Training Worskhop for the Anglophone countries of …Mr Gamal Eldin Mohamed Amin - Egypt Mrs Alice Ndidde - Uganda Dr Jude Lubega - Uganda Dr Ian Charles Moll - South Africa Ms Fatima

Report of the methodological workshop for the anglophone countries – Nairobi, Kenya

ROCARE / ERNWACA • Tel: (223) 221 16 12 • Fax: (223) 221 21 15 • BP E 1854, Bamako, MALI Bénin • Burkina Faso • Cameroun • Côte d’Ivoire • Gambia • Ghana • Guinée •

Mali • Mauritanie • Nigeria • Niger • Sénégal • Sierra Leone • Togo www.ernwaca.org/panaf

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Training Worskhop for the Anglophone countries of the Panafrican

Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of ICTs

24th – 25th September, 2007

Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS)

On the 24th and 25th of September 2007, a workshop , organized by ERNWACA, the

University of Montreal and IDRC , in partnership with the University of Nairobi, was held

in Nairobi on the methodological integration of ICTs. Five (5) countries, anglophone and

lusophone participated to this workshop.




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Were present at that workshop :

Mrs. Kathryn Toure - Mali

Prof. Thierry Karsenti - Canada

Dr. Moses Mbangwana - Mali

Dr. Hanan M. Elshair - Egypt

Mr Gamal Eldin Mohamed Amin - Egypt

Mrs Alice Ndidde - Uganda

Dr Jude Lubega - Uganda

Dr Ian Charles Moll - South Africa

Ms Fatima Adam - South Africa

Dr Joaquim Ernesto Matavele - Maputo-Mozambique.

Mr Vasco Filipe Camundimo - Mozambique

Prof. P. Kinyanjui - Kenya

Dr. Christopher Mwangi Gakuu - Kenya

Mrs. Harriet Kidombo - Kenya

Mr. Toby Harper - Canada

Mr. Dramane Darave - Mali

OPENING REMARKS

The workshop started at 9.30 with Dr. Mbangwana welcoming all

participants and urged all to feel at home. Dr. Mbangwana invited Mrs.

Kathryn Toure to outline the objectives of the training workshop for

the Anglophone member countries of the Panafrican Research Agenda

for ICT Integration in Education.




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The opening speech was made by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration and Finance)

– University of Nairobi, Prof. Peter M. F. Mbithi who gave a speech on behalf of the Vice-

Chancellor – University of Nairobi. Prof. Mbithi made the following

remarks.

• Welcomed delegates from the various African states and

scholars from Canada who are participating in this workshop

• He reminded the delegates once more that the objective of the

workshop is to train researchers from the Anglophone

countries on how to conduct research on ICT integration in

education.

• That many African countries are increasingly living in a world of technological

deficiency and that this has aggravated the already worrying situation of the digital-

divide between the developed and developing countries.

• That the big question is why introduce ICT into education? Because ICT wields a

fundamental impact on political, economic and social conditions in changing

societies. For this reason, the key stakeholders in African education – teachers ,

school principals, specialists, parents and government officials – must be actively

involved in ICT uses and content, and above all the pedagogical interaction of ICT

into education and this can only be achieved through research.

• The Deputy Vice-Chancellor finalized by saying that at the end of the two day

workshop he hopes that all will come up with recommendations that will chart the

best way forward on the pedagogical integration of ICT’s in Africa.

• And with those few remarks, he declared the workshop officially open.

After the speech for the Deputy-Vice Chancellor (A&F) – University of Nairobi, Prof. Peter

Mbithi, Dr. Moses Mbangwana took the opportunity of inviting two officials from the

Panafrican Research Agenda for ICT integration in Education starting with Mrs. Kathryn

Toure who gave a small introduction on the workshop and on what ERWACA is all about.




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Mrs. Toure outlined the objectives of the workshop as follows:-

• Agree on a common methodology concerning the Panafrican agenda on the

pedagogical integration of ICT

• Introduce the observatory and train the researchers on uploading data to the

observatory

• Discuss scientific writing and publication

Concerning the presentation of ERNWACA, she mentioned :

• ERNWACA vision which is to give an African face to

education in Africa.

• ERNWACA mission : promote African expertise and culture

of research to improve education policy and practice

She also thanked Prof. Mbithi for availing himself for the official opening of this workshop.

Prof. T. Karsenti also shared a little about the same project.

Prof. Peter Kinyanjui, the scientific committee member for the PanAf

project was also invited to give a short speech. His comments were that :

• Technologies open more and more opportunities

• Learning has no end (particularly for the teachers)

• The world is expanding and becoming flat

• Big thanks to the university of Nairobi

• Sharing : Africa needs sharing

• And technologies will make that sharing possible

Prof kinyanjui reminded the participants of the Idea of the Observatory : Build a database

we can contribute to and from which we can draw

After the short speeches Prof. Mbithi took a group photo with all the delegates and excused

himself to leave.




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The presentation started once again with the following people/countries presenting on data

collection methodology:

(i) Dr. Hanan Elshair with her co-presenter Ms. Elsaid Lamya Mohamed of Egypt.

(ii) Dr Joaquim Ernesto Matavele assisted by Mr Vasco Filipe Camundimo from

Mozambique.

(iii) Dr. Ian Moll assisted by Ms. Fatima Adam from Uganda.

(iv) Dr. C. Gakuu assisted by Mrs. Harriet Kidombo from Kenya.

(v) Mr. Toby Harper

At this juncture the delegates took a break for lunch and resumed in the afternoon




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In the afternoon, Dramane Darave took fifteen minutes to present the website of the project

which is available at http://www.ernwaca.org/panaf and the newsletter to provide up-to-

date information on the project activities.

Later, the regional coordinator Mrs Kathryn Toure presented a

paper on the importance of sharing and publishing research

results in Africa. She re-iterated the vision of ERNWACA which

is to give an African face to education in Africa and the mission

which is to promote African expertise and culture of research to

improve research policies and practices.

She stressed the various research publications made at the level of regional coordination in

books, newsletters, national newspapers, journals and websites.

Amongst the important publications, she cited:

• African Media Review

• Africa development

• Journal of higher education

An example of a national initiative by Cameroon was also presented through the book

entitled : Integration des TIC dans le processus Enseignement-Apprentissage au Cameroun

Later, Prof Karsenti talked about videoconference and said the

schedule will be out in due term.




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On Tuesday morning, the participants were trained on how to enter data in the Observatory.

That training was led by Toby Harper and Dr Moses Mbangwana under the supervision of

Prof Karsenti.

Comments and remarks were then made by the participants on the

Observatory: Some expressed satisfaction, others suggested

improvement on the graphical design of the system.

Then followed a presentation by Prof Karsenti on publications. It

was pointed out that a book should be published later on the Observatory data.

Communications tools were presented and discussed in the afternoon .

Dramane Darave presented three (3) communication tools:

• A mailing-list providing space for discussions among

researchers

• ERNWACA mailing system to collect contacts

• And a moderated forum focused on the PanAf project

Questions were then raised about the need to separate anglophone and francophone

mailing-lists. After a vote, it was decided that a list should be created only for Anglophone

countries and that important messages should be diffused on both lists.

Communication aspects went on with a presentation of Prof Karsenti on how to use the

iPods. The participants were all impressed by the possibilities offered by these appliances.

The workshop ended at 3:30 pm. Prof Kinyanjui, Prof Karsenti and Mrs Alice Nddide were

invited to say words for the closing ceremony.




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Prof Kinyanjui reminded that we’ve come a long way:

• That he is willing to be more involved

• That the project is important and Africa should take ownership of it.

• That African countries should be involved as much as possible

• He advised to involve the younger people and that the project should be a legacy

to pass the younger generation

• We should involve the administration

• And remember to involve the students the researchers are supervising.

Prof Karsenti noted that :

• The project is a challenging one

• And pointed out the importance of producing publications

Alice Ndidde, on behalf of the researchers made coments on three points:

• Management of the workshop: fellow participants agree that the workshop has been

well organized. They are thanking the organizers

• A few things : The participants didn’t know the place first but they were mesmerized

by the environments

o Facilitators : we learned a lot with them




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o Flexibility : Well appreciated, program adjusted etc …

• Challenges to researchers :

o Research capacities are strengthened, strengthen academic growth

o Publications are to be made based on the Observatory data

o If we don’t publish, who will ?

o Thanks to the partners

By Dramane Darave

Research Assistant, Webmanager

PanAf project - ERNWACA




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Annex : List of researchers

Dr. Hanan M. Elshair - Egypt

Dr El Said Lamya Mohamed - Egypt

Mrs Alice Ndidde - Uganda




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Dr Jude Lubega - Uganda

Dr Ian Charles Moll - South Africa

Ms Fatima Adam - South Africa




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Dr Joaquim Ernesto Matavele - Maputo-Mozambique.

Mr Vasco Filipe Camundimo - Mozambique

Dr. Christopher Mwangi Gakuu - Kenya




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Mrs. Harriet Kidombo - Kenya




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Annnex B

Methodological Workshop for Panafrican Agenda on the Pedagogical

Integration of ICTs Organized by ERNWACA: Minutes for Day Two

The second day started with an introduction from the facilitator Moses who later invited Thierry Karsenti (TK) to talk about Work Methods. Work methods TK briefed the audience on what needs to be done and the criteria for carrying out the work. He emphasized the issue of filling in the required forms that have been placed in the guide such as the country form. It was a requirement for all participants to fill in the forms for the better streamlining of the project work. TK also emphasized the necessity of including the required schools as stipulated within the guide. The number of schools required will be a minimum of 10 but it is up to the researchers to add more schools to increase on their sample. Further still he emphasized the necessity for data collection and upload onto the repository. TK also mentioned that this year will be more for data collection and the following year of the project will be mainly for publications based on the collected data. He mentioned that it will be very interesting to see researchers from different countries analyzing the same data and making different conclusions and deductions. How to Key in Data into the Repository This session was offered by Toby Harper (TH) and he illustrated how different information would be entered within the repository. TH described the importance of filling in the information in the right format because it was a representation of the country. There were three major forms that required filling in and these included Institutional, manager and primary/teacher training institution forms. TH mentioned that it was the role of the researchers to upload data into the observatory in the right format. He further demonstrated how to access the observatory through both the simple search and advanced search. TH showed the participants how they would be able to login as visitors and as registered members. He mentioned that visitors were not authorized to change or add details to the observatory. TH emphasized that each country only had one user name and password and these should be shared amongst the researchers. Researchers can never be logged in at the same time into the repository. TH illustrated that the simple search had two options of accessing the country of residence, through the map or by selection from the list. Once the country has been selected then the members can access the information about their country and other details.




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TH described how to upload the data, modify the data within the repository and also how continue by clicking on the proceed button. He emphasized the issue of not using the backward or forward button on the browser but use the proceed button designed on the observatory. TH emphasized the purpose of filling in the institutional forms and it is to help in creating a profile for am institution that will be used for the entire research. Comments from members about the observatory included

• The interface is not user friendly enough (Egypt)

• There is need of a help page to guide new users on how to use the observatory

TK mentioned that sharing the data collected was one of the objectives of the Panafrica project. When we place the data into the observatory it ‘s been offered for sharing and each institution should be aware of that. TK mentioned that a video guide will be dispatched to each institution to help as a user manual for the observatory. TK also talked about visits to be carried out in each country involved in the project. He mentioned that the main goal of this is to:

• Have an overview of the schools being visited by the researcher in a country

• Only two schools per country will be visited by the project team

• The meetings will be approximately 30minutes and the entire program should be organized by the research team. The people to be met at the schools should include the head teachers, students (who are able to talk), teachers etc…

• The project team will also need to visit the ICT infrastructure in place at the school.

• Approximately two hours will be used to get the overview of each school in the country.

• The project team will visit for two days and will have also to meet the research team to talk about the challenges being faced and also hold a 3-hour publication workshop in any of the selected country.

• The schools to be met will be decided upon by the research team and could be any type (primary, secondary, urban or rural)

• Another member from any country will be called upon to travel with the project team to see how things are done else where. This member will vary per country visited and will be notified in advance.




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Communication This session was offered by Dramane Darave (DD). He mentioned that the web tool designed had three main functionality of communication and these included e-mail lists, discussion board and forum. The information sent on the email list would be more public than any other communication tool. It was discussed by members that it was necessary to create 2 email lists for both French and English speakers. This would help in the good dissemination of the important information to the participants. The panafrica news letter was also mentioned as another tool that would be used for communicating information related to the project. However emphasis was also put on the use of the discussion board and forum as ways of communication where the info can be stored and reused after. Discussion and Closing Remarks Professor Kinyanjui He mentioned that he was more than satisfied that the participants are ready to accomplish the project with flying colors based on the guts that had been demonstrated in the workshop. He thanked all people that had participated within the workshop in order to move the project forward. He mentioned that participants spread the good news to all Africans that there is need of sharing important data for the good of everyone. He commended the preparations that were good and well focused. He further mentioned that participating in the project made him feel so proud and because he has never been a failure, this project also will be a complete success. TH Thanked Prof. Kinyanjui for his involvement and thanked the participants for the time and allowing to attend this workshop. He further emphasized communication within the project as one of the crucial things that needed to be encouraged at all times. Alice (representative of the participants) Commended the organizers of the workshop and thanked them for the good work well done. She further talked about how the project will contribute to the different countries and should be taken very seriously. Alice mentioned some of the challenges that were ahead of the researchers:

• Human Capacity had been offered by the project team and participants were challenged to put to use what had been offered to them.

• If the participants do not publish then who would go ahead to publish? Therefore it was the role of the researchers to work hard and achieve the stated objectives of publishing their findings.




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The workshop was finally closed by Moses and thanked all participants for attending and wished them a successful research project.

By Dr Jude Lubega Lead researcher

PanAf Project – Uganda




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Annex C

Panafrican Agenda on the Pedagogical integration of ICTs

Methodological Workshop organised by

ERNWACA, and the University of Montreal in collaboration with the

University of Nairobi with IDRC support

September 24th and 25th, 2007

Nairobi, Kenya

Remarks on behalf of the participants: By Alice Nankya Ndidde, Makerere

University

Dear facilitators and fellow participants,

Allow me to make a few remarks on my own behalf and on behalf of my fellow

participants.

I wish to start by congratulating everybody – the organisers, the facilitators and the

participants on the successful completion of this two-day workshop. Well done

everybody!

My remarks are structured around three areas:

i) Management of the workshop,

ii) Relevance of the PanAf Project, and

iii) Our challenge as researchers

i) Management of the workshop

Fellow participants will agree with me that the workshop was well planned and managed

except for a few hiccups here and there.




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The venue of the workshop has been very good: it provided a favourable environment for

concentration but also for practical work. Rarely do you get a venue with as many

computers as these we have been using during this workshop.

The facilitators have been excellent – allowing participation, flexible and sensitive to

individual participants needs. Thank you, Kathryn, Thiery, Moses, Toby and Dramane. In

a special way, I would want, on behalf of the participants, to thank our colleagues from

the University of Nairobi especially Dr. Gakuu for the administrative support provided

and making sure that all the necessary arrangements are done for the success of this

workshop.

ii) Relevance of the PanAf Project

Let me underscore what everybody else has been mentioning since this workshop started

yesterday. In the context of EFA goals and MDGs, the Panafrican Agenda on the

Pedagogical Integration of ICTs Project is not only relevant but also timely. It is being

implemented at a time when most, if not all African countries are grappling with Quality

issues in Education especially the issue of improving the quality of teaching and learning

in education institutions. It is my conviction and that of fellow participants that some of

the answers to the quality issues will be provided by the outcomes of this research

undertaking.

iii) Our challenge as researchers

“If we do not, who will?” These were the words used by Prof. Peter Kinyanjui yesterday

during one of his in puts into the workshop. Fellow participants, allow me to use Prof.

Kinyanjui’s statement to challenge ourselves to embrace this project with all the vigour

and enthusiasm it takes because if we do not who will?

As researchers on the PanaF project during the last two days we have

i) shared experiences across countries

ii) clarified and gained better understanding, and agreed on a common

methodology for undertaking the PanAf project research activities




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iii) been introduced to the observatory,

iv) been trained in uploading data on the observatory,

v) been given and trained on how to use ipods for interviewing and in

transcribing

vi) discussed the need to utilise the data we upload on the observatory through

publishing and other dissemination strategies

vii) Etc, etc.

In other words, our capacity has been strengthened to participate effectively and

efficiently in the PanaF project, so if we do not implement the PanAf project activities

then who will?

One other important objective of the PanAf project is to increase publications in the field

of ICT and education. To us as researchers from universities and other education

institutions, the discussion we have had during these last two days are very encouraging:

Academic survival and growth in a university is largely dependant on number of

publications one produces. So this is an opportunity for us to contribute further to our

academic growth but also to the dearth of knowledge in the field of ICT and education.

The PanAf project is availing us with data via on the observatory on ICT and education

from over ten countries, providing incentives to researchers to publish. There is money in

the project for each paper published! So if we do not publish who will?

Finally, let me use this opportunity to heartily thank ERNWACA, the University of

Montreal and IDRC for the opportunity they have availed the African Universities to

participate in this noble project. On behalf of our universities we pledge that together we

shall contribute to the production and dissemination of knowledge in the area of ICT and

education.

By Alice Nankya Ndidde, Makerere University




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Annex D - Evaluation feedback

What went well?

• Discussions between participants/trainers • Presentations were brief, clear and useful • Resources were good , high quality of materials (PowerPoint presentations ,iPod

explanations, Newsletter for distribution ) • Very good time-management • Reaffirmation of data-sharing principles • The frank discussions and comments throughout the day were an indication of

individual and creative seriousness of the tasks ahead • Excellent contributions from all members • Great support among members is developing • Good leadership/directives by Moses • Openess of the researchers • Presentation of the methodological guide and ho we can collect data from the

schools • Good questions and meaningful debates • We learned how to introduce and search data in the Observatory • Good organization, good accommodations, specially fasting issue, common

dinner • Flexibility by facilitators

What could/should be improved?

• Follow the outline of the workshop, time management should the improved • It would be more useful to spend time on key research issues as opposed to

administrative issues • Start times, time management • Need more time for developing a shared set of theoretical assumptions about this

work • Not enough time on country issues and what we might learn from them • Meeting room hot ! Interruptions by the sun! The climate in the room could be

kept cooler, especially in the afternoon • Give important documentation on the websites • Printed versions of the presentations, especially the one on publications by

Kathryn Toure




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• The Internet and the printer did not work well • Accommodations and air-conditioning should be improved • The coordination between the regional coordination and the contact person on

what was expected • Keeping of time, especially after breaks or in the morning when going in the

workshop room • Need to have concrete ideas about what countries think about publications • Participation for all participants, discussion groups among participants • Mostly accommodations and perdiems • Practical focus was good but too long • Clarity of expectations • More time should be allowed for practical work in future workshops • For next workshops :

o Include cultural presentations o Visit to one school to have first hand experience o Provide to all participants ½ day to know the country

Other comments/Concerns/suggestions

• We need to consider other aspects of interaction because they are necessary, for example current use of ICT for research, supervision, communication

• Too little focus on the intellectual project • Too little understanding of country contexts • Too much time on ceremonial activities • Too much time on technical stuff like surfacing through the website which we

could easily figure out ourselves • Clear indications on the way forward and time-frames for follow-up actions • Looking forward to the practical bit • Provide all the presentation either in electronic format or print format • Provide additional administrative secretariat • Good balance between common guide and flexibility according to national

contexts • Great leadership from Moses – Well organized • Increase the budget for research • Members should be open to ask questions • The timetable is overloaded • Communication in the two languages should be taken seriously • Messages should be offered in the two languages to avoid feeling out of place • Holding the next workshop in Montreal • Invite national committees to a workshop • Organize an international conference for ICT research




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• Refine possible topics for research • Provide manuals for the navigation through the Observatory • Meet the promises made for the future conduct of the project – Do not allow It to

be still-born • A very fruitful and exceptional workshop • Communications should be initiated immediately • Greater involvement of country team members

Documents

Training Worskhop for the Anglophone countries of …Mr Gamal Eldin Mohamed Amin - Egypt Mrs Alice Ndidde - Uganda Dr Jude Lubega - Uganda Dr Ian Charles Moll - South Africa Ms Fatima