Thanks for submitting this incredible project. I am intrigued with the way you tie microfinance and lending groups to more formal primary education. I imagine that it is a bit harder to measure the success and the outcomes of the ISLs on education. Is there a way to tell whether participating in an ISL helps children learn more? How will it help them improve their math scores? Or critical thinking? And how would measure this?
Comment le jeu peut-il aider les enfants à apprendre plus?
-L’esprit de compétion créera une certaine émulation chez les élèves, chacun cherchera à remporter les parties de jeux .Quand une équipe perd une partie ,ceci obligera les joueurs à fournir davantage d’efforts pour une prochaine partie, et ils devront pour cela bien assimiler leurs notions acquises en classe.
-Les exercices qui sont proposés sont formulés sous une forme qui permet de rappeler les notions acquises mais aussi de les évaluer. C’est dire donc qu'en dehors de l’objectif d’évaluation il y a un objectif de consolidation des acquis scolaires qui est visé par cet outil pédagogique.
Comment mesurer le succès des résultats ?
Au cours des parties de jeux chaque élève devra se munir d’un tableau de bord sur une feuille de brouillon ( voir exemplaire dans le guide ) sur lequel il mentionnera ses performances et contre-performances dans chaque matière. Les tableaux de bord seront archivés par l'élève et devront l'aider à suivre ses progressions ou régressions dans chaque discipline.Et selon les résultats de ce tableau de bord, le maître appréciera de la nécessité pour chaque élève de consolider les acquis ou procéder aux remédiations qui s’imposeront chez ce dernier.
Jenna, thanks for this great question. The ISL groups will be formed at grade 7 level, the last year of primary school. The outcome we most want to achieve is for these children to continue on to secondary school, since lack of funding is one of the key obstacles. The actual mechanism of improving critical thinking is an integral part of applying previously learned math skills in a practical real world application. Measuring changes in the ability to think critically is not within the scope of this project.
ASAP will target improving grade 7 academic performance by working through students’ math clubs throughout the school year. The focus will be on revision and preparation for the national ZIMSEC examinations. ASAP will compare the test scores in Mathematics on this externally marked placement exam for entry into secondary school.
The exams scores will be analyzed and compared in two ways
(1) To the national average
(2) To control schools, out side the project area, on a one to one correspondence, where the socio-economic environments of the paired schools are similar.
It is expected that 30% of all students that have been serviced by the BTG at grade 7 will have exam scores that are at least 10% higher than the national average. For the students involved in ISL groups ASAP expects that 50% of these students will surpass the national average by at least 10%.
A more localized comparison will be made by comparing the results between the control and paired BTG schools. Here again we expect to see higher overall test scores by the BTG schools. Results by ISL participants will be recorded separately. Since participation in ISL groups is discretionary, cause and effect will not be substantiated in this case. ASAP will not document if it the weaker or academically superior student that has chosen to participate in ISL activities.
We welcome other ideas or approaches that may strengthen the documentation of outcomes.
I had the privilege of seeing this program in person several years ago and still believe that the intersection of ISL and education is ripe with possibility! Not only does it teach critical thinking, but it also works against a major barrier to continuing education: the inability to pay school fees. Elizabeth, do you have any feeling yet for the kind of impact this program is having in the areas where it has been piloted? I'm also curious to know if you plan on expanding this program to Malawi.
----------
Stephanie Marienau
Ashoka Africa Team Associate
Featured Commentator
Thanks for your comment Stephanie. Unfortunately, since implementing the pilot project, the operating environment deteriorated significantly in Zimbabwe, particularly in the schools. Last year all NGOs were shut down for 4 months and teachers were on strike for the majority of the year. Salaries could not keep up with inflation, which reached 400,000,000%! For this reason, we were unable to follow up with those students who participated in the pilot. As things are beginning to normalize this year, we plan to conduct a follow up survey of these students. Fortunately, we have ongoing project activities continuing in the area, so the work will have minimal cost implications. We plan to identify how many of these children are still participating in a savings club and conducting income generating activities plus also any significant changes that may be attributed to the their participation in the KMJ.
In Malawi, we are not working in the schools at this time. The villages where we are implementing ISL are much poorer than those is Zimbabwe and there is very little, if any, education infrastructure. As you know, ASAP worked together with the rural communities in Zimbabwe for years, helping them fill the need for classrooms, teachers' housing and furniture through ASAP's Community Building Through Education project. It is this kind of long term relationship that is required for communities to trust an organization with their most valued asset - their children!
On July 28, 2009 the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” competition and would like to pass on the following feedback (listed below) for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators. We wish you continued luck with your innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“I really like that this has an impact on primary and secondary schooling by changing the foundational concepts of a core subject. The focus on math for students and teacher training as well as the microfinance work with parents is really great. The curriculum is relevant, and utilizing active teaching through math clubs and savings clubs can really spearhead changes in other subject areas as well. In terms of sustainability, I would like to learn more about how they plan on funding this initiative. Overall, a great effort!”
- Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” Judges: Escuela Nueva, Center for International Education at the University of Massachusetts, Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, CARE (United States), African Leadership Academy, UNICEF
Naveen, thank you for your message. A Self-help Assistance Program (ASAP Africa) is seeking donor funding for the Business Leadership Project (previously Bridge the Gap-Kufusa Mari) in Zimbabwe for the next 3 years of project activity. Currently we have two small foundations interested in investing in the project, which is great. This does not permit ASAP to scale-up activities to the optimum level; the need in Zimbabwe is so great! ASAP continues to approach other potential investors with an expressed interest in quality education, in hopes that the scope of the project can be expanded to assist more children during these particularly challenging times.
ASAP Africa has an entrepreneurial ethos and has always operated a functional social enterprise. That is, we prefer to generate income to cover our costs instead of depending solely on outside investors; we put into practice that which we preach; self-reliance. From 1995-2005 ASAP operated a carpentry training social enterprise in Zimbabwe. By producing school furniture and teaching aids, ASAP generated ample income to cover our operating costs during that time period.Unfortunately, Zimbabwe became so unstable that the training facility became unviable.
ASAP is confident that such an enterprise will be viable again, providing hands-on vocational skills, much needed materials to enhance education and income for ASAP.
Commentaires
Elizabeth-
Thanks for submitting this incredible project. I am intrigued with the way you tie microfinance and lending groups to more formal primary education. I imagine that it is a bit harder to measure the success and the outcomes of the ISLs on education. Is there a way to tell whether participating in an ISL helps children learn more? How will it help them improve their math scores? Or critical thinking? And how would measure this?
Comment le jeu peut-il aider les enfants à apprendre plus?
-L’esprit de compétion créera une certaine émulation chez les élèves, chacun cherchera à remporter les parties de jeux .Quand une équipe perd une partie ,ceci obligera les joueurs à fournir davantage d’efforts pour une prochaine partie, et ils devront pour cela bien assimiler leurs notions acquises en classe.
-Les exercices qui sont proposés sont formulés sous une forme qui permet de rappeler les notions acquises mais aussi de les évaluer. C’est dire donc qu'en dehors de l’objectif d’évaluation il y a un objectif de consolidation des acquis scolaires qui est visé par cet outil pédagogique.
Comment mesurer le succès des résultats ?
Au cours des parties de jeux chaque élève devra se munir d’un tableau de bord sur une feuille de brouillon ( voir exemplaire dans le guide ) sur lequel il mentionnera ses performances et contre-performances dans chaque matière. Les tableaux de bord seront archivés par l'élève et devront l'aider à suivre ses progressions ou régressions dans chaque discipline.Et selon les résultats de ce tableau de bord, le maître appréciera de la nécessité pour chaque élève de consolider les acquis ou procéder aux remédiations qui s’imposeront chez ce dernier.
Jenna, thanks for this great question. The ISL groups will be formed at grade 7 level, the last year of primary school. The outcome we most want to achieve is for these children to continue on to secondary school, since lack of funding is one of the key obstacles. The actual mechanism of improving critical thinking is an integral part of applying previously learned math skills in a practical real world application. Measuring changes in the ability to think critically is not within the scope of this project.
ASAP will target improving grade 7 academic performance by working through students’ math clubs throughout the school year. The focus will be on revision and preparation for the national ZIMSEC examinations. ASAP will compare the test scores in Mathematics on this externally marked placement exam for entry into secondary school.
The exams scores will be analyzed and compared in two ways
(1) To the national average
(2) To control schools, out side the project area, on a one to one correspondence, where the socio-economic environments of the paired schools are similar.
It is expected that 30% of all students that have been serviced by the BTG at grade 7 will have exam scores that are at least 10% higher than the national average. For the students involved in ISL groups ASAP expects that 50% of these students will surpass the national average by at least 10%.
A more localized comparison will be made by comparing the results between the control and paired BTG schools. Here again we expect to see higher overall test scores by the BTG schools. Results by ISL participants will be recorded separately. Since participation in ISL groups is discretionary, cause and effect will not be substantiated in this case. ASAP will not document if it the weaker or academically superior student that has chosen to participate in ISL activities.
We welcome other ideas or approaches that may strengthen the documentation of outcomes.
Elizabeth Bara
Thank you for your submission!
I had the privilege of seeing this program in person several years ago and still believe that the intersection of ISL and education is ripe with possibility! Not only does it teach critical thinking, but it also works against a major barrier to continuing education: the inability to pay school fees. Elizabeth, do you have any feeling yet for the kind of impact this program is having in the areas where it has been piloted? I'm also curious to know if you plan on expanding this program to Malawi.
----------
Stephanie Marienau
Ashoka Africa Team Associate
Featured Commentator
Thanks for your comment Stephanie. Unfortunately, since implementing the pilot project, the operating environment deteriorated significantly in Zimbabwe, particularly in the schools. Last year all NGOs were shut down for 4 months and teachers were on strike for the majority of the year. Salaries could not keep up with inflation, which reached 400,000,000%! For this reason, we were unable to follow up with those students who participated in the pilot. As things are beginning to normalize this year, we plan to conduct a follow up survey of these students. Fortunately, we have ongoing project activities continuing in the area, so the work will have minimal cost implications. We plan to identify how many of these children are still participating in a savings club and conducting income generating activities plus also any significant changes that may be attributed to the their participation in the KMJ.
In Malawi, we are not working in the schools at this time. The villages where we are implementing ISL are much poorer than those is Zimbabwe and there is very little, if any, education infrastructure. As you know, ASAP worked together with the rural communities in Zimbabwe for years, helping them fill the need for classrooms, teachers' housing and furniture through ASAP's Community Building Through Education project. It is this kind of long term relationship that is required for communities to trust an organization with their most valued asset - their children!
On July 28, 2009 the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” competition and would like to pass on the following feedback (listed below) for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators. We wish you continued luck with your innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“I really like that this has an impact on primary and secondary schooling by changing the foundational concepts of a core subject. The focus on math for students and teacher training as well as the microfinance work with parents is really great. The curriculum is relevant, and utilizing active teaching through math clubs and savings clubs can really spearhead changes in other subject areas as well. In terms of sustainability, I would like to learn more about how they plan on funding this initiative. Overall, a great effort!”
- Changemakers “Champions of Quality Education in Africa” Judges: Escuela Nueva, Center for International Education at the University of Massachusetts, Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, CARE (United States), African Leadership Academy, UNICEF
Naveen, thank you for your message. A Self-help Assistance Program (ASAP Africa) is seeking donor funding for the Business Leadership Project (previously Bridge the Gap-Kufusa Mari) in Zimbabwe for the next 3 years of project activity. Currently we have two small foundations interested in investing in the project, which is great. This does not permit ASAP to scale-up activities to the optimum level; the need in Zimbabwe is so great! ASAP continues to approach other potential investors with an expressed interest in quality education, in hopes that the scope of the project can be expanded to assist more children during these particularly challenging times.
ASAP Africa has an entrepreneurial ethos and has always operated a functional social enterprise. That is, we prefer to generate income to cover our costs instead of depending solely on outside investors; we put into practice that which we preach; self-reliance. From 1995-2005 ASAP operated a carpentry training social enterprise in Zimbabwe. By producing school furniture and teaching aids, ASAP generated ample income to cover our operating costs during that time period.Unfortunately, Zimbabwe became so unstable that the training facility became unviable.
ASAP is confident that such an enterprise will be viable again, providing hands-on vocational skills, much needed materials to enhance education and income for ASAP.
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