OLPCorps BRAC University Cameroon

Team

OLPCorps BRAC University Cameroon Team

Name	Major	Email
MD.Sabbir Ahmed	Computer Science and Engineering	msabbir2001@gmail.com
Mustafa Zaman	Computer Science and Engineering	Mustafa.RZaman@gmail.com

Support Letters

• Letter of Support From TechCeFaCos File:Acknowledgement and Collaboration Letter to the Divisional Delegate for Basic Education Bui.pdf
• Recommendation Letter from Ministry of Basic Education Cameroon. File:Recommendation Letter from Ministry of Basic Education Cameroon.pdf

Objectives of the Project

The OLPC team from BRAC University Bangladesh will deploy the OLPCorps Africa program in two Schools in Kumbo, Cameroon. Our Project has the following visions:

• Using laptops for learning general curriculum through open source multi-media CDs and Internet resources
• Developing mentality of the students to use their laptop as expression of their innovation and creativity
• Using various software available in OLPC for the following:
  • Learning about art and drawing and painting
  • Learning about basics of music and composing music of their own
• Developing some basic skills in using computers such as email, Internet, open office etc.
• Developing local sustainability of the project

Partner Institutio

We will implement the project with the help of local partner NGO TechCeFaCos CM and US, who are also working in promoting creativity and technological empowerment among youths to reduce technical illiteracy, especially among the African children. Since their organization is directly working with the children educational development and mostly in technical literacy. This will be a great help in aintaining the deployment of the XO laptops. We believe we can learn from their experience to reach the target of the OLPCorps Africa Program.

Deployment

The children in Kumbo, Cameroon are not in school from June-August. However most schools schedule for holiday classes as from July. These holiday classes are optional, as most children do participate. So we can make use of the holiday class initiative. Furthermore our local partner TechCeFaCos NGO CM has a holiday program ‘SUHOKU’Media:SUHOKU.doc that gives ICT training and other creativity as well as technology to children of all academy level during summer holidays.

We have chosen two schools(one is in the Government Teachers Training Collage practicing school-Government Primary School Mbven and DAVIVI Bilingual Nursery and Primary school Tobin, Kumbo) to deploy 100 XO ; attempt to make sure that every student in one class of the selected school are able to access the XOs. And will going to sustain this program to ensure that each pupil of the selected school can be the owner of XO Laptop by fund raising activities and with the support of our local partner’s development Collaborator -IAF Canada, Kids Education Concern, as well as the ministry of basic education Cameroon. Finally we come up with the tentative Project Implementation plan to deploy the Program.

Implementation

Phase 1: (setup and preparation)

[Preparation stage: 1st week]

• The storage of the 230Kg package of laptop equipment can be transported from Douala to TechCeFaCos NGO CM head office for inventory and secure them in a well maintained environment.
• Consign necessary equipment to the TechCeFaCos CM’s IT School Centre.
• Setup preparation of the training and deployment with the Partner NGO and local School authority.
• Select 100 children [note: We will develop the selection criteria with the help of local school authority and our supporting NGO. [children of age between 6-12]
• Preparing training curriculum and calendar with the help of Local School Authority.

Phase 2: (training of teachers and others as facilitators of the project)

[Orientation Stage (Teacher and Authority): 3/4 Days]

• Introducing them with OLPC XO
• Providing a guide line how to use XO
• Providing a guideline for how to guide a student in using XO

Phase 3: (showcasing with children)

1) Orientation Stage (Children): 2nd -3rd weeks

• Introducing them with OLPC XO
• Explaining importance of XO and why it is useful.
• Providing a guideline how to handle XO
• Providing a guide line how to use XO.

2) Distribution Stage: 4th -9th week

"Distributing the XO Laptop among children. We want to distribute it before giving them full training because we believe that if we let them explore the system it will be more motivating for them to stick to the XO."

Phase 4: Training stage:(Moves simultaneously with Distribution stage after Orientation)

"We believe in one to one teaching method. But we will also facilitate the learning process in group setting."

• Providing the training to the children
• Explaining usefulness of OLPC XO
• Making the technology interesting to them
• Making the learning process enjoyable.
• Explaining software maintenance.
• Explaining hardware maintenance
• Special operation of XO.
  • Drawing
  • Music
  • Internet.

Training Curriculum

Before implementing we have to decide with the authority of the school that how to integrate the school curriculum with the OLPC XO.

• Usefulness
• Protection
• Basic use of OLPC XO
• Importance
• Typing
• Image, Music, Web
• Teach a friend.

Place of Deployment

<googlemap version="0.9" lat="5.473832" lon="11.524658" zoom="7"> 6.199307, 10.687573, Place of Deployment Kumbo, Cameroon </googlemap>

Gallery

Some pictures of eKids Project that TechCeFaCos started.