21st Century Learning Reaches Rural Schools in Africa

BERNARDSVILLE, N.J. and DAKAR, Senegal, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberSmart Africa's innovative techniques are helping Senegal to achieve UN Millennium Development Goal 2, universal primary education. Through its "Sustainable 21st Century Learning Initiative," CyberSmart's "tech-lite" approach puts learning first -- uniquely focusing on teacher training and putting the latest low-power, portable equipment to work directly in the classrooms of rural schools -- including those off the electric grid.  

CyberSmart Africa integrates the use of a specially adapted interactive whiteboard and other low-power digital tools which move easily between classrooms.  Ongoing teacher training guides the educators  in using these tools to facilitate an active and engaging classroom.

"This is a practical, scalable solution that reaches rural schools -- the ones most frequently ignored. Plus, with our emphasis on  professional development, we foster 21st century professional learning communities, where teachers collaborate,  share and build knowledge by supporting one another," said Jim Teicher, CyberSmart Africa Director.

In Mbour, Senegal, teachers develop interactive whiteboard lessons to enhance the  Senegalese curriculum.  Trainings encourage the development of student  lessons emphasizing  critical thinking and problem solving, the skills necessary in today's globalized workplace. In nearby Louga and Leona, in partnership with The Earth Institute at Columbia University's Millennium Villages and Millennium Cities projects, 120 middle school students use the interactive Livescribe Pulse smartpen to extend and support math and English language learning.

The results of the first semester pilot show:

• teachers reliability, efficiently, and regularly used the technologies to support classroom instruction  
• more than 500 students in four schools were exposed to 80 newly developed lessons enriching the Senegalese curriculum
• teachers were highly energized by the new technologies
• access to timely information and interactive activities  increased student motivation and learning according to teachers reports
• student tardiness and absence were greatly reduced
• students and teachers were quick to adopt and adapt the new technology skills
• teacher training and feedback sessions nurtured an organically grown and scalable professional learning community where staff now turn to their colleagues for support

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47247019@N04/

Website: http://www.cybersmartafrica.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CyberSmartAfrica

Contact: Jim Teicher, Director

CyberSmart Africa

Email: [email protected]

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http://www.profnetconnect.com/james_teicher

SOURCE CyberSmart Africa