User:OLPC Mathematics

TITLE: USING THE XO LAPTOP TO AID TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS

Address: Hands of Charity Off Thika road, Seasons matatu terminal along Kasarani – Mwiki road past ICIPE Mark Koech c/o Theresa Okello Number of laptops: 10 Loan length: 4 months (9), 6 months (1)

Team participants:

Mark Koech (Team Leader) billiago@gmail.com

Education: Student, United States International University, B.Sc, Information Systems and Technology

A-Level Certificate, 2006

O-level Certificate, 2004

telephone (254) 723-096-197

Elias Kimaiga Moregi

Education: KCA University BCOM and CPA

Accounts Clerk Nyakach Girls’ High School

Profession: Teacher, Matongo Mixed Secondary School

Stephen Sawa

Education: Diploma, Primary School Science

Certificate in Social work

Profession: Head Master, St. Aloys Academy

Maruti J. Soita marutisoita@yahoo.com

Education: Masters Degree, Education, Kenyatta University

Bachelors Degree, Education, University of Nairobi

Profession: Teacher, Chejamisi Girls’ High School

Elizabeth Ogutu luizzoe@yahoo.com

Mobile: +254 716 196 989

Education: Student, United States International University, BA Accounting

Objectives

The primary goal of this project is to develop a project that will aid teachers in Kenyan Primary Schools teach the basic concepts of Mathematics in sync with the Kenyan Primary School syllabus using the XO laptop. The specific objectives of this project are:

1. To improve the ability of children to memorise and enhance the use of the basic Mathematical operations, that is +, -, ÷ and × using the XO laptop applications.

2. To improve children’s ability and understanding of the measurement and calculation of area, circumference and perimeter of 2-dimensional figures and the Surface Area and Volume of 3-dimensional objects with the aid of the XO laptop.

3. To aid the children in the proper understanding of the topics of ratios, percentages and proportions according to the Kenyan Primary School syllabus.

NEEDS

1. There is a lack of proper teaching methods in Kenya and hence students at this tender age are unable to grasp the fundamentals of Mathematics. The XO laptop will therefore supplement the teaching methods already in place and will be especially useful with the object oriented and simple way that it does so.

PLAN OF ACTION

1.Develop a curriculum that will aid teachers as they teach basic mathematics concepts using the XO laptop.

2. Train the teachers just before the third term which begins in September on how they can use this laptop to aid them teach their students better and faster, at the same time improving the levels of understanding of these students.

3. Integrate the program into the school schedule making sure it does not interfere with the school’s activities and start the implementation of the program by the September the 10th

4. Use the mid-term and end of term exams to monitor the progress in the students’ progress.

Time Line Progress

August: Prepare the program for school opening.

September

October - November: Travel is in process to the school district to begin implementation.

November and December: The implementation will be carried out during the school term and taught four classes twice a week.

December Term Break will be used for teacher training and community access to the laptops and evaluation of classroom trials and preparation for the next term. Evaluation At the end of the term we will assess the learning and impact of the program, and publish our reports for the greater Kenyan educational community.

January, February, March : new terms begin. Implement new revised and evaluated curriculum in the same schools in Bungoma and Kericho. Teams will visit and overlap.

Month 4 - 6 We plan to support a conference on XO learning possibly in coordination with the Kenyan graduate program in education at Kenyatta University.

(Note: This timeline was updated on October 23, 2009)

Link to Blog Report for September and October: http://hoclaptop.blog.com [1]

Despite several delays we have had, there has finally been progress in this project. We went to Keongo Primary School, a small primary school in Kericho District in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. To follow progress closely and interact with the team more directly, please visit hoclaptop.blog.com.

We are working together with a team dealing with HIV/AIDS ([2])and Reading and Writing (wiki.laptop.org/go/Projects/Reading_Writing_Skills_Kenya) in order to help us make a greater impact on one school at a time and also reduce our costs.

Please feel free to contribute on the blog and help us make the world of the children in Kenya and by extension Africa appropriate and better.Thank you and God bless