I firmly believe that technology has the potential to improve classroom teaching. I’ve seen the benefits in my own classroom in Ireland, and it is clear to see the huge difference technology makes in Malawi . As you may remember from previous posts, we’ve started to introduce some of these modern tools into Matandani. But getting hold of high-quality technology in Malawi is tough. It’s also surprisingly expensive. For example, a cable to connect our projector to a computer broke not long after I bought it. A replacement cost four times what it would have cost at home.
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I met Erin Plante in South Africa and after telling her all about the project she loved what was going on at Matandani and wanted to help. When she found out that the company she works for –‘Alix Partners’ (a consulting firm) –wanted to update their laptops, she got her bosses to donate the firms “old” laptops to Matandani. It wasn’t long before three nearly-new Lenovo ‘Think Pad’ laptops arrived in July via DHL!
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These new laptops will be invaluable. Together with our projector and the internet airtime that TNM is now donating each month, Matandani’s teachers will be able to explore all kinds of new learning resources: videos, photos, maps, diagrams, charts, games, test materials… the possibilities are endless! At the same time, having multiple laptops means that we can do more hands-on IT training with the teachers, so that they and their students can make the most of this technology. Also, laptops will help with the “boring” (but critical!) administrative jobs that allow a school to run well: easily maintaining student records, quickly creating worksheets and test sheets, sending attendance data to the regional director, tracking the school’s budget and spending, etc. And the teachers will be able to keep in touch with me, which I know they’ll be excited about!
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Thank you again Erin and ‘Alix Partners’ for these wonderful additions to Matandani!
We hope to build on this very kind donation and find more laptops. It would be great to have enough so that each teacher has one in their classroom every day.
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In the meantime, stay tuned for some very exciting news soon about other new e-learning resources coming to Matandani…
