A Tale of Teacher Professional Development

Once upon a time, in the Land of Teacher Professional Development, there was held a delightful training for the teachers of all the surrounding lands. There were many teachers in this land, all of them good, teachers who worked hard and wanted to give their very best to their students. These teachers spent a few wonderful days together in the Land of TPD, working with each other and learning from each other, creating educational magic. This magic that they created together was so very valuable that, when the delightful training came to an end, and the teachers had to part ways, they all stuffed their pockets with handfuls of this educational magic to bring back with them. They then ran joyfully back to their lands, some north, some south, some east and some west, winding around and through for days and nights, pockets heavy with the magic but hearts light with possibility.

The next morning, these good teachers arose and went to their pockets, each to take out a little of the magic to bring with them to their schools. O the students will love this magic! they each thought as they scooped precious handfuls from their pockets into their school bags, and skipped off to school.

And the students did love the educational magic, they did! As the teachers ran around the classrooms, sprinkling their magic energetically in the air, they saw that the students were excited, and engaged, and were learning and participating like never before! The magic had done its trick, and the teachers felt happy and fulfilled. What a great time they had had in the Land of TPD! At the end of the day, they skipped home, grinning over their wonderful day.

The following morning, the teachers rose from their beds and went again to their pockets, again each taking out a little of the magic, and tucking it in their school bags. O how the students like this educational magic! they exclaimed, beginning the walk to school, motivated for yet another day of teaching with the magic.

And the students did like the magic, yes indeed, and reacted as the teachers circled the classroom, depositing small piles of it in the corners of the classroom. The students were attentive, and listening, and were learning and doing well, almost like the day before! The magic was still working, and the teachers were relieved for that. How wonderful that their time in the Land of TPD had produced such a nice thing! At the end of the day, they walked home, smiling over the usefulness of the magic.

The morning after that, the teachers rose once again, straight up with the sun, and headed for their pockets. They scooped out a little magic… But wait – the pockets were nearly empty! The magic had gone so fast! What were they to do with the little bit of magic that they had left? They trudged off to school to see what could be done.

As they began to teach that morning, each in his own classroom, north, east, south, and west, carefully setting the small pouch of remaining educational magic on the corners of their desks, the students did not seem so enthusiastic. But why not? The teachers were baffled; as long as there was some magic left, shouldn’t the students be happy and eager to learn? At the end of the day, they wandered home, frowning slightly over the seemingly uselessness of the remaining magic.

Finally, late at night, unable to sleep for fear of facing the students the next day without magic, one teacher, in a very far-off corner, summoned all of his strength and called out for help. His call wound around and through, went north, south, east and west, faster than the sun travels these same roads, and his fellow teachers awoke to his cry – “Help! I have no more magic!”

And each, upon hearing the message, shouted back in unison the same message: “We too are out of magic!”

And so, in hopes of creating more educational magic, the teachers made their way back to the Land of TPD. They worked together and learned from each other, and the magic was once again created, in abundance, and each eagerly stuffed his pockets with handfuls of magic, and ran around and through, for days and nights, until each arrived once again in his land.

The first day back with the magic was wonderful! But, once again, after three days, the magic ran out, and the teachers were discouraged. They called out in the night, and met again in the Land of TPD, and worked hard to create even more educational magic. And, once again, they greedily stuffed their pockets with the magic, and made the long journey, around and through, back to their lands.

Exhausted from the voyage, their first day back was dull and the students were bored, despite the educational magic the teachers had brought to the classroom from the Land of TPD. The second day was worse, and the third disastrous, until the magic ran out, and the teachers despaired. What could they do? They couldn’t go back, yet again, to the Land of TPD to create even more magic; they were too weak from going back and forth, and too discouraged at the thought of yet another voyage, yet another pocketful of magic, that was worthless after three days.

But what if they could work together, create magic together, without going to the Land of TPD? After all, it was working together, learning from each other, that created the magic every time! In fact, each night that a teacher called out to the others, the magic in all of their pockets grew just a little larger – they did not see this, were not looking at the magic then, were too worried, but it grew, it did. And what, too, of how they used the magic? Was this educational magic really magical when it was piled in the corners of the classroom, or sitting on the corners of their desks? Or did it need something more, was it the teachers’ energy, their skipping, their sprinkling of the magic throughout the classrooms, that made the magic so very magical?

World’s First Solar Powered Interactive Whiteboard Brings 21st Century Learning to Rural African Students

USAID-supported initiative incorporates teacher training with technology strategies to help underserved schools off the electric grid

BERNARDSVILLE, N.J. and DAKAR, Senegal, February 10 – Ecole Sinthiou Mbadane1 lies off the electric grid. Yet this rural Senegalese elementary school is providing students with a unique learning opportunity with the help of a groundbreaking solar-powered interactive whiteboard, part of CyberSmart’s affordable solution to bring 21^st century learning to even the poorest schools in the world.

Recently, CyberSmart received a grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Senegal to implement its innovative learning solution to extend the Senegalese national curriculum in the areas of math, science, and social studies. CyberSmart will collaborate with teachers and experts to create and implement locally adapted training and lessons designed to spark a more active, real-world classroom experience.

"USAID is excited to be working with CyberSmart to pilot its innovative model offering a highly scalable, practical solution to impact the poorest schools in the world –traditionally underserved rural schools off the electric grid – with a 21st century education" said Kevin Mullally, Director of USAID/Senegal.

“Just as the mobile phone brings affordable communications to rural Africa, our vision for CyberSmart’s learning solution, which integrates mobile broadband, is to do the same for education. This provides hope for one-quarter of the world’s population – 1.5 billion people – who lack access to electricity and risk falling further behind the digital learning divide” said Jim Teicher, Director of CyberSmart.

CyberSmart’s patent-pending interactive whiteboard impacts hundreds of students in a single day as it is easily transported between classrooms. Its components – specifically designed for schools lacking basic infrastructure – require minimal electricity and can be powered by a low cost solar energy system.

With a “tech-lite” model at its core, CyberSmart flips the traditional economics associated with 21^st century learning, and focuses heavily on teacher training. This is accomplished by using less equipment, eliminating the need for infrastructure modifications, and by reducing ongoing costs. The result is an instructional shift where teachers learn to engage students with the learning skills most closely associated with success in today’s globalized workplace.

CyberSmart also works in partnership with The Earth Institute at Columbia University’s Millennium Villages and Millennium Cities projects, and started its work in Senegal in 2007, partnering with the Senegalese Ministry of Education.

Photos: http://bit.ly/g7GTjN

Website: http://www.cybersmartafrica.org

Contact: Jim Teicher

jim@cybersmart.org

1-908-221-1516

One step closer to achieving a scalable 21st century learning solution to narrow the learning divide between Africa and the industrialized world

PRNewsWire News Releases

Published: 09/20/10 01:01 PM EDT

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: jim@cybersmart.org

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

http://www.profnetconnect.com/james_teicher

SOURCE CyberSmart Africa

Whole Class 21st Century Learning Works for Every School!

CyberSmart! Africa is piloting whole class 21st century learning at the elementary level. Why whole class learning? Because it enables more students – even in the poorest schools – to efficiently benefit from living in a globalized world!

We have adapted interactive white board capabilities to serve the unique needs of development education in Africa. Our technology is easily transported between classrooms, even those where light shines through holes in the roof! In fact, the whole set-up can be disassembled and reassebled by teachers and students in 10 minutes or less! It consumes very little power, but is powerful in terms of delivering all of the basic interactive functions.

Focusing on learning, heavy on training

We use interactive whiteboards as a catalyst to develop an active classroom where the teacher facilitates student engagement in the learning process, as compared to a lecture style of instruction. Nearly all of our efforts (and budget) goes into professional development, where teachers learn how to carry on learner-centered instructional conversation with students. Furthermore, teachers support each through ongoing meetings, and archiving lessons they have found to resonate in the classroom.

The whole class instructional approach enables us to integrate technology directly into authentic, everyday classroom teaching and learning. For example, when it’s time for science instruction the teacher might draw on the resources available through the Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia or Wikipedia.

We are also realizing other benefits to the whole class instructional approach, including:

• an observable increase in student motivation
• an appeal to various learning styles, such as visual learners
• the ability for an entire class to gain knowledge through the use of integrated software, including multimedia encyclopedias
• the ability for students to learn and apply basic ICT skills within the context of classroom instruction
• the ability for teachers to scan, display, and work with textbook content that would not otherwise be possible due to book shortages

In sharp contrast to the use of interactive whiteboards in technology-rich developed nations, the interactive whiteboard represents students’ only hope to gain regular exposure to interactive learning software, multimedia encyclopedias, and the internet. Furthermore, use of the interactive whiteboard is continually facilitated by a well-trained educator who has actually created lessons that are carefully aligned to the national curriculum, as well as 21st century learning standards as defined by UNESCO and the International Society for Technology in Education.

How much ICT is enough? Without standards, nobody knows!

What is a standard? It’s an agreed-on level of practice by which something can be measured and evaluated. Without implementing standards, there is no way to determine success! Nor can we learn succinctly from the successes - and failures - of others in the field.

Indeed, standards are everywhere. At home, we raise our children to meet certain standards of behavior. Our automobiles are inspected, speed limits are established and rules of the road apply in order to meet safety standards. Hotels and restaurants that have attained a higher star ranking are considered to have achieved certain standards of excellence. And every nation in the world has established multiple standards for learning by which students are assessed. Without these standards, our children might be considered rude, our cars crash more often, our service be subpar, and our children less guided to academic success.

How much ICT is enough for elementary schools, middle schools and high schools? Without standards, who knows? Still, I see computers being installed in schools throughout Africa without much guidance from the internationally recognized learning standards. It’s as if learning will just ‘happen’ once the technology is in place, as if computers and the Internet themselves provide some magical solution that will automatically enable quality pedagogy.

We are hypnotized by technology because this is the 21st century, and we are impatient to connect and achieve all of the social and economic benefits associated with living in a globalized world, thanks to the magical computer solution. Companies, governments and institutions spend vast sums of money to build and maintain school computer facilities with every good intention - but it’s not enough. The result, more often than not, is that school computer facilities are inappropriately utilized, and more often simply underutilized, because their net contribution to student learning is vague at best.

CyberSmart! Africa’s approach to ICT integration is simple. We begin with a strong foundation based on how teachers can teach and how students can learn in order to reap long-term social and economic benefits from our globalized world. The technologies we employ are then backed into specific learning objectives; and the objectives are based on globally recognized standards.

Globally recognized standards for 21st century learning do exist and they should be seriously considered in order to maximize the benefits of technology in service of learning. Both UNESCO and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) have developed a framework of standards by which 21st century learning can be effectively integrated with everyday teaching and learning. Together, they provide the basis for a comprehensive assessment system for both teachers and students.

See the following:

UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers
International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Teachers
International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students

CyberSmart! Africa = 21st Learning for Every School!

What drives us at CyberSmart Africa? It’s all about inclusion – leaving no school behind – even those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. How is it done? By implementing sustainable and scalable approaches to education that draw upon affordable and innovative technologies, the latest research, and community-building activities among schools.

Having just celebrated 50 years of independence and self-rule, and facing health, economic, and educational challenges - as do many of its neighbors in the Global South - Senegal is struggling to continue to develop itself and prepare for a better future. In order to succeed economically in today’s world, it must raise a generation of young learners who possess 21st century skills. This includes the ability to collaborate, think critically, solve meaningful problems, and integrate digital tools.


Technology must be in service to learning, not the other way around

Tech lite: We use inexpensive, portable equipment suitable for use in every school – even those with only the barest of infrastructure. Computer labs are not a requirement, or even feasible for most schools. We also believe that ICT skills can be learned naturally as a by-product of supporting instructional strategies and everyday classroom learning.

Pedagogy: We encourage an active, learner-centered classroom where students assume the responsibility for learning while the teacher plays the role of facilitator.

Training: Teachers participate in supportive professional learning communities. They create, adapt, and improve lessons at the grassroots level.

Sustainability: The focus is to build a self-supporting instructional capacity with a minimum fixed ICT infrastructure investment.

Scalability: Teacher learning communities connect, share knowledge, and benefit from scale as learning materials and experiences are shared among larger quantities of participants. Our minimum and low cost technology infrastructure allows for rapid growth.

CyberSmart! Africa’s Pilot Initiative in Senegal

Our pilot initiative shows that every classroom can be a 21st century classroom!

CyberSmart! Africa is introducing cost-effective and locally adapted solutions in support of learner-centered pedagogy in four regional/rural elementary and middle schools in 2 administrative regions, plus one out-of-school, informal education learning environment.

We coach teachers to develop lessons and classroom activities correlated to the Senegalese national curriculum. Our pedagogical model is designed to be maintainable and reproducible. Pilot activities focus on whole class elementary school instruction in core academic subjects, plus highly personalized middle school and out-of-school instruction. All aspects of this pilot initiative correlate to 21st century learning standards adopted by UNESCO and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

The pilot initiative operates through 2010 and plans call for expansion to include 20 schools in 2011. The participating schools are located in and around Mbour and Louga, Senegal.

Technology

CyberSmart! Africa has customized and integrated a highly innovative and cost-effective approach for whole class instruction. We use a low cost interactive whiteboard configuration that has been specially adapted to work in every classroom environment – even those where the sun shines straight through holes in the celing! We also use Livescribe Pulse Smartpens to deliver powerful interactive lessons that combine four powerful learning modalities – speaking, writing, reading, and listening. All lesson content is developed at the grassroots level. To complement all of these activities, CyberSmart! Africa engages students and teachers by using ‘Flip’ video cameras to create digital stories that excite and inspire the entire community.

Background

CyberSmart! Africa began in 2007 as a single-school, personal initiative of Jim Teicher, co-founder of CyberSmart! Education (USA), a company engaged in teacher online professional development in 21st century skills. CyberSmart! Africa partners include the Senegalese Ministry of Education, The Millennium Villages Project and its urban counterpart, the Millennium Cities Initiative (joint initiatives of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Millennium Promise and the United Nations Development Programme), and The Women’s Health Education and Prevention Strategic Alliance (WHEPSA), operating the “10,000 Girls” initiaitve in Kaolack, Senegal.

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Thanks, Livescribe!

The Livescribe Pulse SmartPen - an individualized 21st century learning tool that we are introducing in West Africa -- provides an eye-opening and innovative learning intervention in a world where technology integration has always been associated with installing school computer labs and then learning ICT skills in them.

The Livescribe SmartPen is an amazing new learning tool! The SmartPen records and links audio to what you write on special 'dot' paper. Then you just touch the pen tip to whatever was written, and the linked audio plays back though the pen’s speaker or plug-in earphones. The power of the SmartPen lies in it’s ability to combine four ways of learning – reading, writing, speaking and listening – into a rechargable, take-anywhere package.

Thanks to the Livescribe Corporation, we are able to pilot the SmartPen in both middle schools and after-school learning environments. Middle school teachers in Louga, Senegal, are actively using the SmartPen as part of English, science, math, and geography instruction, as well as for student note-taking. I recently observed a math teacher who was using the Smartpen to explain the step-by-step logic behind a geometry exercise. I also observed students learning English by first sketching a car and then labeling the parts with an audio recording of the word (correct pronunciation and all!), and learning geography by drawing a map of Senegal and using the SmartPen to record audio commentary on the different geographic regions. It was amazing!

We are also using the SmartPen as part of an after-school program in partnership with the “10,000 Girls” initiaitve in Kaolack, Senegal. In this setting, it is the girls who, along with their after-school tutor, will define the best ways to use the SmartPen's capacity to enhance and make the most of their tutoring and peer-learning time.

In total, we have already started to pilot the SmartPen with over 120 students! Students are highly motivated to learn when the SmartPen is integrated into classroom instruction. Still, we believe that the real power of the SmartPen lies in it’s ability to individualize instruction. We also plan to use the SmartPen as a means for teachers to communicate with illiterate parents who might otherwise never engage in a school/home dialogue.

CyberSmart! Africa’s work in Louga, Senegal, is in partnership with The Millennium Villages Project and its urban counterpart, the Millennium Cities Initiative. Both are joint initiatives of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Millennium Promise and the United Nations Development Programme.

Read though our continuing postings about how CyberSmart! Africa is using the Livescribe Pulse SmartPen, and watch for videos that show the SmartPen in action!