > > > > > c) Time on task (effective use of time from the perspective of student > > > learning) > > > > > > d) Interaction (student—student; student—teacher) and participation of > > > students in the learning process > > > > > > e) Instruction delivery (clarity, adequacy of explanations, …) > > > > > > f) Time and classroom management (including tackling disruptive behavior > > > on the part of students) > > > > > > > > > Feedback session: Feedback sessions were held at the end of each day to > > > critically review the classroom process. The teachers delivering the > > > lectures worked with the observers to analyze the strengths and > > > weaknesses of the classes held that day focusing on the six areas listed > > > above. Through these discussions, the participants were able to identify > > > areas that needed improvement and develop strategies for tackling > > > problems. > > > > > > Grade 2 students at Bishwamitra (English class)–totally into it! > > > > > > > > > Grade 6 students at Bishwamitra (math class) > > > > > > > > > Bishwamitra grade 6 students working intesnsely-1 > > > > > > Staff involved in the training > > > > > > Facilitators/observers: > > > > > > * Saurav Dev Bhatta and Rabi Karmacharya (all five days) > > > * Kamana Regmi (three days); Bipul Gautam (one day). > > > > > > Most interesting outcomes > > > > > > * Grade 6 students in both schools took just one day to become > > > familiar with using the laptops! > > > * The children at Bishwamitra were allowed to take the laptops > > > home immediately after receiving them. The children at Bashuki, > > > however, did not take the computers home this first week. Not > > > surprisingly, we observed that the Bashuki kids were much more > > > familiar with the machines by the second day of the training. > > > The difference was more pronounced in the case of grade 2 > > > children—it took two days for the Bashuki grade 2 students to > > > get the hang of things, while it took the Bishwamitra kids only > > > one day. > > > * In both schools, the teachers had no experience in designing and > > > using systematic lesson plans. They were very appreciative of > > > the experience they gained during this training period. > > > * One of the main challenges teachers initially faced when > > > designing ICT-integrated lessons was in focusing on the learning > > > objectives rather than on the E-Paati activities. > > > * The biggest difficulties faced by the teachers in the classroom > > > were a) getting the attention of students and b) managing the > > > time. Once the students had the laptops in front of them, they > > > were generally oblivious to what the teacher was saying. It was, > > > therefore, very difficult for the teacher to cover all the > > > material that needed to be covered in that class period. For > > > example, on the second day of the training, the classes ran up > > > to 30 minutes overtime on the second day of the training. > > > * It was much more challenging for the teachers to get the > > > attention of the grade 2 students. In fact, on the first day, > > > there was chaos in the grade 2 classes in both schools! > > > * Initially, just the process of getting the laptops from the > > > charging racks and putting them back after use took up a > > > significant amount of time. > > > * The most effective ways of getting the attention of students > > > were as follows: asking all the students to close the laptops; > > > asking them to clap together, or stand up and stretch together; > > > producing an alien sound that would grab their attention (for > > > example, rattling a can of marbles). > > > * In the case of grade 6, by the end of the training, the teachers > > > had completely figured out how to efficiently and effectively > > > conduct E-Paati integrated classes within the time period > > > allocated for the class. But they felt that it would perhaps > > > take another week for them to fine tune the classroom process in > > > grade 2. > > > * Bishwamitra teachers Manoj (who teachers grade 6 math) and Bhim > > > (who teaches grade 2 math) were naturals at designing and > > > implementing E-Paati integrated classes. Very impressive! > > > * The teachers in both schools felt that the most useful parts of > > > the training were the feedback sessions at the end of the day > > > and the lesson planning sessions. > > > * The biggest technical problem during this period was the jumpy > > > cursor. The problem was particularly bad at Bashuki. This is > > > something we have to fix!! > > > > > > Grade 2 students at Bashuki–a different seating arrangement! > > > > > > Bashuki grade 2 students-1Bashuki grade 2 students-2 > > > > > > Grade 6 students at Bashuki > > > > > > Bashuki grade 6 students-1 > > > > > > Our main "mantras" for the training > > > > > > * The learning objectives should determine when and how E-Paati is > > > used in class, not the other way round > > > * E-paati should be viewed as one of the many tools and activities > > > used to achieve the learning objectives > > > * The goal is to integrate E-paati in the classroom lesson plan; > > > not devise a lesson plan around the E-Paati activities > > > * Effective classroom management can make the class; ineffective > > > classroom management can break the class > > > * Proper lesson planning is the key to successful integration of > > > E-Paati in the classroom > > > * End-of-the day group review of lessons is the key to improvement > > > > > > Saurav Dev Bhatta, Education Director > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Bryan W. Berry > > > Systems Engineer > > > OLE Nepal, http://www.olenepal.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- Edward Cherlin End Poverty at a Profit by teaching children business http://www.EarthTreasury.org/ "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay _______________________________________________ Olpc-open mailing list [email protected] http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/olpc-open
