Enhancement of In-Service Teachers Training Programme through Mobile Phones in Tanzania

1. Enhancement of In-Service Teachers Training Programme through Mobile Phones in Tanzania Dr. Jabiri Kuwe Bakari

2. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-Up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

3. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-Up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

4. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-Up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

5. Problem The education programme started in January 2007 at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) by admitting 1500 students in five degree programmes as follows: (i). B. A. Ed 666 (ii) B. Com. Ed. 47 (iii) B. Ed. 362 (iv) B. Sc. Ed 390 (v) B. B. A. Ed. 35 Teaching when schools are on, and attend intensive face-to-face session in the nearby teachers college during holidays, administered by OUT By January 2008, only 825 have been registered into the second year programme – High dropout !

6. Where is the Problem? Higher Learning Institutions in TZ

7. 133 students 234 students 215 students OUT has its Headquarters in DSM and Regional Center in each of the Regional – Lead by Regional Director Most of the students are teaching at the Primary and secondary schools scattered in the remote area-no power, no internet !!! 169 students 217 students 151 students 184 students 343 students 63 students 126 students 95 students 97 students 94 students 282 students 153 students 1789 students 89 students 234 students 63 students 99 students 234 students 170 students

8. Problems Communication breakdown problem after face-to-face sessions between students and OUT lecturers – Probably one of the reasons of high dropout ( e.g. even getting assignments) Accessibility problems Power problems Band width / Internet infrastructure problems Affordability problems Low availability of PC’s Limited knowledge how to operate PC’s and computer networks

9. Motivation Example getting assignment, study materials and various faculty announcements was one of the Major problems to remote students Random checking – realised that all students picked in the sample had mobile phone!! Some of these problems can be addressed by m-learning and usage of mobile phones Mobile phone networks have high coverage in Tanzania Cheaper equipment (Almost all teacher – OUT students, have mobile phones ) Equipment that can operate without daily access to electricity, can also be charged by car battery, solar Equipment familiar to student and teachers

10. Why mobile learning (general) ? Less time and place constraints, “Learning on the move”: flexible technology. Introducing "authenticity“, learning on site. Supports ”just-in-time” learning. Collaboration can be enhanced, with other students, teachers and tutors.

11. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

12. Project Objectives “The aim of the project for ICT-based in-service teacher education is to improve performance of secondary school teachers by providing training on pedagogy and subject specialized education.” Focusing on “short course trained teachers” / licensed teachers

13. Implementation of E-learning • OUT decided long time ago to go for Moodle among other studied LMS …. Platforms (FirstClass, Blackboard, ATUTOR, Moodle Software and Documentation Available for free – in the Internet

14. Implementation LMS

15. Implementation of LMS It is more than uploading Information (ppt, pdf) 180 copies of course materials have been developed in soft copies. Of the 180 copies, 20 have already uploaded for online learning

16. Implementation of E-learning Management System • Use of Moodle Text –Using Mobile Phones which are affordable to most of our Students - To serve the students who are in remote area

17. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

18. Project partners • Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) of Tanzania • The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) • University of Dar es Salaam • Mid Sweden University Sponsored by The Swedish Program for Information and Communication Technology in Developing Regions (SPIDER)

19. Some characteristics of the project • “Exploit the interactive potential of ICT in the provision of modern education theory and practice via distance education programmes.” • Use available infrastructure and media: “Develop models for communication and distribution of learning material for different technical environments (broadband, VSAT, mobile phones, CD/DVD, memory cards etc).” • Exploit other possibilities of the new global world of information and communication: “Support teachers to handle the challenges of using e-resources through knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration for improving teaching”. Use of “Open Courseware”.

20. Support of learning, access to learning material • On the memory cards in the mobile phones: • overviews, slideshows for each learning module • study guide in text • study guide interpreted as voice • Access to Internet (3G or GPRS) for additional learning material

21. Learning activities and communication with fellow students and teachers / tutors • Students can report development of their assignments (in short form) via SMS • Teachers can respond using mobile phones or PC’s sending SMS through the Moodle system

22. Technical solution • Study guides in text (with Java based book reader) • Texts in study guides interpreted as voice • Narrated slideshows (overviews of learning modules, produced with MS-PPT and Camtasia ) • Auto corrected quizzes (Mobile Quiz from Mobilestudy.org, results sent by SMS to teacher mobile phone or to Moodle using Moodletxt from Txttools) • Movie clips with related material (Open Educational Recourses downloaded from the Internet, saved as mpeg4 on mobile phone memory cards)

23. Phone specifications • 3G/GPRS • Java • SMS • QVGA display, 320*240 pixels, display not smaller than 2 inches • Ability to play MP3 audio and MPEG4 / 3GP video • Memory card option, card size e.g. 4 GB Micro SD

24. Introduction of pilot group, January 2009 The 18 OUT students (teachers of secondary schools) quickly learnt the operation of the phones, how to access the learning material and how to communicate using mobile phones.

25. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

26. Preliminary Findings • All of the 18 students thought that the Moodle system and the mobile phones would increase their possibilities to be successful in their studies. Some of the reasons mentioned were: • Course material is now “close to me” available on time as text, voice and media files. • Communication is improved, and updated course information can be communicated. • The Internet access possibility in the mobile phones makes it easier to find material. • Continuous assessment is made possible, and networking with fellow students is improved

27. Challenges • Getting Academic staff to participate in the process of Developing course contents in LMS (we had 1000 courses – 300 and only 23 course fully developed so far, many others in progress. • Building a culture of continuous communication between the lecturer and students once the course is on. • Bandwidth: More bandwidth you use, more money you have to pay. – We are working mobile phone operators to see can such traffic be treated/charged and be able to work low end mobile phones.

28. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Problem Area and Motivation • Project Objectives • Project Set-up • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Outlook

29. Conclusion and Outlook • During the second half of 2009, the pilot project will be evaluated and possible additional tests will be planned. If the pilot is successful, a suggestion for a nationwide programme and guidelines for mainstreaming the model will be prepared. • As mentioned above, the main target group in the project is the “licensed teachers” in secondary schools in Tanzania, but the experiences from the project is been used in other teaching and learning contexts.