The New Wave : Students Empowering Each Other Across Continents Solomon Assefa
description
Transcript of 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