Using the XO Laptop to Build a Digital Bridge Between Primary Schools and Universities

2011 ◽  
pp. 40-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn Foley
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Technology In Education ◽  
Harvard College ◽  
Spreadsheet Program ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Group Activities ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Collaborative Behavior

One-to-one computing has emerged as a controversial framework for integrating technology in education. The Cambridge Friends School XO laptop pilot program is a collaboration between the Digital Literacy Project (DigiLit), a non-profit and Harvard College student organization, and the Cambridge Friends School (CFS), an independent K-8 school. This chapter will examine both positive and negative features of the program, as well as a model for implementation of similar programs. DigiLit introduced low-cost XO laptops to two grade levels and designed laptop-based lesson plans. The author also investigated the XO’s effects on collaborative behavior, finding that laptops influenced mobility and sharing of information during group activities. As part of the pilot, students tested new software and completed a survey about the design of an open-source spreadsheet program. The partnership between DigiLit and CFS has provided a platform for researching child-computer interaction and for developing a laptop-based curriculum.

Empowering professionalism in mission-oriented innovation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus M Bugge ◽  
Fazilat Siddiq
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Teaching Tools

Abstract In the literature on mission-oriented innovation supply side and tech-oriented approaches have been complemented by broader and more inclusive societal approaches. Here, it is highlighted that both directionality and broad anchoring of diverse stakeholders across private, public, and civic domains are key to successful implementation. Still, it is unclear how these dimensions relate and unfold in practice. Using digital literacy in education as an example of mission-oriented innovation, this paper investigates what prerequisites and capabilities are needed to envision and govern such processes. Based upon a case study of innovative teaching practices in twenty-five classes at ten primary schools in Norway, the paper finds that the motivation, dedication, and engagement of the teachers is not primarily related to the digital technologies themselves, but to the professional and pedagogical anchoring of the digital teaching tools. The mobilization of the professionalism of the teachers is enabled by a process of balanced empowerment.

DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL LITERACY PROJECT IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BARINGO COUNTY, KENYA

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-117
Author(s):  
Florence Sutter ◽  
Dr. Allan Kihara
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Information Communication Technology ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
National Union ◽  
Head Teachers ◽  
Upper Echelons Theory

Purpose: The study aimed at finding out the determinants of successful implementation of digital literacy project in public primary schools in Baringo County in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of school leadership, information communication technology teacher competence, and teacher workload and information communication technology infrastructure. The study was founded on Technology Acceptance Theory, Resource Based Theory, Upper Echelons Theory and the Technology, Organization and Environment Model theories. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Methodology: The study targeted 612 stakeholders in the implementation of the Digital Literacy Project in public schools including the Ministry of education Science and Technology representative who is the Sub county Directors, the TSC Sub County Directors, curriculum support officers in the County, the Kenya Institute of Special Education Sub County coordinators, the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association Sub County coordinators, the Kenya National Union of Teachers Sub County coordinators  and the  head teachers of the public primary schools in Baringo county. Yamane formula was used to determine a sample size of 150 respondents. Structured questionnaire presented in likert scale were used in collecting primary data. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, mean and frequency was used to analyze the collected data. The study also used inferential statistics such as correlation and regression. Results: The study found that school leader of technology encourage use of technology in teaching and learning and help teachers establish goals to implementation of technology in achieving their instructional strategies and that school leader’s interest; their commitment and championing implementation of ICT programs in schools positively influenced the whole process. The study concluded that school leadership had the greatest influence on implementation of digital literacy project in public primary schools in Baringo County in Kenya in Kenya followed by ICT infrastructure, then teachers ICT competence while teachers’ workload had the least influence on the implementation of digital literacy project in public primary schools in Baringo County in Kenya.Contribution to policy and practice: The study recommends that the school leaders should increase their compliance with the various policies so as to ensure more effective integration of learning and teaching in primary schools and that school administration and stakeholders in education needs to be more supportive towards implementation of ICT programs.

scholarly journals EXPERIENCE OF ICT IMPLEMENTATION IN PRIMARY CURRICULUM IN UKRAINE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-55
Author(s):  
Ірина Василівна Борисенко ◽  
Оксана Павлівна Биконя ◽  
Ольга Олександрівна Рембач ◽  
Лариса Петрівна Шумна ◽  
Олександр Іванович Олійник ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
National Standards ◽  
European Countries ◽  
National Standard ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Ict Implementation

The study was formulated within the context of an increasing recognition of ICT as curriculum priorities in primary schools of many European countries. The implementation of ICT-centered curriculum is a step towards realizing the goals of the new Law of Ukraine “On Education” (2017), National Strategy for the Development of Education in Ukraine until 2021, European strategic programme “Education and Training 2020”. Actuality of approaches to ICT implementation in present-day primary schools is caused by the substantial development of digital technologies and requirement of digital literacy for people’s work, social, and personal lives. The unique opportunity of primary education as a large sub-sector of any education system is to contribute to the renewal of societies through education of the young. The paper aims to study implementation of Computer science into national standard of primary education in Ukraine and the UK. In the recent years, many European countries have seen some changes of the content one of which relates to the area of computer science education that resulted in implementing an ambitious new curriculum in this subject. The author gives a comparative analysis of primary ICT within national standards in term of the Computer science development from the initial stage to present day situation. The comparative analysis specifies areas of similarities (aims, objectives, approaches to implementation, priorities of developing digital skills, teaching hours) and differences (programme topics, characterization of learning outcomes) in the study of ICT covering the subject content, expected learning results and general principles of ICT in education, as well as examples of ICT implementation. The paper is also focused at discussing the role of the ICT curriculum in modern-day primary classroom; advantages and disadvantages of ICT integration at primary stage. Much attention is paid to how it is integrated into daily learning modes to allow and encourage active learning. In primary education there are two main models of ICT implementation into curriculum, these are: ICT integrated across the curriculum; ICT (or Informatics, Computer Science and Computing) as a discrete subject within national standard.

scholarly journals Critical Digital Literacy: Technology in Education Beyond Issues of User Competence and Labour-Market Qualifications

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Pötzsch
Keyword(s):  
Media Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Technology In Education ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Digital Capitalism ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Knowledge Competencies ◽  
Structural Aspects

The present contribution conducts an intervention in the study and practice of digital and media literacy. After reviewing key tenets of recent debates, I advance a specific understanding of the concept – critical digital literacy – that, as I argue, comprehensively addresses issues of knowledge, competencies, and skills in relation to digital technologies. In particular, I posit that critical thinking about educational and other values of ‘the digital’ needs to take structural aspects of the technology into account that are often eschewed in instrumental or commercially-driven approaches. To prepare pupils for their future lives requires a widest possible contextualisation of technology, including issues of exploitation, commodification, and degradation in digital capitalism. Finally, I make concrete suggestions for constructive uses of technology in teaching and learning.

Kheyti: Product and Business Development at an AgTech Social Enterprise

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Mohanbir Sawhney ◽  
Saumya
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Agricultural Technology ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Income Variability ◽  
Cash Reserves

In early 2017, after launching its successful “Greenhouse-in-a-Box” pilot project in India with fifteen smallholder farmers, Kheyti, a non-profit agricultural technology (AgTech) social enterprise, was struggling with several decisions in developing and growing its business. Kheyti was launched in 2015 to help smallholder farmers battle poverty and income variability by providing affordable technologies bundled with services. Over eighteen months, the team had developed a low-cost and modular greenhouse product to which it added financing, inputs, training, and market linkages to create a comprehensive “full-stack” solution for small farmers. The pilot project was a success in many ways, but Saumya, Kheyti's co-founder and head of product, was concerned that it revealed shortcomings that could severely affect the viability and scalability of Kheyti's solution. Saumya had some important decisions to make. Should Kheyti redesign the product from scratch, or find other ways to reduce the cost for early adopters? Should it rely on upfront revenues from sales of the greenhouse, or consider developing an innovative financing or contract farming model? Kheyti's dwindling cash reserves meant that these decisions were urgent and critical. The path chosen now would determine whether the startup would move beyond the pilot stage and achieve its vision of serving 1 million farmers by 2025.

Planets in a Room: an educational tool for Europlanet

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Livia Giacomini ◽  
Francesco Aloisi ◽  
Ilaria De Angelis ◽  
Stefano Capretti
Keyword(s):  
Online Community ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Planetary Science ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
3D Printed

<p>Planets in a room (PIAR) is a DIY kit to build a small, lowcost spherical planet simulator and planetarium projector. Teachers, science communicators that run a small museum or planetarium, planetary scientists, amateur astronomers and other individuals can easily build it and use it on their own, to show and teach the Earth and other planets and to develop and share material with a growing online community. Having started in 2017 with a first version made using 3d-printed technology, PIAR has lately gone green, with a new wooden, plastic-free version of the kit. (http://www.planetsinaroom.net/)</p> <p>The project has been developed by the italian non-profit association Speak Science, with the collaboration of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and the Roma Tre University, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica.</p> <p>It was funded by the Europlanet Outreach Funding Scheme in 2017 and was presented to the scientific community at EPSC and other scientific Congresses in the following years. Today, it is being distributed to an increasing number of schools, science museum and research institutions. PIAR is also one of the projects selected by the Europlanet Society for education and public outreach of planetary science: in 2020, it is being distributed to the 12 Europlanet Regional Hubs all around Europe, to be used in a number of educational projects.</p> <p>In this talk we will review the state of the art of the project presenting a selection of educational material and projects that have been developed for PIAR by scientists, teachers and communicators and that are focused on planetary science and on planetary habitability.</p> <p> </p> <p>Acknowledgements</p> <p>We acknowledge for this project the vast community of amateur and professionals that is actively working on innovative educational systems for astronomy such as planetarium and virtual reality projects (both hardware and software). Planets in a room is based on the work of this vast community of people and their experiences and results. We also acknowledge Europlanet for funding this work: the project Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.”</p> <p> </p> <p>References</p> <p>Giacomini L., Aloisi F., De Angelis I., “Planets in a room”, EPSC Abstracts Vol. 11, EPSC2017-280, 2017</p> <p>Giacomini L., Aloisi F., De Angelis I., Capretti S., “Planets in a Room: a DIY, low-cost educational kit”, EPSC Abstracts Vol. 12, EPSC2018-254, 2018</p> <p>Giacomini L., Aloisi F., De Angelis I., Capretti S., “Planets on (low-cost) balloons”, EPSC AbstractsVol. 13, EPSC-DPS2019-1243-1, 2019</p> <p>Giacomini L., Aloisi F., De Angelis I., Capretti S, “(Green) Planets in a Room”, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-22153, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-22153, 2020</p>

scholarly journals THE BASIC SPECIFICITY OF THE ABILITY OF VARIED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CURRICULUMS TO ENHANCE ENGLISH LEARNERS’ CAPACITY TO DEVELOP NECESSARY SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE USING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-33
Author(s):  
Michael Wayne Hendershot ◽  
Nutprapha K. Dennis ◽  
Suchada Chaiwiwattrakul ◽  
Ratirot Phiphitphakdee
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Effective Use

Inasmuch as the goal of teaching English to non-native English speakers should be focused on enhancing English learners’ ability to develop skills necessary for efficient and effective use of the English language in communication within their daily lives as well as within the context of educational, employment, governmental, and business related issues, the materials and resources used by the teacher to provide said English learners with enhanced ability to develop necessary skills for the use of the English language for efficient and effective communication are of paramount importance. This study was designed as a comparison of English language curriculums between select schools in an effort to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum to enhance students’ abilities to develop skills to be able to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language. Participants in the study were presented with questions relating to activities of daily life, and conversation thereof, using the English language. The resultant responses to the questions were assessed as to an indication of the participants’ ability to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language. The comparison involved six grade levels of students from two primary schools and one secondary school. The tabulated results indicated a significant difference in the abilities of the participants to effectively and efficiently communicate using the English language related to curriculums used in schools in which the participants were enrolled at the time of the study.

scholarly journals Using Abacus and Bundles of Stick to Help Basic Two (2) Pupils to Add Two and Three-Digit Numbers: An Action Research of Ghana National College Basic School, Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana

2020 ◽  
pp. 21-37
Author(s):  
Dennis O.K. ◽  
Ernest K.O. ◽  
Sulemana K. ◽  
Yusif Z. ◽  
Zunurain Z. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Early Grade ◽  
Basic School ◽  
Teaching Learning

The purpose of this study was to use Abacus and Bundles of stick as Instructional Materials or Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) to improve the addition of two- and three-digit numbers among Basic Two (2) Pupils of Ghana National College Basic School, Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana. Action research design was used for the study. Evaluation Test (Pre-Test and Post-Test) were used to gather data on the pupils. The population was thirty-four (34) and the sample used for the study was fourteen (14) pupils. Pre-Test was used to assess the pupil’s performance to identify their strength and weakness for the necessary interventions to be used to solve that problem. Post-Test was used to gather results and compare the effectiveness of the use of Abacus and Bundles of stick in solving addition of two- and three-digits numbers in mathematics. Simple percentage count was employed by the researcher to display the results and findings. It was found out from the study that, appropriate materials like Bundles of sticks and Abacus should be encouraged and be used in primary schools more especially at the Lower Primary levels (Early Grade levels) to teach for the pupils to overcome their difficulties in solving addition problems involving two- and three-digits numbers.

scholarly journals Gender and teacher attitude toward digital literacy programme in Kisii county primary schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-390
Author(s):  
Edwin Obwoge Makworo ◽  
George Morara Nyakoe ◽  
Teresa Kwamboka Abuya
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Literacy Programme ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning

Digital technologies have been associated with improved and enriched learning experiences which include more student-centered learning. These technologies have made teaching and learning experiences more interesting. In view of the crucial role of digital technologies in enhancing learning, this study sought to assess teacher attitudes towards the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) in Kisii County based on gender differences. Does the gender of the teachers involved in the Digital Literacy Programme in Kisii County affect their readiness to uptake and implement the program? A survey research design was applied in the study. The population of the study constituted of 1,420 standard one and two teachers selected from randomly sampled schools of the county. The sample size was determined using the Fisher formula and the sample consisted of 302 standard one and two teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select the specific teachers. Simple random sampling was used to select the specific schools to include in the study and proportionate sampling was used to determine the number of respondents from each school. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. To ascertain the reliability of the research instruments, a pilot test was carried out and a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.76 was realized. Data were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics in SPSS. The study established that difference in gender has no effect on the teachers’ attitude to the Digital Literacy Programme.

scholarly journals Analysis of Classroom Teaching Candidates’ Speaking Self-efficacy in Terms of Different Variables

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Oğuzhan Kuru
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
School Teaching ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Speaking Skill

Human beings are social creatures by nature and one of their most important characteristics is the multifaceted communication they establish with their environment. There are numerous ways of establishing communication. However, the most preferred manner has always been speech. For the speaking skill to be used effectively, the individual should have self-confidence. Educational institutions are the places where the foundations of self-confidence are laid. In educational institutions where self-confidence is taught, it is fundamental that the educators have self-confidence themselves. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the self-efficacy levels of classroom teacher candidates, who will be teaching in primary schools where the basic characteristics of the speaking skill are taught, display any differences in terms of different variables. The study group of the study consists of students receiving education at the Department of Primary School Teaching, Faculty of Education in a state university in the 2016-2017 academic year. The study group consists of 225 students who were selected through the typical case sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling types. With the purpose of collecting data, the ‘Speaking Self-Efficacy Scale (SSES)’ developed by Aydın (2013) consisting of four sub-dimensions with a Cronbach Alpha value of 0.95 was used. SPSS software program (Version 22) was used in the analysis of numeric data. The data was analyzed with the Independent Sample t-test, One Way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests. According to the results of the study, a significant difference has been determined in the speaking process and listener factor sub-dimensions of the students in favor of the male students. Regarding the grade levels, it was concluded that the upper grade levels regarded themselves as more self-sufficient in the skill of speaking in all of the sub-dimensions.

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