Visiting Nirvana...

... Nirvana Primary School, that is!

On Tuesday we were scheduled to observed Reading Companion training - software that IBM provides as grants to schools.  It's designed for 7 - 9 year olds to help them read English.  Children in Limpopo learn in this home language through third grade - these are the 9 tribal or clan languages of the 11 official languages.  All children appear to learn English and Afrikaans during their upper primary and secondary school years. In grade 4 they start learning English.

Unlike the schools we visited so far, NPS is in Polokwane.  We asked about the name and learned that's because it's in what used to be the Indian section of town - the designated place where people from India could live prior to 1994 and the end of apartheid - and many Indian families and businesses are still there including a very large and beautiful mosque.  (The lunch that was brought it had some delectable Indian food - samosas and other finger food)

The school is relatively new - it opened in 2009 as a Center of Excellence - and like most buildings in Polokwane is surrounded by a high brick wall with barbed wire on top, and gates at the entrances staffed by guards. It's a series of 1 story buildings with covered walkways - for the rainy season.  And it does have running water - the first school we visited that did.  Restrooms are separate buildings - a total of 4 built along a central corridor.  And out the back and are white plastic sewer pipes!

We went into the admin building to check in with the principal - and were directed to the computer lab.  The admin building was spacious with minimal furnishings.  The computer lab was a large room with about 30 computers - from HP - locked down.  The windows had grates over them, and the door to the classroom was a strong wooden door.  The room also appeared to have an alarm system - and a door closed off what was labeled as the server room.

The training was led by a contractor (to IBM) out of Cape Town - Edunova.  We learned from Winnie, the trainer, that IBM had contracted with that company to provide training on the Reading Companion software over the next year to several schools within South Africa.  Winnie shared she was from 'Zim' - Zimbabwe - and had recently moved to Cape Town.  (There are many immigrants from Zimbabwe due to the unrest and violence - many gather on a corner a few blocks from our lodge to look for day work.  Many have walked here - crossing through the Kruger National Park on foot.  We've heard about border guards in Zimbabwe that stop cars that are loaded with possession suggesting the people may be leaving the country.)

Participants in the training were teachers from 12 of the 25 KidSmart schools - KidSmart is the preschool software IBM provides to schools. Some of the teachers who are to use Reading Companion have never been on a computer - had no idea how to use a mouse - or any of the language we use to describe a computer and how to use it!  It appears that Winnie was unaware of the lack of familiarity with computers as she conducted her demonstration.

The presentation equipment in the room included a touch screen on the wall - we'd never seen one!  A projector from the ceiling was used - and the screen was a touch screen - so that Winnie could touch the screen to communicate with the computer!  The computer was necessary if keyboard input was needed - but anything that was mouse and click could be done by touching the screen!  Would be great equipment to have in a training situation!

After the demonstration of the software, Winnie directed the teachers to go to the Internet, use Google to find a particular site, and set up their accounts.  Many looks of panic from the teachers!  So our team began working with the teachers, showing them how to access the Internet, find Google, etc.  There appeared to be a bit of confusion about why Winnie could use a touch screen and they had to use a mouse or the arrows.

It was a slow progress but within about 30 minutes the teachers had successfully registered their schools at the Reading Companion site.  The demo and the registration was the total agenda for the first day of training - one of the reasons being that although the training was scheduled to begin at 9, it was closer to 9:30 before it actually started.  Then Winnie provided information about her company and some general introductory information - and then the head of the department - our client - was asked to give a 'few words' - which lasted about 30 minutes.  He also introduced us - and asked us to say a 'few words'.  About 10:30 the actual training started - with what we thought was a very advanced overview of using a computer - with terms such as URL, hard drive, using Skype, software downloads, etc. (and lots of confused looks from the teachers!)

The teachers viewed the overview and demonstration of the software.  Winnie then proceeded to demonstrate how to download the Reading Companion software - which each teacher will be required to be on his or her school's computer!  They will also have to download Adobe Flash!  We wondered how the teachers would be able to do this -given that for some this is the first time they have ever used a computer - and many schools have a very small number of computers - often only one that's for administrator use.  One of the requirements of being in the Reading Companion program is that the schools have Internet access.  Many don't.

The session ended about 2 pm - it was scheduled for 1pm but the teachers needed a lot of time to complete the registration.  The second day of the training was to include going through the software.  However, the software requires a sound card and most of the computers in the lab did not have sound cards.  Teachers did not know whether the computers at their schools which they are to use for this program had a sound card.

After the session our team reflected on the steep learning curve required of the teachers to participate in this program - and the fact that there was only one teacher from each school so there would be no one at their location to help them with the download!  The teachers were excited to be learning how to use a computer and somewhat anxious about all that will be required of them to download the software and teach their students how to use it!  We've asked lots of questions of our key client about support for the teachers - both in learning and in the technical support that's required when one uses computers.  Our observations will inform our recommendations for continuing support for the teachers so that the software IBM provides can be used successfully.