Ore PA

From Harambee Wiki

Contents 1 PEER ASSIST SESSION: BLOGS FOR AFRICAN WOMEN (BAWo) 2 Aim of Initiative: 3 How: 4 Challenges: 5 Questions Asked / Issues Raised: 6 Suggestions:

PEER ASSIST SESSION: BLOGS FOR AFRICAN WOMEN (BAWo)

January 15, 2007

Munyonyo, Uganda

Aim of Initiative:

To encourage girls and women to become more active users of technology, with ultimate aim of becoming developers (not just of software but also content).

How:

• ‘Catching them young’

• Implementing projects in schools, which incorporate ICTs into school curriculum. Typically, computer classes are run with little coordination with the other subjects being taught e.g. maths, science, English, social studies, etc.

Challenges:

• Sustaining long-term motivation of schools in the project, despite need and acknowledged benefits. ICTs use tends to be viewed as something extra to do.

• Overcoming the tendency in schools to do things in the same old way

The submitted proposal plans on targeting older women already working on a project, which they are very committed to. This will remove issue of waning motivation. However, the BAWo initiative has the commitment to implementing educational technology and so the above issues are likely to surface in the future.

Questions Asked / Issues Raised:

• Why girls only?

• A narrow focus is not a bad thing and might lend itself to lasting purpose and project longetivity

• Limited time is a reality among working women/mothers (this applies for proposal to work with older women)

Suggestions:

School Context:

• Recognize the teachers as key players, so the idea of incorporating ICTs in class curriculum is sold to them

• Raising awareness among students and teachers will both raise awareness of the importance of the initiative and allay any fears of the teachers that their jobs will be taken away from them

      *	Develop the ICT skills of the teachers

      *	Assist the teachers in training students

• Recognize that different strategies might need to be applied depending on whether school is single-sex or mixed. In mixed schools, isolating the girls for ICT sessions does not lend itself to smooth incorporation of ICTs in class curriculum.

• Develop a reward system for students who perform well and/or regularly in the projects

• Offer consulting services to the schools e.g. offer to purchase computers on behalf of the schools, give advice on technical specs of potential buys.

      *	This will make the organisation indispensable and to the school and increase the credibility of the projects

      *	This has added benefit of helping to sustain the initiative financially in the long-run.

• Link the students to global opportunities so that they can see relevance of their ICT participation in wider context e.g. internships, projects with other schools, countries

• Create an enabling environment for the existence of the project’s work through the establishment of computer clubs (which can empower the girls to manage the school’s ICT resources), organise competitions (supported by key players) and wards. Organise a follow-up to all these events, so that awareness is sustained e.g. debates to discuss the relevant issues.

• The boys and male staff of the school should have an understanding of the organisation’s goals and be encouraged to support the projects in some way.

• Demystify blogs

       *	Demonstrate that the focus is not on just one tool. Also emphasize that technology is a means to an end and not an end in themselves 

Community/National Context:

• Develop partnerships with government institutions

      *	This gives more credibility and authority to the organisation especially in regards to sustaining motivation of school in maintaining the use of ICTs

• Build partnerships with key players in the field of girls’ education, ICT education, ICT4D, etc. Also identify people and organisations who will be positive supports.

• Increase publicity of BAWo’s work

      *	Website, which can also profile schools where successful projects have been implemented

      *	Coverage by the news media

      *	Running competitions, awards (look at inetwork.org) 

• Advocate on policy issues

      *	Review existing policy to identify how it supports or hinders work

      *	Raise awareness of the key issues by discussing them, writing articles, etc

      *	Identify a media/national figure who will help champion the cause

• Set clear targets for organisation’s work and link to national and regional issues

• Draw from successful implementations of ICT in education e.g. in North Africa (Tunisia, ….), South Africa