PABITRA DANGOL
IDEAS Overseas Fellow, Nepal
Abstract
This paper analyze that the OLPC model can improve quality of basic
education in Nepal or not. In Nepal, the OLPC project is jointly implemented by
the Department of Education (DoE) and Sajha Sikchya Epaati (Open Learning
Exchange Nepal – an NGO) since April 2008 as pilot project. Some evaluation
survey of OLPC showed that OLPC model hasn’t significantly improved the quality
of basic education due to lack of awareness and motivation of school teachers
and administration. Anyway, OLPC model is very good for developing country especially
for remote village students for quality improvement and mitigate disparity,
absenteeism as well digital divide. Hence the strong M&E mechanism of OLPC
implementation, well coordination among Government of Nepal (GoN), schools,
community and OLE-Nepal as well as reward/incentive mechanism to teachers might
be milestone to improve quality of basic education in Nepal.
Introduction
The formal education structure of Nepal is basic education (grade 1 to
8), secondary education (grade 9 to 12) and tertiary education (6 years). The
quality of basic education is very crucial in Nepal. Specially the students of
remote villages are lag behind in terms of quality education, disparity,
absenteeism and digital divide compare with urban schools. One Laptop Per Child
(OLPC) is one of the popular Model of ICT-based education which is adopted by
many developing countries and also effective model to improve quality of
education, to reduce absenteeism and to minimize disparity as well as digital
divide of education in Nepal.
In Nepal, the OLPC project is being jointly
implemented by the Department of Education (DoE) and Sajha Sikchya Epaati (Open
Learning Exchange Nepal – an NGO) since April 2008. The program is currently
running in 34 schools in ten districts. Overall, the program covers students
from grades two to six benefiting more than 4000 students. All the schools have
local servers containing digital library and interactive learning resources,
and the schools are equipped with power backup and access points for students
and teachers to easily access the materials in the servers. The program has
already trained nearly 200 teachers on integrating ICT in classroom teaching
and installed networks at the schools to facilitate ICT-based education.
GoN has a three-tier committee to implement wider
OLPC program under Ministry of Education (MOE): Steering Committee, Coordination
Committee and Task Force. DOE has already developed interactive digital
learning materials to grade 2 to 6 students for the subjects – Nepali,
Mathematics, English and Science with the involvement of some NGOs. In this
scenario, “Can OLPC model improve quality of Basic Education in Nepal?” is the
research question of this paper. Addressing the issues of disparity, absenteeism
and digital divide of education in Nepal by
the means of OLPC program is also assumed as sub-research question.
Theories of education and development
Among several Pedagogy theories
of learning and child development - Maturationist, Environmentalist and
Constructivist are three important theories perspectives of development. I
focused on Constructivist perspective theories such as theories by Jean Piaget,
Jerome Bruner and Maria Montessori. Cognitive developmental theory, the
Constructivist perspective, proposes that intellectual development results from
the interaction of motivational and environmental factors. Knowledge is created
by interaction. The environment is a constant source of feedback which guides
the tendency to explore and the developmental stages represent successive
levels of stabilization or adjustment to it. (Sarafino, E.P. and Armstrong, J.W., 1986)
Jerome S. Bruner devised a model called theory of instruction which
has four major principles: motivation, structure, sequence and reinforcement.
He believed that a child has three means of achieving understanding: enactive
(action-based), iconic (image-based) and symbolic (language-based) (Bruner, 1960) which is different from Piaget’s
Cognitive Theory (Piaget, 1945) in the terms of child’s age
division for development.
OLPC approach supports cognitive theory of Piaget and
Bruner as well as has a flavor of Montessori theory because it focused on
interaction, motivation, child centered; sharing laptop enables mutual cooperation,
creativity, innovation, audio and video. Finally
the expected outcome of OLPC model will be creating skillful and capable human
resources to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and post-2015
Development Agenda i.e. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nepal by
providing ICT and internet based education.
Methodology
This study uses the secondary data and information from previous studies
of OLPC program of Nepal. I will comparatively analyze the positive and
negative feedback given by researchers on their previous studies.
OLPC Model
In this model, one laptop is distributed to each child such that s/he
can learn new concepts and explores new ideas easily as well as use it as an
ICT tool.
The four major activities of OLPC model implementation in Nepal are:
- Development and distribution of free and open digital educational content
- Preparing teachers on effective integration of ICT in classroom teaching
- Research and development of appropriate technology and network infrastructure
- Building local capacity to monitor, support and sustain the program
The five core principles of OLPC model are child
ownership, low ages, saturation, connection and free and open source. (One Laptop per Child, 2010)
Can OLPC Model Improve Quality of Basic Education in Nepal?
The GoN
has introduced ICT in Education Master Plan in 2013 with the vision to ensure
extensive use of ICT in education sector and contribute for access to and quality
of education for all (Ministry of Education, 2013) . The OLE-Nepal is localizing
software and creating new content in Nepali. E-Paath (i.e. electronic lessons) and E-Pustakalaya (i.e.
electronic library) are two major contents for learning developed by OLE-Nepal.
Another private organization named MiDas Education is also working to create an
interactive learning material for children which can be used on OLPC model. So
these digital contents, organizational structure, interest of GoN and OLE-Nepal
can make OLPC model successful to improve quality of basic education in Nepal.
Moreover, OLPC model also helps to build ICT friendly human resources in long
term.
OLPC model uses the audio and visual methodology for
learning which can attract the students easily. As the laptop is also allowed
to take home, students can learn a lot both in school and home. Students can
discuss about the digital contents with their parents and friends in home. The
teaching and learning process will be easy and understandable by the use of
ICT/Internet and digital contents which helps to immense the knowledge and
skill of students faster. The efficient use of this model will improve the
education quality, school enrollment and absenteeism and digital divide of
remote/poor students of Nepal. Childs are quite impressed by laptops which
helps increase school enrollment; OLPC model is interesting and child friendly
rather than traditional way of teaching and helps to reduce absenteeism of
students; poor students of remote village can learn using ICT/Internet that
helps to minimize digital divide from rich and urban students. A study by
Bhatta[1] showed that
OLPC model helped to tackle the problems of quality and disparity in Nepal’s
school education. (Bhatta, 2008)
But the research conducted by Mr. Sharma related to the OLPC model pilot
test in Nepal during 2009-2010 has shown that no statistically significant
positive impact on student learning, non-cognitive skills or attendance as
reported in school records. (Sharma, 2014) . He also stated that no significant improvement on English and
mathematics by OLPC approach on his study. Mr. Sharma pointed the following
reasons of ineffectiveness of OLPC model:
i. Students spent more time playing games on the laptops rather than reading
digital contents
ii. Teachers expected incentives for extra work of OLPC implementation but
they don’t get. So they became unmotivated and not utilized their full
capacity.
iii. More than 25% of the teachers weren’t trained on computer assisted
learning. Even though the trained teachers didn’t want to teach using computer
assisted learning and the school administrators also didn’t believe that the
training is essential to teach effectively.
iv. Teachers didn’t motivated students to use digital materials in the
classroom.
According to Hall[2], “It
would cost over $1 billion - Nepal’s entire educational budget for the next
four to five years-to give a laptop to each of Nepal’s 6 million school-going
children. For this price you could rebuild and modernize every school.” (Hall, 2007) . He suggested that one laptop for one teacher or one computer network
per school might be a good idea rather than OLPC program in terms of learning
and cost effectiveness.
By studying OLPC related several
reports/documents and articles, I realize the following good impacts:
Ø Student interaction increased via student-centric
approach
Ø Student’s curiosity and eagerness to learn highly
increased
Ø Team work and mutual cooperation spirit to use
laptops together for learning
Ø Interaction between teacher and student increased
Ø New way of teaching: effective, interesting,
innovative and ICT friendly
At the same time following issues/challenges evolved:
Ø Teacher’s workload heavily increased. They
expected compensation to be motivated.
Ø The digital contents are just been as extra
course of national curriculum. So, digital contents must be developed as
compatible to national curriculum.
Ø Student didn’t get proper guidance to use digital
contents by teachers. So, students spent playing games in laptops which is
unproductive.
Ø OLPC is implemented just as accessory tool for
education but not necessary/compulsory tool compliance with national
curriculum, hence, didn’t show effective result and also difficult to measure
real impacts.
Conclusion
The OLPC is one of the best approaches for better
education because it strengthens not only the students and teachers but also
the family of students and community for better use of ICT. Of course, to be
successful, there must be joint effort of teachers, students, school
administration, family, community, project implementers and GoN for systematic
implementation of OLPC model. The discussion on previous section clarifies that
the strategic plan of OLPC is quite good but the problem in its implementation.
So, this realizes that there is a need of strong monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) and rewarding system in order to well-tracking the implementation.
For that any authorized and inclusive M&E committee should established and do
work properly.
Since 5 years in Nepal, there is a problem of unable
to provide textbooks timely to all students in every new academic year due to
lack of proper coordination and management of authorized agency. This OLPC
approach may be solution on this scenario. The computer laboratory can also be
integrated with this system for computer subject learning. GoN should prepare
digital content fully based on national curriculum of basic education with
coordination of OLE-Nepal or other organizations. The OLE-Nepal should
regularly monitor the OLPC program; motivate/reward teachers and school
administration to maximize the use of digital contents; solve the operational
and maintenance problems promptly and well coordinate with GoN.
However, there are numerous possibilities to
improve the quality of education, disparity, absenteeism, digital divide and
long term benefits through OLPC approach. The reason behind not getting
positive results might be too early to evaluate the program and infant stage of
OLPC implementation in Nepal. As GoN, OLE-Nepal, schools and community are
giving more priority for OLPC approach; it has very high
possibility to show good results in coming days soon. Hence, OLPC approach can
improve quality of basic education in Nepal.
References
Bhatta, S. D. (2008). Tackling the Problems of Quality and Disparity
in Nepal's School Education: The OLPC Model. Kathmandu: Mandala Book
Point.
Bruner, J.
S. (1960). The Process of Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press.
Hall, P.
(2007, August 9). Instead of one laptop per child...how about one computer
network per school, one laptop per teacher? Retrieved from Nepali Times:
http://nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=13813
ICT in
Education. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2015, from OLE Nepal:
http://www.olenepal.org/ict-in-education/
Ministry of
Education. (2013). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in
Education: Master Plan 2013-2017. Kathmandu. Retrieved from
http://moe.gov.np/SoftAdmin/content/ICT_MP_2013_(Final)_.pdf
One Laptop
per Child. (2010). OLPC: Five principles. Retrieved February 1, 2015,
from The OLPC Wiki: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC:Five_principles
Piaget, J.
(1945). Play, dreams and imitation in childhood. London: Heinemann.
Sarafino,
E.P. and Armstrong, J.W. (1986). Child and Adolescent Development. San
Francisco: West Publishing.
Sharma, U.
(2014). Can Computers Increase Human Capital in Developing Countries? An
Evaluation of Nepal's One Laptop per Child Program. Agricultural &
Applied Economics Association's Meeting, July 27-29, 2014. Minneapolis,
MN.
[1] Mr.
Saurav Dev Bhatta is an Education Director of OLE-Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal and
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Urban Planning and Policy Program, University of
Illinois at Chicago, USA.
[2] Prof. Pat Hall directs the Bhasa Sanchar project
at Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya and is a visiting professor at Kathmandu
University.
