Updates from laptop program schools in Darchula
1. In-school teacher training program
OLE Nepal launched the laptop program at 15 new schools in Darchula on September 2018, after the completion of the Initial 7-day training program. In-school training is the second stage of the three-stage teacher training program. This phase of the training requires trainers to travel to the schools and observe the teachers’ daily teaching practice. Three teams of trainers from OLE Nepal conducted in-school training for teachers of 15 program schools in Darchula, from December 16, 2018 to January 2, 2019. Each team consisted of one teacher trainer and one technical trainer. During in-school training, teachers review the implementation practices and enhance the teachers’ confidence and skills regarding the laptop integrated teaching methodologies.
Trainers visited all 15 schools to observe classes of teachers, and to give feedback and suggestions. Our teams found that most of the teachers were successfully integrating laptops and digital lessons into their daily classes. Teachers also went over the basic troubleshooting techniques, while the technical trainers checked the status of laptops, library server, school network. In-school training also provides our teams an opportunity to deliver technical support depending upon the needs of the schools.
After completing the classroom part of the training, our trainers also hold community interaction meetings in all schools to understand their involvement and get feedback on the program. Representatives from the School Management Committee (SMC), Parent Teacher Association (PTA), newly elected local representatives and other parents also attended these meetings, where the OLE’s team members discussed roles and responsibilities of community members for the successful implementation of program.
As encouraged by OLE Nepal before the program launch in 2018, all laptop program schools have created a maintenance fund that is dedicated to the laptop program. The fund will be used for maintenance of equipment by the schools.
Next, teachers from Darchula’s laptop program schools will attend Refresher Training in June 2019. The teacher training program in Darchula is supported by World Food Programme (WFP).
2. Resident support in Darchula completed!
In order to support the 15 laptop program schools in Darchula, OLE Nepal launched the ‘Teaching with Technology Residency Program’ on November 12, 2019. A group of three motivated individuals were trained to prepare for a four month teaching and technical support residency program in the remote district of Darchula. Before leaving for Darchula, they attended two-weeks intensive training on pedagogical and technical aspects of the laptop program at OLE Nepal office in Sanepa, Lalitpur.
On March 12, 2019, our group of teaching residents completed their support visits to all 15 laptop program schools in Darchula. During the four months period, they were able to visit each school 4-5 times to support teachers and students. At the schools in Darchula, the teaching residents assisted the teachers and students on integrating digital resources into the classroom. They helped teachers in preparing E-Paath integrated daily lesson plan, job chart and classroom management for effective classroom teaching. They also helped the schools prepare quarterly report. On the technical part, the teaching residents helped school teachers on problems and questions related to laptops and digital library servers. At each school, they conducted routine checks of laptops, digital servers and other network and power related equipment such as solar panels, batteries, and inverters.
The residents also played an equally important role in encouraging community members to sustain the program. They conducted meetings with school School Management Committee (SMC), Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at each of the 15 schools in Darchula, to share the support status and possible measures to be taken by the management committee to sustain the program. Overall, the residents’ support at Darchula schools was successfully completed and highly appreciated by teachers, students and community members.
Mr. Subash Parajuli, our teaching with technology resident for Darchula 2018-19, has shared his personal experience (BLOG) on travelling to remote corners of Darchula district, to support OLE Nepal’s laptop program schools.