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Egyptian
teachers adopt ICTs
"Given
the rapid changes in information and communication technology
(ICT), it will take all the running we can do just to stay
in place." This is how one Egyptian secondary school teacher
saw the task of teaching science and maths using ICT.
She
was one of the 162 teachers and supervisors from 14 Egyptian
governates trained to teach science and mathematics using
new technology in a series of national workshops in Ismailia,
Luxor and Alexandria. UNESCO Cairo is helping the Egyptian
government with ICT in science education in the context of
its Secondary Education Enhancement Programme (SEEP). Already,
all secondary schools are equipped with computers and other
multimedia equipment, as well as modern laboratories, and
several of them have Internet connections.
"Recent research shows that computers can have a positive
impact on students’ achievement in mathematics — more
rapid learning, more positive attitudes on the part of students
and higher levels of achievement," says Barry Blakeley, an
instructor at the national training workshop in Luxor.
Apart
from providing familiarity with customized software for creating
spreadsheets, graph plotters or dynamic geometry, participants
learned the roles in the classroom of the teacher, the student
and the computer itself, how to make Powerpoint presentations,
use CD-ROMs in class work and generally adapt their teaching
to this new technology. "At the end of the training course
we couldn’t get them off the computers," says Geoff Strack,
the science workshop instructor.
"The
teachers are particularly enthusiastic," says Ghada Gholam,
Education Adviser at UNESCO Cairo. More than 85 per cent of
the trainees wanted more training and the vast majority said
they had acquired new talents they would pass on to their
colleagues. "It changed my way of teaching and gave me lots
of ideas," one teacher said.
"The
aim is to cover all the governates in Egypt by 2002," adds
Ms Gholam. UNESCO Cairo will also set up a National Centre
for teacher training in new technologies and to share innovative
teaching experiences. It is also aiming at accrediting test
centres to give international certificates to secondary-school
teachers who pass a test of seven modules in basic computer
skills.
Contact: G. Gholam, UNESCO Cairo.
NGOs
and EFA Renewing co-operation
What
is the role of civil society in the education for all process?
How can they move from being service providers and advocates
to genuine partners in national policy-making and planning?
Participants at the Annual Meeting of the Collective Consultation
of NGOs on Education for All, meeting in Bangkok, (12-14 July
2001) had much to say about the issue.
While
seeking consensus on a reformed co-operative mechanism with
UNESCO, they agreed on a set of working procedures for a transitory
period of one year and proposed concrete education activities
to be carried out jointly with UNESCO and other partners,
such as capacity-building seminars, research, case studies,
databases and communication activities.
Contact: S. Schnuttgen,
Focal Point, Collective Consultation of NGOs on EFA,
Basic Education Division.
Educating
for Citizenship
"Education
for citizenship," says John Daniel, UNESCO Assistant Director-General
for Education, "helps pupils become informed, thoughtful and
responsible citizens, aware of their duties and their rights."
It
also promotes, he says, respect for different national, religious
and ethnic identities, and develops the ability to reflect
on issues, have a critical mind and take a stand in discussions.
Teachers are the core driving force that holds the key to
instilling the ideals of citizenship in children.
But this can be an overwhelming task. Where to start? What
is the basis of citizenship? What material is available?
With
this challenge in mind, UNESCO in partnership with Education
International, the world’s largest educators’ federation,
designed a trilingual (English/ French/Spanish) multimedia
CD-ROM to offer pre-primary and primary school teachers and
educators around the world a wide range of resources in a
pocket-sized instructional tool.
Educating
for Citizenship is available free of charge from the Documentation
and Information Service of the Education Sector, UNESCO, 7,
place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France,
Fax: 33 1 45 68 56 24;
E-mail: cdeducation@unesco.org
Website:www.unesco.org/education/index.shtml
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a glossary of 180 terms, illustrated with examples, photos,
graphs, video clips and links to selected websites;
