Monday, 1 September 2008
Monday, 16 June 2008
Saturday, 14 June 2008
Friday, 13 June 2008
Monday, 19 May 2008
Paper from Longla Draft
Preparing teachers to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning practices: The case of Longla Comprehensive College
By
Dr Mbangwana Moses Atezah,
Ngwa Godswill,
Tatafon Emmanauel
Introduction
Brief history of Longla, when was it created? How many students are in the school? How many teachers are in school? How many computers are allocated for teachers? How many computers are allocated for students? This is a Comprehensive secondary school located in Mankon Bamenda. It was one of the first private commercial colleges in Cameroon West of the Mongo. It was created in 1962 and presently offers courses in General, commercial and Technical education and prepares students for both Ordinary and Advanced level General Certificate of Education. The total number of students for the academic year 2005-2006 is 2812 students (both male and female students). There are presently 105 teachers and 19 non teaching staff. At present there are 120 Pentium IIs and IIIs in its IT centre. The IT centre started eight years ago with just three IBM 486 machines. For the past years the IT centre has been offering compulsory IT lessons to forms one and two students and optional lessons to forms four and five students. Some members of the public have been benefiting from the centre by receiving training in Data Processing. The centre graduated the 7th. batch of students on 28th. June 2006. The current Principal of the school is Mr. Renchy K. Abrahams. The email of the school is lcc1962s@yahoo.com. The title of the project for Longla is Introduction of ICT and off-class teaching and learning process.
Literature
A review of Literature on the pedagogical integration of ICT in teaching and learning in Africa
Methodology
How long was the training for teachers?
How many teachers were involved?
How many of them were females?
How many were males?
How were teachers integrating the ICT in their classroom?
What were the ICT tools used in the classes?
What was the participation of the administration?
The use of ICT in schools for the teaching of various subjects by teachers was the major subject of the workshop. Teachers ate the end of the workshop would be able to prepare subject lessons using ICT. Learning instruction design will enable the teachers to greatly improve on their teaching methodology and to get better output. Also, students will have access to a pool of ICT materials as per subject.
The workshop started with seven participating teachers and ended with fourteen.
Teachers filled questionnaires on the use of ICT in teaching. The phase II of the project focuses on solving the problem of teachers using ICT in teaching, as a good number do not know how to use the computer as an ICT tool for teaching their subjects. Students are to be educated on how to use ICT for effective learning. Four schools were selected – 2 in Bafuoussam (Oieseaulette an Lycee Technique), 1 in Douala (Lycee Jos) and 1 in Bamenda (LCC Mankon).
What had happened so far in the project was revealed in Mr. Ngwa God’swill’s report or short talk. From Douala, the main work done as concerns the project is the training of teachers on the use of PowerPoint. The staff members but for one were irregular in their attendance. The training occurs every Tuesday s (3pm to 4pm) and Saturdays (from 12 noon). Other teachers will have to be trained.The membership in cmticii@yahoogroup.com was elaborated upon. This facility is freely provided by yahoo website for the use of groups of persons with a common focus or objective. The materials prepared are made available for others to use. The LCC team should write as much as possible to the group and send in materials. By February, the Canadian team will be around to see what is going on, as well as national inspectors.As concerns membership into the yahoogroup a letter will be sent to all co-option each to be a member, and the reply should be sent within 14days. The steps on how to do that were clearly illustrated on the board by Dr. Mbangwana Moses.He taught on instructional design. How to prepare lessons using ICT and how to file assignment. He illustrated using “methods of cooking” as the topic.
Results
How many lesson plans were produced?
What materials were produced by students?
What were students reactions?
What were teachers reactions?
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography.
Appendices
• Lesson plans
A: Report of Longla
The team leader for Longla after returning from the Douala training workshop drew up a program to teach his colleagues PowerPoint which is one of the best programs for lesson delivery. The team drew up a roster of learning this programming on EVERY Tuesday from 3pm to 4 pm and on Saturdays at Twelve noon. When Dr Mbangwana the main researcher for Longla arrived he reinforced the training by teaching them principles of instructional design and gave assignments to the teachers. The teachers were required to apply the principle of instructional design in their courses by integrating ICTs. In this way the teachers learned how to design the lesson on paper and type it using the word program and later on using PowerPoint. Each teacher was advised to put his lesson in the yahoo group cmticii@yahoogroups.com. The next two paragraphs are recordings of the November meeting by one of the teachers.
L.C.C TEAM. PROJECT
REPORT ON WORKSHOP III
CARRIED ON THE 11/01/06
The meeting started at 9: 30 am with 12 teachers in attendance. The Project team coordinator came as a follow up of the previous meeting, to assess the preparation of ICT materials. The project team coordinator spent sufficient time evaluating and correcting the lessons prepared by the various teachers.
The coordinator Dr. Mbangwana Moses made necessary corrections on what was presented. He emphasized that each page should carry one objective, followed by the relevant information.
He acknowledged that the LCC Project Team was making a significant effort to put in lessons in the Internet. He said the preparation plus the sending of files was already the application of ICTs in teachings; since students and other teachers could already have access to the materials.
As concerns the money to run the project, he said the delay was due to lateness in sending pictures E-mails to reflect on-going work. He said he had sent it and the ROCARÉ Headquarters had already signaled reception.
The next session was a practical session on the use of Microsoft Power Point in preparing and presenting ICTs. He demonstrated how to connect the Video projector and illustrated with the slides prepared by Mrs. Abrahams in Chemistry on Halogens. Teachers were taught how to prepare lessons using Power Point and how to demonstrate the slide motions (animations).
The next visit was announced for the 1st and 2nd February 2007, during which we expect others to come with the Project Team leader. The workshop ended at 1:30pm with refreshments. The coordinator took pictures.
In the visit which took place in December, a revision of the previous topics PowerPoint and word was discussed laying special emphasis on how this can be used to improve on the teaching in order to enhance students’ learning. The teachers also discussed their difficulties and possible solutions were sought. The training package for the second lesson was on how to do internet search for teaching materials. Though there was no internet connection, a discussion on how to find teaching material on the net was done and they were encouraged to go to the internet at least twice a week to get material for their lessons of the week. A further discussion was focused on the lessons designed for the month of November. The following paragraphs are exact recordings of the December meeting: REPORT ON WORKSHOP IICARRIED ON THE 14/12/06 at longla
TITLED: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
The workshop started at about 9:15am ten participants excluding the Project team coordinator, Dr. Mbangwana Moses.
The coordinator started with the introductory session, in which he spoke of compiling a booklet from the various lessons prepared. He therefore proceeded to illustrate how the materials should be prepare, page by page. The series was as follows:
- Cover page.
- Topic page.
- Page for the objectives.
- Each objective to be elaborated in a separate page.
- Evaluation page.
- Summary page in form of a poem or song composed.
He indicated that in sending assignments the Cover page should carry the title of the project as L.C.C. Project Team. He encouraged the teachers to file up the section for files with I.C.T. materials. The teachers accepted to send in weekly materials. As concerns preparation of materials the coordinator said the Internet was an excellent I.C.T. we must integrate within our teaching I.C.T.s. The booklet to be produced in February 2007 will be played in the Internet and accessible to all. The Project Team leader explained to some new teachers how to join the Cmticii yahoo group. Mr Ngwa Godswill spoke of the progress of the project as at date. He said the teachers were still being taught how to work with Power point. Some were very irregular at attendance, which made the training difficult.
The second session started with the introduction of how to produce transparencies.
Transparencies are ICT materials to be used with an overhead projector when teaching. To produce the typed documents are printed on transparencies. Also, the hardcopy could be photocopied on a transparency. The Project team leader will produce the booklet and CDs. Of the lessons prepared which will be multiplied and distributed to students. The project leader will return in Jan. 2007 twice to evaluate work in process, and will supervise class presentation of lessons using prepared I.C.T.s, using the Video projector available in the school. The next phase of the workshop was the distribution and explanation of the “ Cahier de la recherché – acton pour Directeurs, enseignants et autres intervenants en milieu scolaire.” He encouraged teachers to prepare more lessons, current lessons being taught. The teachers requested that computers be made available for them to work. The secretary was assigned to see the principle, also the project leader. The workshop ended at 2:15 pm with refreshments.
In January the researcher went to Longla to see exactly what the teachers were doing. During this session, we discussed how lessons can be effectively taught using the ICTs in the classrooms. Thorough revisions of the past lessons designed were discussed. Teachers also indicated their willingness to use internet for lesson preparation but the main difficulty raised was lack of finances to pay taxi and internet fee.
In the month of February, the researcher went to Longla with the members of the Regional Scientific Committee (Prof Karsenti and Mme Kathryn Toure). The following is the summary of events reported by a participant.
The meeting started at 11:05am and 14 teachers were in attendance. The Vice principal accompanied the Regional coordinators of ROCARÉ and the Project team leader Dr. Mbangwana Moses. The Project team coordinator introduced the agenda of the meeting. He indicated that the Coordinators were there evaluated the progress of the project so far.
After the brief introduction the project coordinator asked the Regional coordinator take the floor. She proceeded to hear from each teacher involved in the project on how the had perceived the project and the impact so far. Each teacher indicated name and subject taught, and explain from their personal point of view how the project benefited each. The most common acknowledgment made was the fact that because of the project on the use of ICTs in teaching there has been concise and precise preparation of notes. This has accounted for better teaching, and easy assimilation of subject matter by students.
A book on the research for the integration of ICTS in classroom was handed to each teacher. The notebook will enable the teachers to document their teaching experiences as regards the project. The difficulties and achievements in the use of ICTs in teaching will be recorded.
The project coordinator indicated that he had been to LCC thrice to train and follow up the progress. And so far he has been impressed. He stated that a Yahoo group was created for the project members and LCC project team members have been sending in lessons more than the others. He told the teachers to ask questions to the regional coordinators.
Mrs. Musa asked a question concerning the cumbersome use of papers to prepare lessons, if the much time consumed cannot be minimize with the use of a Flash ram. The coordinator responded that this point would be responded to soon. Then Mr. Ngwa, the project leader in LCC, asked if the finance for the project was available to facilitate the progress of the project, and to motivate the staff that has been using money from their pocket to use.
The Project Team coordinator said in response that the money 300,000frs is now available and will be sent to the Principal through Express Union. The coordinator closed the brief meeting by saying that he will be back in March 2007.
Report written by Mrs. Musa Magdaline
See sample lessons on the link below :
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cmticii/files/
The meeting of April and May were to supervise actual use of ICT in the class. The teachers showed a mastery of using the video projector and tape recorders in teaching. Most of the lessons were summarised in songs and one could see students singing lessons that have been taught perfectly well. Below is a report from the Cameroon Teachers’ Association who was part of the ICT pedagogical adviser for Longla.
A STUDY OF L.C.C MANKON, CAMEROON
The information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an innovation to enhance teaching/learning in schools by using the computer, projector, digital camera, tape recorder and other computer printed materials. It is aimed at improving policies and strategies for ICT integration in West and Central African Education via improved teacher training and pedagogical policies.
Thus, after a detailed study of the individual teacher’s “cahier de la recherché action” in which the new approach to teaching and learning in schools (2006-2007) is elaborated, I realized that the teachers in L.C.C Mankon have distinguished themselves from the other teachers in the province as experts in the use of ICT. In fact, their manipulation of the instruments leaves much to be desired.
In terms of lesson delivery, the use of ICT facilitates preparation, teaching, and reduces verbosity. This is true of the English Language lesson with project titled “Building Vocabulary” during which computer science students learn to be more organised and precised in an attempt to become proficient and effective secretaries.
Also, the objectives, introduction, presentation of content and evaluation procedures are clearly defined with at least 90% of the objectives attained at the end of each lesson..
Again, ICT contributes greatly in maintaining discipline and class control. For example during English lessons the teacher motivates the students by using ICT materials to produce either a song, a sketch, a poem or a mine just to hold and maintain students attention in class. This is evident in the project lesson titled “The sounds of English and parts of speech in English”.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
ICT facilitates lesson preparation and delivery.
Presentation of materials is more organised and precised.
The teacher is more systematic in approach.
It enhances class participation that is in maintaining discipline and class control.
Lesson content is compressed and therefore requires less time to teach for example the project lesson “Latin profixes”.
Teaching is less strenuous as it is quite easy to move from one slide to another.
Video projector brings additional concentration and makes lesson more serious, exciting and interesting.
Concepts are easily understood.
Team work is encouraged
Class is lively as students read from the screen.
Teacher – student relationship is improved
It is very fascinating to both the teacher and students who gets and reads information about distant places and even their own village by a simple click.
The Excel program eases calculations especially of scores.
DISADVANTAGES
The major handicap is unreliable electricity supply. In case of power failure work is slowed down in that all material in computer typed but not stored is deleted. And without electricity no lesson can be delivered.
Insufficient projectors and digital cameras for snap shots.
More time is used because the teacher has to prepare his lessons notes first, reorganize the facts before typing them into the machine.
It entails a lot of sacrifice (time and money to get information from the internet) order to achieve the set goals.
Most parents do not possess computers in their homes. As such students are unable to use nor enjoy prepared lessons on a compact discs.
Most students are not yet exposed to the computer and ICT.
Teachers lack finance to produce lessons on CDs and sell.
Low exposure to the Internet world plus high cost of exploring the Internet for information and knowledge.
High rate of poverty amongst students. Therefore unable to affort for prepared notes on CD tapes.
Not all the symbols representing sounds in English are available.
Difficulty in rallying students into the class for effective teaching using ICT.
Friction amongst team members because of financial mismanagement
PROPOSALS FROM CATTU
o There is need for training to enhance teaching methods.
o Seminars, workshops and forums should be organised to encourage the use of ICTs.
In all the Longla team showed a lot of interest in the project and invested a lot of time in it.
Comments from a participant after the training.
As a matter of fact ICT as a whole presents a far more challenging experience compared to other fields of study, given the fact that it is a rather new phenomenon and need s some time to conceptualize it self and get more concrete in the mines of most. The integration of ICT in to the pedagogic milieu is a far greater challenge but with a great deal of promising results. My personal experience as a teacher of science, tells me much about the teaching-learning process and ICT.
My training on this concept involved:
Creation of lesson objective designs
Transformation of lesson objective designs in to power point presentation.
identification of ICT devices useable for lessons
Preparations for lessons.
Proper and advanced usage of internet to spice subject matter
Interactions with other teachers ,
This training was very effective given the fact that most of the training sessions where practical oriented. After my training I did not keep the knowledge in me but applied it to enhance the teaching learning of science.
What I experience where as follows:
Most of the students if not all where positively motivated by the ICT devices in to the class room.
They became so inquisitive.
This made students who had hardly ask questions to get up since the lesson was rather more concrete.
Cases of three dimensional diagrams could be easily visualized by students unlike that of a two dimensional board.
The lesson was better understood and more was taken back home since motion pictures that fosters visualization could be used.
I equally introduced the usage of some popular hymns to compose songs for faster retention
They got interested in hearing their own voices on tapes
With a display of previous lessons students developed a high sense of retention.
I could also use my mobile phone to call my students home and ask about their activities and follow ups.
Besides all these, I face a could of problems .these include
The readiness of the equipments
inflexibility of administration and management to hand equipments
teacher to student ratio
The fact that on designing the time table there was no anticipation for the use of ICT so time allocated was not enough.
However I have a feeling my training took great attention to most of the problems I faced so hardly was I taken unawares.
Thank you proff and I am grateful for the knowledge I will always be ready to teach it out and give it the intension.
EMMANUEL TATA FON
By
Dr Mbangwana Moses Atezah,
Ngwa Godswill,
Tatafon Emmanauel
Introduction
Brief history of Longla, when was it created? How many students are in the school? How many teachers are in school? How many computers are allocated for teachers? How many computers are allocated for students? This is a Comprehensive secondary school located in Mankon Bamenda. It was one of the first private commercial colleges in Cameroon West of the Mongo. It was created in 1962 and presently offers courses in General, commercial and Technical education and prepares students for both Ordinary and Advanced level General Certificate of Education. The total number of students for the academic year 2005-2006 is 2812 students (both male and female students). There are presently 105 teachers and 19 non teaching staff. At present there are 120 Pentium IIs and IIIs in its IT centre. The IT centre started eight years ago with just three IBM 486 machines. For the past years the IT centre has been offering compulsory IT lessons to forms one and two students and optional lessons to forms four and five students. Some members of the public have been benefiting from the centre by receiving training in Data Processing. The centre graduated the 7th. batch of students on 28th. June 2006. The current Principal of the school is Mr. Renchy K. Abrahams. The email of the school is lcc1962s@yahoo.com. The title of the project for Longla is Introduction of ICT and off-class teaching and learning process.
Literature
A review of Literature on the pedagogical integration of ICT in teaching and learning in Africa
Methodology
How long was the training for teachers?
How many teachers were involved?
How many of them were females?
How many were males?
How were teachers integrating the ICT in their classroom?
What were the ICT tools used in the classes?
What was the participation of the administration?
The use of ICT in schools for the teaching of various subjects by teachers was the major subject of the workshop. Teachers ate the end of the workshop would be able to prepare subject lessons using ICT. Learning instruction design will enable the teachers to greatly improve on their teaching methodology and to get better output. Also, students will have access to a pool of ICT materials as per subject.
The workshop started with seven participating teachers and ended with fourteen.
Teachers filled questionnaires on the use of ICT in teaching. The phase II of the project focuses on solving the problem of teachers using ICT in teaching, as a good number do not know how to use the computer as an ICT tool for teaching their subjects. Students are to be educated on how to use ICT for effective learning. Four schools were selected – 2 in Bafuoussam (Oieseaulette an Lycee Technique), 1 in Douala (Lycee Jos) and 1 in Bamenda (LCC Mankon).
What had happened so far in the project was revealed in Mr. Ngwa God’swill’s report or short talk. From Douala, the main work done as concerns the project is the training of teachers on the use of PowerPoint. The staff members but for one were irregular in their attendance. The training occurs every Tuesday s (3pm to 4pm) and Saturdays (from 12 noon). Other teachers will have to be trained.The membership in cmticii@yahoogroup.com was elaborated upon. This facility is freely provided by yahoo website for the use of groups of persons with a common focus or objective. The materials prepared are made available for others to use. The LCC team should write as much as possible to the group and send in materials. By February, the Canadian team will be around to see what is going on, as well as national inspectors.As concerns membership into the yahoogroup a letter will be sent to all co-option each to be a member, and the reply should be sent within 14days. The steps on how to do that were clearly illustrated on the board by Dr. Mbangwana Moses.He taught on instructional design. How to prepare lessons using ICT and how to file assignment. He illustrated using “methods of cooking” as the topic.
Results
How many lesson plans were produced?
What materials were produced by students?
What were students reactions?
What were teachers reactions?
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography.
Appendices
• Lesson plans
A: Report of Longla
The team leader for Longla after returning from the Douala training workshop drew up a program to teach his colleagues PowerPoint which is one of the best programs for lesson delivery. The team drew up a roster of learning this programming on EVERY Tuesday from 3pm to 4 pm and on Saturdays at Twelve noon. When Dr Mbangwana the main researcher for Longla arrived he reinforced the training by teaching them principles of instructional design and gave assignments to the teachers. The teachers were required to apply the principle of instructional design in their courses by integrating ICTs. In this way the teachers learned how to design the lesson on paper and type it using the word program and later on using PowerPoint. Each teacher was advised to put his lesson in the yahoo group cmticii@yahoogroups.com. The next two paragraphs are recordings of the November meeting by one of the teachers.
L.C.C TEAM. PROJECT
REPORT ON WORKSHOP III
CARRIED ON THE 11/01/06
The meeting started at 9: 30 am with 12 teachers in attendance. The Project team coordinator came as a follow up of the previous meeting, to assess the preparation of ICT materials. The project team coordinator spent sufficient time evaluating and correcting the lessons prepared by the various teachers.
The coordinator Dr. Mbangwana Moses made necessary corrections on what was presented. He emphasized that each page should carry one objective, followed by the relevant information.
He acknowledged that the LCC Project Team was making a significant effort to put in lessons in the Internet. He said the preparation plus the sending of files was already the application of ICTs in teachings; since students and other teachers could already have access to the materials.
As concerns the money to run the project, he said the delay was due to lateness in sending pictures E-mails to reflect on-going work. He said he had sent it and the ROCARÉ Headquarters had already signaled reception.
The next session was a practical session on the use of Microsoft Power Point in preparing and presenting ICTs. He demonstrated how to connect the Video projector and illustrated with the slides prepared by Mrs. Abrahams in Chemistry on Halogens. Teachers were taught how to prepare lessons using Power Point and how to demonstrate the slide motions (animations).
The next visit was announced for the 1st and 2nd February 2007, during which we expect others to come with the Project Team leader. The workshop ended at 1:30pm with refreshments. The coordinator took pictures.
In the visit which took place in December, a revision of the previous topics PowerPoint and word was discussed laying special emphasis on how this can be used to improve on the teaching in order to enhance students’ learning. The teachers also discussed their difficulties and possible solutions were sought. The training package for the second lesson was on how to do internet search for teaching materials. Though there was no internet connection, a discussion on how to find teaching material on the net was done and they were encouraged to go to the internet at least twice a week to get material for their lessons of the week. A further discussion was focused on the lessons designed for the month of November. The following paragraphs are exact recordings of the December meeting: REPORT ON WORKSHOP IICARRIED ON THE 14/12/06 at longla
TITLED: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
The workshop started at about 9:15am ten participants excluding the Project team coordinator, Dr. Mbangwana Moses.
The coordinator started with the introductory session, in which he spoke of compiling a booklet from the various lessons prepared. He therefore proceeded to illustrate how the materials should be prepare, page by page. The series was as follows:
- Cover page.
- Topic page.
- Page for the objectives.
- Each objective to be elaborated in a separate page.
- Evaluation page.
- Summary page in form of a poem or song composed.
He indicated that in sending assignments the Cover page should carry the title of the project as L.C.C. Project Team. He encouraged the teachers to file up the section for files with I.C.T. materials. The teachers accepted to send in weekly materials. As concerns preparation of materials the coordinator said the Internet was an excellent I.C.T. we must integrate within our teaching I.C.T.s. The booklet to be produced in February 2007 will be played in the Internet and accessible to all. The Project Team leader explained to some new teachers how to join the Cmticii yahoo group. Mr Ngwa Godswill spoke of the progress of the project as at date. He said the teachers were still being taught how to work with Power point. Some were very irregular at attendance, which made the training difficult.
The second session started with the introduction of how to produce transparencies.
Transparencies are ICT materials to be used with an overhead projector when teaching. To produce the typed documents are printed on transparencies. Also, the hardcopy could be photocopied on a transparency. The Project team leader will produce the booklet and CDs. Of the lessons prepared which will be multiplied and distributed to students. The project leader will return in Jan. 2007 twice to evaluate work in process, and will supervise class presentation of lessons using prepared I.C.T.s, using the Video projector available in the school. The next phase of the workshop was the distribution and explanation of the “ Cahier de la recherché – acton pour Directeurs, enseignants et autres intervenants en milieu scolaire.” He encouraged teachers to prepare more lessons, current lessons being taught. The teachers requested that computers be made available for them to work. The secretary was assigned to see the principle, also the project leader. The workshop ended at 2:15 pm with refreshments.
In January the researcher went to Longla to see exactly what the teachers were doing. During this session, we discussed how lessons can be effectively taught using the ICTs in the classrooms. Thorough revisions of the past lessons designed were discussed. Teachers also indicated their willingness to use internet for lesson preparation but the main difficulty raised was lack of finances to pay taxi and internet fee.
In the month of February, the researcher went to Longla with the members of the Regional Scientific Committee (Prof Karsenti and Mme Kathryn Toure). The following is the summary of events reported by a participant.
The meeting started at 11:05am and 14 teachers were in attendance. The Vice principal accompanied the Regional coordinators of ROCARÉ and the Project team leader Dr. Mbangwana Moses. The Project team coordinator introduced the agenda of the meeting. He indicated that the Coordinators were there evaluated the progress of the project so far.
After the brief introduction the project coordinator asked the Regional coordinator take the floor. She proceeded to hear from each teacher involved in the project on how the had perceived the project and the impact so far. Each teacher indicated name and subject taught, and explain from their personal point of view how the project benefited each. The most common acknowledgment made was the fact that because of the project on the use of ICTs in teaching there has been concise and precise preparation of notes. This has accounted for better teaching, and easy assimilation of subject matter by students.
A book on the research for the integration of ICTS in classroom was handed to each teacher. The notebook will enable the teachers to document their teaching experiences as regards the project. The difficulties and achievements in the use of ICTs in teaching will be recorded.
The project coordinator indicated that he had been to LCC thrice to train and follow up the progress. And so far he has been impressed. He stated that a Yahoo group was created for the project members and LCC project team members have been sending in lessons more than the others. He told the teachers to ask questions to the regional coordinators.
Mrs. Musa asked a question concerning the cumbersome use of papers to prepare lessons, if the much time consumed cannot be minimize with the use of a Flash ram. The coordinator responded that this point would be responded to soon. Then Mr. Ngwa, the project leader in LCC, asked if the finance for the project was available to facilitate the progress of the project, and to motivate the staff that has been using money from their pocket to use.
The Project Team coordinator said in response that the money 300,000frs is now available and will be sent to the Principal through Express Union. The coordinator closed the brief meeting by saying that he will be back in March 2007.
Report written by Mrs. Musa Magdaline
See sample lessons on the link below :
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cmticii/files/
The meeting of April and May were to supervise actual use of ICT in the class. The teachers showed a mastery of using the video projector and tape recorders in teaching. Most of the lessons were summarised in songs and one could see students singing lessons that have been taught perfectly well. Below is a report from the Cameroon Teachers’ Association who was part of the ICT pedagogical adviser for Longla.
A STUDY OF L.C.C MANKON, CAMEROON
The information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an innovation to enhance teaching/learning in schools by using the computer, projector, digital camera, tape recorder and other computer printed materials. It is aimed at improving policies and strategies for ICT integration in West and Central African Education via improved teacher training and pedagogical policies.
Thus, after a detailed study of the individual teacher’s “cahier de la recherché action” in which the new approach to teaching and learning in schools (2006-2007) is elaborated, I realized that the teachers in L.C.C Mankon have distinguished themselves from the other teachers in the province as experts in the use of ICT. In fact, their manipulation of the instruments leaves much to be desired.
In terms of lesson delivery, the use of ICT facilitates preparation, teaching, and reduces verbosity. This is true of the English Language lesson with project titled “Building Vocabulary” during which computer science students learn to be more organised and precised in an attempt to become proficient and effective secretaries.
Also, the objectives, introduction, presentation of content and evaluation procedures are clearly defined with at least 90% of the objectives attained at the end of each lesson..
Again, ICT contributes greatly in maintaining discipline and class control. For example during English lessons the teacher motivates the students by using ICT materials to produce either a song, a sketch, a poem or a mine just to hold and maintain students attention in class. This is evident in the project lesson titled “The sounds of English and parts of speech in English”.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PROJECT
ICT facilitates lesson preparation and delivery.
Presentation of materials is more organised and precised.
The teacher is more systematic in approach.
It enhances class participation that is in maintaining discipline and class control.
Lesson content is compressed and therefore requires less time to teach for example the project lesson “Latin profixes”.
Teaching is less strenuous as it is quite easy to move from one slide to another.
Video projector brings additional concentration and makes lesson more serious, exciting and interesting.
Concepts are easily understood.
Team work is encouraged
Class is lively as students read from the screen.
Teacher – student relationship is improved
It is very fascinating to both the teacher and students who gets and reads information about distant places and even their own village by a simple click.
The Excel program eases calculations especially of scores.
DISADVANTAGES
The major handicap is unreliable electricity supply. In case of power failure work is slowed down in that all material in computer typed but not stored is deleted. And without electricity no lesson can be delivered.
Insufficient projectors and digital cameras for snap shots.
More time is used because the teacher has to prepare his lessons notes first, reorganize the facts before typing them into the machine.
It entails a lot of sacrifice (time and money to get information from the internet) order to achieve the set goals.
Most parents do not possess computers in their homes. As such students are unable to use nor enjoy prepared lessons on a compact discs.
Most students are not yet exposed to the computer and ICT.
Teachers lack finance to produce lessons on CDs and sell.
Low exposure to the Internet world plus high cost of exploring the Internet for information and knowledge.
High rate of poverty amongst students. Therefore unable to affort for prepared notes on CD tapes.
Not all the symbols representing sounds in English are available.
Difficulty in rallying students into the class for effective teaching using ICT.
Friction amongst team members because of financial mismanagement
PROPOSALS FROM CATTU
o There is need for training to enhance teaching methods.
o Seminars, workshops and forums should be organised to encourage the use of ICTs.
In all the Longla team showed a lot of interest in the project and invested a lot of time in it.
Comments from a participant after the training.
As a matter of fact ICT as a whole presents a far more challenging experience compared to other fields of study, given the fact that it is a rather new phenomenon and need s some time to conceptualize it self and get more concrete in the mines of most. The integration of ICT in to the pedagogic milieu is a far greater challenge but with a great deal of promising results. My personal experience as a teacher of science, tells me much about the teaching-learning process and ICT.
My training on this concept involved:
Creation of lesson objective designs
Transformation of lesson objective designs in to power point presentation.
identification of ICT devices useable for lessons
Preparations for lessons.
Proper and advanced usage of internet to spice subject matter
Interactions with other teachers ,
This training was very effective given the fact that most of the training sessions where practical oriented. After my training I did not keep the knowledge in me but applied it to enhance the teaching learning of science.
What I experience where as follows:
Most of the students if not all where positively motivated by the ICT devices in to the class room.
They became so inquisitive.
This made students who had hardly ask questions to get up since the lesson was rather more concrete.
Cases of three dimensional diagrams could be easily visualized by students unlike that of a two dimensional board.
The lesson was better understood and more was taken back home since motion pictures that fosters visualization could be used.
I equally introduced the usage of some popular hymns to compose songs for faster retention
They got interested in hearing their own voices on tapes
With a display of previous lessons students developed a high sense of retention.
I could also use my mobile phone to call my students home and ask about their activities and follow ups.
Besides all these, I face a could of problems .these include
The readiness of the equipments
inflexibility of administration and management to hand equipments
teacher to student ratio
The fact that on designing the time table there was no anticipation for the use of ICT so time allocated was not enough.
However I have a feeling my training took great attention to most of the problems I faced so hardly was I taken unawares.
Thank you proff and I am grateful for the knowledge I will always be ready to teach it out and give it the intension.
EMMANUEL TATA FON
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