ANDeducation

In order to ensure maximum success from the pilot study we have been engaged in further dialogue with the British Council in Delhi and our Indian partners. It has been recommended that we work with Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) to offer applicants a placement in one of their Government funded schools.

Negotiations are under way with JNV to secure the optimum conditions for placements within selected campuses. JNV manage a group of Indian schools for talented children and form a part of the system of gifted education. The objectives of the scheme are to provide good quality education to the children predominantly from rural areas, without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.

There has been a very positive response from the selected UK universities. The application procedures have been set up and we are currently in discussion with JNV regarding how to involve our Indian partners fully in the selection process. JNV would provide accommodation for the UK participants and provide a small stipend to cover living expenses. The current proposal is that successful applicants will be asked to cover their own travel costs, travel insurance and associated expenses.

Participants will be asked to carry out a programme of ICT and English language skills development as agreed prior to the visit. Once in India participants will be expected to provide base-line assessment so that the impact of their contribution to the pupils success can be assessed for the effectiveness of the pilot. Education 1st in conjunction with JNV will take responsibility for the evaluation process.

Thank you all for your continued interest in this exciting opportunity and we will endeavour to keep you fully advised.

Twenty trainee teachers from selected universities in the UK will be offered the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills in India by delivering a programme of ICT skills. This will be in conjunction with Rittika Chanda Parruck, the Regional Manager British Council Delhi – Connecting Classrooms India and Sri Lanka. This programme will enable schools in India to apply for the International Schools Award. The British Council will fund accommodation and provide a stipend to cover living expenses. The UK teachers will be asked to pay their own travel costs. As well as teaching in local schools the participants will be given opportunities to enjoy the local culture. The city placements will be carefully chosen and monitored with the UK visitors made to feel special and valued.

Check back here for updates.

UK and Afghan teachers meet in Delhi to discuss the year three plan for our Connecting Classroom’s project. Working to support understanding and intercultural dialogue.

The second year of our Connecting Classrooms project with schools in Kandahar has involved students using mobile phones provided by Nokia to create simple English Language lessons. Multimedia features of these smartphones have been used extensively. This work is continuing but we will now be using the theme of ‘Kites’ to share learning experiences.

Language learning using mobile phones. We are going to develop a support programme using mobile technologies and a phone to web application. The students in Kandahar will improve their English language skills while the UK students will develop their language structure and literacy skills in a cross-phase and curricular context. This is a student driven, peer to peer initiative.

We had a fruitful visit to two schools in Kabul. A boys high school and a girls high school. The students were fully committed to the Connecting Classrooms project with schools in the UK. They were insightful and keen to learn from their partner students. The students in the boys school made suggestions how future project funding could be used to enhance educational opportunities within Afghanistan. The girl students wanted to exploit the opportunities to improve their career prospects; engineering and the medical professions were identified by many of the students. Their English language capabilities were of a high order.
Class sizes are 25 to 30 and the classrooms basic.

We have found out a great deal of information about the school system in Afghanistan and in Kandahar. The idea of expanding the use of mobile phone in all the schools to project was well received. Tomorrow we will see schools and speak with students about their educational experiences. This will help address Internet connection limitations and irregular electricity supplies.

Happening soon.
The first meeting of the UK (England and Scotland) cluster group with their partner teachers outside of the UK.

As part of our podcasting project students from Reunion Island are conducting interviews with a team of scientist who are conducting research in the arctic. This page links to the video podcasts created by students from Lycée Paul Moreau, Reunion Island. They have been constructed using the written responses to questions posed.

Flashmeeting is good when it works. Today we tried to meet with our partner students in Reunion Island but there seems to have been a problem.