Education Issues: Opportunities and challenges

to enhance village level education in South and Southeast Asia through energy access and ICT

Sowirin Chuanprapun, UNESCO Bangkok Dil Bahadur Shrestha, NRC-NFE, Nepal

SDG 4 - “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”

TRUE

Mobile Literacy for Out-of-School

Children

There are 75,995 non-Thai children in education system provided by MOE Thailand: o Basic Education: 65,455 o Private Education: 2,115 o Non-Formal & Informal Education: 8,425

17,161 children are attending migrant learning centres (MLCs)

Background & Objective

100 teachers

Challenges for Learners o Migrant, stateless, ethnic minority and

disadvanged children along the Thai-Myanmar border

o Low learning achievement in Thai and Burmese

o Lack of recognition on education at MLCs

Estimated number of migrant children in Thailand: 400,000

Challenges for Teachers o High commitment, low income o Lack of capacity building or

self-development o Lack of ICT skills – Conventional

teaching method

Teaching & learning materials o Not sufficient o Low quality o Need of mother-tongue

language materials

o Not sufficient classroom equipment/facilities

o Poor infrastructure – No access to internet, electricity shortage

Sukothai Nam Tok New Day

Saw New Road Has Mu Thaw

The project aims at enhancing literacy & numeracy skills of marginalized children along the Thai-Myanmar border through mobile learning & ICT potentials

Main Activities

1,100 Tablets for 60 schools and MLCs o Phase 1 (2015): 20 schools in Tak, Chiang

Rai and Ranong o Phase 2 (2016): 40 schools in Tak,

Kanchanaburi and Samutsakorn

Textbooks

(MOE Thailand & Myanmar)

‘LearnBig’ Content App in 3 languages (over 1,000 materials)

References

(Dictionary)

Teaching Materials

(OBEC, ONIE and NFPE)

Education Apps and Games

Open content on http://emescn.net

o ‘Trueplookpanya’ Satellite TV with education channels

o Portable Wifi devices o Wireless display receiver to

connect tablet and TV

o Collaborate with all partners o Consolidate and categorize content

from publishers o Develop content App“LearnBig” and

provide training session o M & E (App’s tracking system and

scores)

o Participate in MLC selection process

o Provide coordination with MLCs o M & E

o Select MLCs and schools that are eligible for the project

o Organize capacity building training for teachers and follow-up training

o Support teachers to develop ICT integrated lesson plan

o M & E

o Provide high speed internet o Install TV with educational channels

from True Visions o Provide True Click Life learning

materials o Provide training session

o Provide funding support for project implementation and procurement of tablets

o Provide training session and technical assistance on MS software

Project Partners & Supporters

ICT Trainings for Teachers o How to use ICT devices o How to design ICT integrated

lesson plan for Thai, Burmese and Mathematics subjects

o Create teacher network

Follow-up Trainings with trained teachers o Discuss on challenges & lesson learnt o Exchange best practices o Lesson plan review

Main Achievements

5,407 disadvantaged children benefit from mobile learning and ICT devices

Peer-learning & lifelong learning habits promoted

231 teachers, school directors and government officials are trained on ICT o Be able to design appropriate lesson plan o More efficiency in classroom/time

management o Teaching style improved – Being more

creative to conduct learning activities

• Student’s performance in Thai, Burmese and Math subjects are developed. • Classes are more fun and have more

engagement of learners. • Student’s attendance is increased. • ICT skills of students are enhanced. • Peer-learning and create lifelong

learning habits. • Writing skills need to be emphasized.

Learners

Literacy & numeracy skills of children are enhanced through mobile learning o ICT skills developed o Attendance and classroom engagement

increased

Assessment of Learners (Phase 1) in Mathematics, Thai and Myanmar Subjects

67 71 70

68

Performance of Grade 1 students

*Avoda MLC, Mae Sot, Tak

70 74 73

70

Performance of Grade 2 students

*Avoda MLC, Mae Sot, Tak

68 72 71

69

Performance of Grade 3 students

*Avoda MLC, Mae Sot, Tak

Positive Feedbacks from Teachers

“My 3rd grade student was a slow learner. She only scored 4 out of 100 in Thai subject. She didn’t study at all which made all teachers almost gave up on her. When we use ICT, she has performed much better and scored 38. I was surprised when she read out loud. It’s impressive!”

Ms Honey Kyaw, New Day MLC, Mae Sot, Tak

“Thun Thun is a 2nd grade student who always asked teacher to go to the toilet and disappeared! When we teach with TV and tablets, Thun Thun is so eager to learn. If I come to the class late, Thun Thun will run to remind me”

Mr Boonthum, New Road MLC, Mae Ramad, Tak

“One of my 2nd grade student is 12 years old and taller than anyone in the class. He was overaged and not confident. I asked him to be my assistant when I use tablets. He took care of the younger ones and now became a class leader!”

Saw MLC teacher, Mae Sot, Tak

Over 600 parents and community members trained on ICT

Borderless Education!

o Monthly record on list of TV programmes

o Popular websites for each class

o Collect student scores

(pre & post tests)

o Questionnaire for teachers on the use of technology

o Tracking systems on: 1. No. of pages read 2. No. of apps accessed 3. Most popular books 4. Record on uplink-

downlink data

Monitoring & Evaluation by all partners

LearnBig App Tracking System

Summary of Data Usage Fair Usage : 20

MLCs (Phase 1)

จ ำนวนกำรใชง้ำนขอ้มลู (Data Usage in

GB)

ชือ่ศนูยก์ำรเรยีนรู ้Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนปารม ี

(Parami)

-

0.04

0.00

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนมอรน์นิง่กลอร ี(Morning Glory)

-

3.90

0.10

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนซดีซี ี

(CDC)

-

8.46

8.99

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนอาโยนอ ู(Ah Yone Oo)

-

8.75

4.13

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนอโวดา้

(Avoda)

0.15

10.12

7.34

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนบเีอชเอสโอเอช (BHSOH)

0.63

5.21

1.84

ศนูยก์ารเรยีน กม. 42

(Km 42)

0.02

8.70

8.78

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนทมูคี ี

(Thoo Mwe Khee)

-

-

-

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนนวิโซไซตี ้(New Society)

-

10.63

11.70

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนเฮเวน่ลี่โฮม (Heavenly Home)

-

-

1.44

ศนูยก์ารเรยีนซคุคาหงสา (Sauch Kha Hong Sar)

-

-

0.06

กศน. ต าบลแมป่ะ (Mae Pa ONIE)

0.34

1.52

-

กศน. ต าบลทา่สายลวด (Tha Sai Luat ONIE)

-

-

-

กศน. ต าบลพระธาตุผาแดง (Pra That Pha Dang ONIE)

-

-

-

กศน. ต าบลชอ่งแคบ (Chong Khaep ONIE)

-

-

-

ศนูยพั์ฒนาการศกึษาเพือ่ลกูหญงิและชมุชน (DEPDC)

-

1.37

8.31

มลูนธิอิาสาพัฒนาเด็ก เชยีงราย (บา้นครนู ้า) (Drop In Mae Sai/Bann Kru Nam)

-

-

-

ศนูยพั์ฒนาคณุภาพชวีติชายแดนไทย-

พมา่ (ซอย 7) (Soi 7)

-

2.44

4.73

ศนูยพั์ฒนาคณุภาพชวีติชายแดนไทย-

พมา่ (แพรสาคร) (Prae Sakorn)

0.00

6.04

6.28

ศนูยพั์ฒนาคณุภาพชวีติชายแดนไทย-

พมา่ (วัฒนา) (Wattana)

0.10

11.92

11.58

Karaoke Literacy for Ethnic Minorities

Thai Literacy through Edutainment for Disadvantaged People in the Highlands of Tak Province: Improving literacy through energy access and ICT

Literacy Situation in Tak Province, Thailand (2014)

Literacy Situation in Tak Province, Thailand (2014)

Main Challenges

o Remote, isolated and mountainous areas

o Lack of internet

o Intermittent electrical supply – Solar cell system

for community learning centres (CLCs)

o Rainy season conditions

o Low awareness on importance of education

o Lack of confidence in communicating in Thai

(S’gaw Karen dialect), shyness

o The villagers face difficulties in daily life due to communication problems

Main Activities

o Procurement of ICT devices (projector, mini-speaker, laptop, DVD player, microphone)

o Training of teachers to develop teacher guide and materials (selection of movies, songs, relevant content, etc.)

o Disseminate the activities via community radio at the village

o Conduct literacy classes and karaoke activities

o Assessment of learners on basic Thai language skills

Main Activities

Main Achievements

o 4,865 youth and adult learners participated Thai literacy classes for life skills (plus villagers at all ages)

o 125 CLCs in the remote villages in 5 districts of Tak

o 26 NFE teachers trained

o Learners gain more confidence in the language and continue to study NFE courses

o Changes in habits and quality of life

Key Factors for Success

o Fun and engaging learning activities

o Motivation of learners

o Relevancy of the content and the local contexts

o High commitment of NFE teachers

o Strong support from the government at all levels

o Good collaboration with the communities and networks

o Maintenance of equipment

Positive Feedbacks

“Due to the remote and hard to reach areas, it is very difficult for the villagers to gain access to new knowledge. When teachers bring new materials and tools, the villagers are very excited to learn. They want to speak and communicate with outsiders. The project has opened up new opportunities in their lives…”

– Ms Siradee Prasertsit, NFE teacher of Bann Usuphokee, Tha Song Yang, Tak

“I encouraged my villagers to participate in the class as much as they could because at least they would have more understanding of the news. Many of them could understand but aren’t confident to speak or contact with others. Sometimes they ask me to help but now they can do it by themselves…”

– Mr Mong La Sae Kongyingthanasakul, Assistant to Bann Huai Phak Good Village Leader, Mae Sot, Tak

Rural Connectivity through CLCs for Sustainable Development

Objectives 1. To enable CLCs to use solar plant as alternative energies for connecting internet. 2. To enable the CLCs for communication and transferring knowledge and skills through internet and other means. 3. To support the community to install bio gas and solar plants with subsidy from respective companies.

Objectives 4. To enable community to promote organic farming using by-product of bio gas plant and other organic manure 5. To build capacity of CLC personnel and community people on maintenance of bio gas and solar panel.

Major Activities 1. Installation of solar plant at the CLCs for internet connection 2. Websites and contents development 3. Information/ knowledge/ skill collection and dissemination by CLCs through internet access 4. Awareness raising activities 5. Training for CLC personnel on application of solar plant and its maintenance 6. Training for CLC personnel on internet connection and information collection and dissemination 7. Training for community people on bio gas plant/ solar plant and their maintenance

Sowirin Chuanprapun, UNESCO Bangkok s.chuanprapun@unesco.org Dil Bahadur Shrestha, NRC-NFE nrc-nfe@acculrc.wlink.com.np

Thank you!