the new wave : students empowering each other across continents solomon assefa

The New Wave:Students Empowering Each Other

Across Continents

Solomon Assefa

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

What is MIT-AITI?• A student run initiative at MIT• MIT students sent to Africa during Summer• Goals:

i. Increase utilization of IT in African high schools and universities

ii. Develop a long-term technical and cultural friendship between MIT and African Institutions

iii. Provide MIT students with community service opportunities to implement their strong engineering background

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

How is MIT-AITI run?• Student run:

unique, dynamic, creative, always evolving direct input from MIT students who travel

• Tasks designated to different committees: Logistics Publicity Selection Curriculum Program excellence Fund raising

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Fall:Fund Raising

Winter/Spring:Execute Logistics

Summer:Execute Program

Summer/Fall:Evaluate execution

and impact

The ‘Four Seasons’

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

History of MIT-AITI

Achimota, Presec

Alliance, Strathmore

GHANA

KENYA

2002

StrathmoreKENYA2001

SCHOOLSCOUNTRYYEAR

2000 KENYA Strathmore($17,000)

($17,000)

($50,000)

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

’00 - ’02: Learning Model“Classroom” Learning

• Morning lectures by MIT students• Afternoon lab sessions• Exams, class projects, feedback from students• Invited guest talks by local entrepreneurs

2000 2001 2002

# of MIT students 4 4 14

# of African Students 45 75 180

# of African Teachers 5 5 10

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Implementation• The courses are taught by MIT students who

are selected from all disciplines in MIT.

• The courses are offered over the summer period for a period of 6 weeks.

• High demand at MIT: receive over 100 applications each year

• High demand in Africa: many want to enroll

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Program content• AITI offers courses in JAVA, Java Server

Pages(JSP) , ASP.NET (cutting edge) and LINUX (free operating system)

• The African schools choose from our menu of courses

• Students take exams and implement community based projects

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

‘03: Change and Expansion

Learning Models:Ethiopia: “Classroom” Learning and EntrepreneurshipGhana: “Classroom” Learning Kenya: “Self” Learning

Expansion:Kenya Ghana Ethiopia

# of MIT students 2 9 7

# of African Students 10 96 140

# of African Teachers 2 5 4

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Learning Process

Cooperation:• Study together

• Teach each other

Practice:• Lab sessions

• Solving problems

Novel Resources:• MIT-OCW; online

• Books and CDs

“Self” Learning Model

Support• African lab coordinator/lecturer• E-mail exchange with MIT students

Evaluation• daily homework, weekly quizzes• Final project/internship

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Other Activities• Entrepreneurship lectures conducted in Ethiopia:

Gave visibility to the program Liked by all participants (guests as well as students)

• AIDS awareness initiative in Ghana Brochures, open discussions

• Talks on how to apply to US colleges What exams to take, how to find on-line resources

• Inspire: You can be successful; You can empower yourself and change the future; being proactive

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

‘04: Advanced Model• Continue “classroom” learning

• Select 50 students per country• “Self” learning

• implement in all three countries • involve 1 African professor from each school: give a few “practical lectures”, work with students• 2 MIT students working with students and professor • 20 African students per country

• Entrepreneurship lectures• implement in all three countries• guest lectures by local entrepreneurs• conduct a business plan competition

• Concentrate on universities (tertiary education)• Actively seek for local internships for AITI graduates

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Impact: MIT• Unique experience for MIT students in a new culture

• Fostered the concept of “community service” and group collaboration by utilizing technical background

• Enhanced MIT’s involvement in providing novel solutions for bridging the gap between developed and developing nations

• MIT’s name has been mentioned in many African newspapers and other media outlets• created goodwill for further collaboration with African institutions

• Increased awareness of MIT community about Africa• dispelling stereotypical images

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

"One of the most culturally enriching, fun-filled, educational and productive trips I have ever been to. AITI enabled us to teach useful skills to Ghanaian students, while learning a lot about the local people and their way of life. Ghanaians are simply one of the friendliest and most beautiful people I have ever met. An AITI trip is a great service opportunity that complements the MIT experience."

• increasing # of applications• increased student involvement in the organization• feedback from MIT offices• Testimonials

Impact Evaluation: MIT

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Impact: Africa• Over the last three years AITI has taught over

500 students and 30 teachers

• Introduced cutting edge technology (eg. ASP.net), and promote open software (eg. Linux)

• Local community based websites initiated

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Impact: Africa• Students got jobs in local IT industry

• Utilizing novel learning models

• Inspired high school alumni initiatives

• Inspired African universities to actively seek collaboration with US universities

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Impact• MIT students enable African students with the

latest advanced IT tools

• African students enrich MIT students with a deep understanding of unique cultures and communities

• A new wave where students in different continents empower each other

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Future Prospects• Strengthen AITI in Kenya, Ghana, & Ethiopia

• Would like to expand to two more countries

• Wishful thinking: would like to get $500,000 to fund AITI projects over the next five years

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Program Sponsorship• Mentors:

Professor Paul Gray Professor Richard Larson

• Foundations Engineering Information Foundation (EIF) Lord Foundation

• Government Educational Development Center (EDC)

• Companies Africa Online, 3Com

• Private Kate and Baty Gordon, Professor Paul Gray

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Support from MIT

Office of the president and the provost Office of the chancellor Graduate Students Office Edgerton Center Public Service Center (PSC) Academic Computing Service

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

•Implementation of world class tertiary education in developing countries leveraging internet (e-learning), television, and radio technologies

• Bring together professionals whose primary concern is quality tertiary e-learning in developing countries

• 2004: creating and sustaining “learning communities”

Goals of LINC

©2003MIT-Africa Internet

Technology Initiative

Summary: Link to LINC• MIT-AITI:

a successful, scalable, flexible, and sustainable model; a model for other similar initiatives

• Working with LINCAITI is a good model to evaluate the impact of e-

learning on tertiary education in developing nationsAITI is creating “learning communities”AITI is bringing together “future professionals,” NOW