Name: Kaili Mumme
Post: Zinvie
Date Submitted: January 9, 2009
Contact Information: 97676128 or 98520402
Pick up Location: Cotonou
Project Description: In February 2009 I will begin teaching girls in the grades deuxieme to terminale basic computer competency classes. Classes will take place at the CEG-Zinvié in the computer classroom on Wednesday afternoons from 15h to 18h. There will be no more than 6 classes, with no more than 10 girls per class. There are between 50-60 girls in those grades at the CEG and 3-5 working computers at the school. This will enable me to teach 3 classes each Wednesday for 1 hour per class. So each class will meet twice per month until the school year is finished.
The girls will be chosen based on their desire to participate and availability. The only limiting factors for inclusion are that the girls have to be in one of the three classes at the CEG. I will be doing the majority of the teaching and planning myself with limited outside aide. If I need help there is an English professor at the CEG who is willing to look over lessons or offer advice. Sessions will include teaching computer vocabulary and parts, basic operation, navigation, basic typing skills, and other introductory computer topics.
Dates of Project: February 2009-July2009—Wednesday afternoons, potential to continue into the summer or next school year depending on desire and success.
Number of People Involved: There are up to 60 girls who will participate in the computer classes. I am the only teacher and there might be input in the lesson planning from an English professor at the CEG. There is potential to expand the number of people involved with time.
Budget:
| Item | Number | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Extension Cord (to give power to computers which have to be set up across the room based on plug locations) | 3 | 9.000 |
| Chalk (to write on board) | Box | 1.000 |
| Eraser (to erase chalkboard) | 1 | 500 |
| Khaki Paper (pictures, quizzes to assess comprehension) | 10 | 1.000 |
| Notebook (attendance and lesson planning, notes) | 5 (100 pages) | 750 |
| Loose Paper (nametags) | 20 sheets | 500 |
| Markers (for khaki paper) | 5 | 1.500 |
| Total | 16.250 |
Amount Requested: 16.250 CFA
Comments
GAD Coordinator: Is deuxieme a grade level? I’m excited to see an IT-related project this month! This is the first one in quite a while. Basic computer skills trainings are a lot of fun, but I do have some concerns about the way she has structured the activity. In my experience it is very difficult to teach much of value in a 1 hour session, and it will surely be more difficult to get anything across if each group only meets twice per month for a total of a meagre 2 hours per month, all three sessions are back-to-back on the same day, and students are distracted for the first and last 15 minutes of each session. Perhaps this is the only time when she is free and the computer lab is available? Even if this is true, however, I think that the participants might benefit more if she decided to do one three hour meeting and involve a smaller number of students, which would increase retention as it would give everyone more time to practice. I would be curious to know why she decided to structure the club in this way.
I recommend funding this project even if Kaili decides that the 3-group plan is best, but I think I should at least talk to her before the project begins to make sure she knows what she’s getting herself into. Also, I think that 3,000 is too much to pay for a standard extension cord. I can’t remember ever having paid more than 2,000 each, and I’m not particularly good at negotiating.
GAD Finance: Because I do not have much experience with computer skills trainings here, as Erin does, I would recommend that Erin maybe clarifies and explains this to her before it is approved. My only concern is not having a Beninese counterpart involved in the project. I would recommend she brings someone else in to help for at least part of the time (especially a woman) just so there is potentially a chance of sustainability, as well as training in terms of an adult in the community. And deuxieme is not a grade level. Does she mean seconde? If she is able to bring someone in from her community to help for a substantial portion of the project, I would approve funding.
GAD Finance: You're right Erin. She needs to clarify certain points. And I agree with Erin too. There are grey areas in this proposal even though it's good.
GAD Coordinator Update: I spoke with Kaili a few days after approving the project; we spoke about best methods for teaching the class, and I believe she will be cutting down the class to fewer people and fewer sessions.
Closing Report
Closing report missing.
Budget:
| Item | Number | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Extension Cords | 3 | 7,500 CFA |
| Mouse | 1 | 2,000 CFA |
| Kaki paper | 10 | 750 CFA |
| Folders | 3 | 150 CFA |
| Markers | 3 | 1,200 CFA |
| Tape | 1 | 250 CFA |
| Notebook | 1 | 150 CFA |
| Dust cloths | 3 | 150 CFA |
| Notebooks | 5 | 625 CFA |
| Box of pens | 1 | 1,100 CFA |
| Total | 14,675 CFA |
Note: Remaining 1,575 CFA deposited in the Parakou cashbox.
Brief Project Description:
The GAD funds were used to buy basic supplies for a girls’ computer class at my village’s CEG. I taught girls in the grades duexieme to terminale basic computer competency classes. Classes took place at the CEG-Zinvié in the computer classroom on Wednesday afternoons from 15h to 17h. The girls were chosen at an introductory meeting that was advertised during regular school hours, and then given the opportunity to choose a time slot.
The classes went very well and the girls were very receptive to the knowledge. Sessions included teaching computer vocabulary and parts, basic operation, navigation, basic typing skills, and other introductory computer topics.
Dates of Project: 1/3/2009-1/6/2009
Number of People Involved: There were 16 girls involved; they ranged from 16-18 years old.
Goals of Project: The goals/objectives of this project were to give high school aged girls basic computer competency. I think these goals/objectives were met. This became evident through monitoring the girls in their classes. We also had review quizzes every class to test their knowledge and the girls’ overall did very well. One of the girls in my class was also a tutrice for Camp Glow and it was apparent that she remembered what I taught when she helped out the girls during my computer class at the Camp.
Strengths of Project: The strengths of this project were that it was relatively easy to plan with the ICT documents Erin provided me with. I was also lucky to have the computers already at the CEG. Another strength of this project was that it was all girls, so it was easy for me to intertwine other small lessons regarding girls’ empowerment into my classes.
Challenges of Project: The challenges of this project were getting the school involved and organizing it. The school was very slow to respond to my requests and there were arguments about why it was only girls, and not boys. Weaknesses included the functioning of the computers at the school. It was hard to keep them properly functioning because other people would use them in the school and they were not in a computer friendly environment. This is the reason that the classes stopped, the computers ceased functioning.
Budget: I already gave this information to Erin, it should be on file. Thanks!
