Empowering Youth through ICTs

TheWorld Links

for Developmentprogram

Michael Trucano, ICT for Education program, World Bank Institute

Outline of today’s presentation

• World Links: Program description• Community outreach:

Collaborative projects, school-based telecentres (Zimbabwe, Uganda, Laos), entrepreneurship

• Community impact and lessons learned: Teaching and learning, gender impact, telecentre sustainability

Program description

The “World Links” Program

To improve & expand educational opportunities and horizons

To prepare youth to develop skills to effectively enter a global economy based on knowledge and information To build bridges among the leaders of tomorrow --bridging the digital divide.

To catalyze the development of national ICT In Education initiatives

The New Global Economy Requires a New Global Education

• Everything Education Did Before, And More• Basic Skills (literacy, numeracy, civics, etc.)

– Greatest priority is STILL primary education, but it is not enough

• Information-Reasoning Skills for Life-long Learning and Productivity– gather, evaluate, analyze, synthesize, visualize and communicate

information (“dynamic knowledge”)– problem solving, teamwork, communication skills, and ability to be

flexible learner -- skills demanded by new economy.

• Global Knowledge and Outlook– Ability to work collaboratively across cultures, languages, time zones

• Digital Literacy - word processing, spreadsheets, Internet.

World Links Pilot Project1997-2002

Overview:programs in 22 developing

countries Over 200,000 teachers and

students, in over 1000 schools22 partner countrieshundreds of projects external evaluations

Equity: more than 2/3 of schools are outside capital cities

Challenge: To reach the most rural schools on a sustainable basis

Botswana Burkina FasoGambiaGhanaMauritania MozambiqueSenegal South AfricaUganda ZimbabweBrazil ChileColombia Costa RicaEl Salvador ParaguayPeru PalestineTurkey Sri LankaTanzania Rwanda

At its heart, World Links is a Professional Development

(Training) Program• For teachers:

Teaching with technology (four 40-hour workshops over two years)

• For communities:Schools as Community Learning Centers

• For policymakers:ICTs in Education Strategies

working in coordination with local NGOs

Collaborative Projects

Examples:• Environmental Awareness• Women and Tradition • Water Quality Project • World Poverty• Global Arts Project• Outreach to Our Communities• The Refugee Project • The Impact of Industrialization on Development• Science Review• HIV/AIDS

World Links: NGO and World Links for Development Program in WBI

• World Links NGONon-profit created in 1999, now responsible for 100% of resources and program delivery. – Focus on teacher training & e-learning

• World Bank Institute: ICT for Education program– Policy Makers Workshop for Staff and Clients.

-- integration of ICT into Bank lending– Schools as Community Learning Centers

(combined)

World Links in Asia

World Links NGO taking lessons learned from pilot project and expanding to:– India– China– Sri Lanka– Philippines Pilipinas Schoolnet– Laos Jhai Foundation– soon: Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesiawith support from Japan Social Development Fund

Community outreach

School-based telecentres

Zimbabwe and Uganda, Laos

School computer labs

Schools’ responsibility – Staffing– Recurrent costs: electricity, phone/Internet,

consumables (e.g., paper. toner)

This begs the question:

How can participating schools fund recurrent costs?

Schools as Community Learning Centers• Takes advantage of available resources • Aggregates demand, enhances sustainability and

school/community links• Open for teachers and students during school

hours, with a small monthly access fee• Open for all community members during non-

school hours (evenings, weekends, vacations)– about 180 days per year

Enthusiastic reception by Ministries and school heads

School as Community Telecentreworkshop40 hr workshop with nine modules and worksheets

• General Introduction to Telecentre Movement• Linking Schools and the Community• Getting Organized – Operation Plans• Knowing Your Clients• Knowing Your Services• Making it Work In Your Schools• Spreading the Word• Paying the Way – Financial Planning• Knowing How You’re Doing

Material is also relevant for non-school based sites

Zimbabwe-WorLD Case Study• Schools and educational resource center

telecenter sites established in 1999• School Decentralization

– greater school autonomy/”champion” headmasters

• Cluster model – more than one school served by each site

• 43 dual-use centers – (9 resource centers, 33 school-based, 1 mobile

van)

Uganda Wireless Internet Pilot• Support from WorLD, Gates Foundation and Schools Online• 15 new school-based telecentre sites in rural areas with high-speed

Internet connection– new computer labs– 11 of these sites with VSAT satellite– 4 connected to VSAT hub via spread spectrum – Fast Connection – 36 kps (up)/ 256 kps (down)

• Community Needs Survey in May 2001• Technical, Financial, Institutional, Educational Sustainability• Schools working with full-time business plan developer • Economies of Scale – US$400 US$50/month

Wireless Pilot Objectives

Provide Access: Reach most rural areas in Uganda Test Technology: Determine use and maintenance of

VSAT technology Financial Sustainability: Determine demand and

willingness to pay Push Regulatory environment: Licenses for rural wireless

connectivity Community impact: determine info services and impact on

rural communities and increase school and community interaction.

Educational impact: benefits of rural connectivity on schools and for life long learning

Areas of Intervention• Assessment and Evaluation

– Awareness Raising, Site Assessement, Community Needs Survey, High Impact Knowledge Assessment, Impact Evaluation – To be delivered

• Technology Implementation– Computer Labs with LAN, Licensing Requirements for Wireless,

VSAT and Spread Spectrum• Training

– Technical Training, Pedagogical Training, Management Training, Content and Usage Training, Evaluation and Lesson Sharing Workshop

• Content and Services– Tele-medicine, e-commerce, e-learning, NGO networking

• Coordination and Support– Schoolnet Uganda coordinator, Technical coordinator, and Community

Learning Center specialist

Service Example: Tele- Medicine ( Linking Moroto Hospital to Mulago Hospital)

Linking Hospitals in Moroto (worst health indicators) to Mulago for E-consultations – breaking down doctor isolation and reducing the referral cases from the district

Entrepreneurship

Youth Information Technology (YouthIT) (Microenterprise Project)

Opportunity:

Create new youth-led IT businesses for opportunities for in-and out-of-school youth in developing countries

Co-sponsored project of:• Altadena Rotary Club 5300 and other Clubs• JA International and JA Country Programs• World Links and Country Partners

Laos

• World Links working with Jhai Foundation• Seven sites throughout the country• Wireless connectivity, refurbished

computers• Schools as community telecentres• Usage based on community needs: schools,

local business, medicine

Impact and Lessons Learned

Impact Surveys

• SRI Survey - Evaluation Conducted in 12 WorLD countries (1999-2000, follow-up study underway)

–Evaluation focused on implementation of program, differences between WorLD and non-WorLD schools, and impact on teachers and students

• Tracer Study - Uganda (2002)• Gender Study – Senegal, Mauritania, Uganda, Ghana (Nov. 2001)

Impact of World Links Program on Teachers

82%

45%

50%

72%

53%

63%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

How to use Internet software

How to develop web pages

How to design and use student assessment materials

How to design and lead collaborative student projects

Attitudes about teaching

How to integrate computers into the curriculum

Percentage of Teachers Responding “A Lot” or “A Great Deal”

WL Teachers

Source: 1999-2000 SRI Study of World Links programs. Data is for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent all data points on questionnaire.

Impact of World Links Program on Students

78%

45%

59%

70%

61%

64%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Improved attitudes towards technology

Improved communications skills

Improved knowledge or awareness of other cultures

Improved school attendance

Increased scores on national tests

Improved ability to get better jobs upon graduation

Percentage of Teachers Responding “Large Impact” or “Great Impact”

WL Teachers

Source: 1999-2000 SRI Study of World Links programs. Data is for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent all data points on questionnaire.

Gender impact

Gender Impact: Key Findings

• Same “High” Impact for boys and girls– Knowledge about other cultures– Attitudes towards school

• Higher Impact for Girls– Academic results– Information-reasoning– Self-esteem– Communication skills

• Higher Impact for Boys– Access to computers– Technological skills

“Our self-esteem has really improved because of the World Links program. Now we can rub shoulders with boys that want to step on our toes. We walk with our chests out! Anytime we are confronted with questions we feel confident answering, even with older people we come boldly!”

- Female World Links participant, Ghana

Gender impact issues impacting equity of access

• While a majority of girls do not feel that access to technology is an issue for them (60-90%)….

• high student to computer ratios and first-come-first serve computer lab policies disproportionately affect access issues for girls

• Curfews & chores• Fair use policies• Role models

Gender impact

• research on information considered taboo for girls is a major draw for girls accessing the Internet for academic work in World Links schools

Community impact

World Links Tracer StudyWorld Links Control GroupRespondents University

Are Computer Literate 100% 58%

Have Taught Others Computer Skills 80% 28%

Use Computer Skills to Aid Studies 100% 35%

Are Pursuing a Degree Related to ICTs 36% 13%

Are Currently Employed in ICT Field 17% 0%

Are Planning a Career in the ICT Field 43% 13%

Females Pursuing an ICT Related Degree 24% 0%

Females Pursuing an ICT Related Career 24% 0%

Community ImpactTelecentre project

• Economic Development. – Tourist guides and small businessmen are using computers and the Internet in their day-to-

day activities. – Telemedicine content and consultations developed.

• Life Long Learning.– More and more upcountry students and in-service teachers are enrolling for distance

education courses in and outside Uganda.– Partnerships developing with educational institutions delivering distance education

courses.• Community interest in the School

– Schools and community interaction has increased. • Catalytic project for national rural communications development programs.

Lessons LearnedTelecentres

• The Concept Works – Sustainability not yet proven• Community Involvement essential

– Needs survey to proceed all activities– Build ownership and involve in management– Head Teachers important

• Work with existing organization with existing user base• Training, training, training• Demand and ability to pay strong thus far but not certain• Need to tailor content to meet community needs• Choose open standards for Equipment• Technology stable but need to build in replacement costs

www.worldbank.org/worldlinks