STATUS REPORT AND WORK PLAN1 March 2012

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KFIT International School Project (KISP)Status Report and Revised Work Plan

1 March 2012

BACKGROUND

The KFIT International School Project (KISP) is a component of UNESCO Bangkok’s Facilitating Effective ICT-Pedagogy Integration Project, which aims to create an enabling environment for student-centered use of ICT. KISP will engage the project participants (TEIs and schools from Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) in capability building workshops on Project-Based Learning (PBL) and tele-collaboration that would lead to practice through the following identified scenarios:

Scenario ScopeA

inter-disciplinaryCollaboration of students who are from the same school

Binter-school

Collaboration of students from different schools but in the same country

Cinter-cultural

Collaboration of students from different schools from different countries

While scenarios A and B could be implemented within the schools and countries of the participants, scenario C will feature schools from different countries working with each other. UNESCO, on the other hand, will facilitate the conduct of the inter-cultural collaboration among schools from different countries by providing guidance to the TEIs. It has also been decided that the Asia-Pacific Education Community portal (EC), the main platform for UNESCO’s capacity building workshops on PBL and tele-collaboration,1 will be the platform for scenario C.

However, some of the countries opted not participate in scenario C, particularly for countries that are not proficient and comfortable with the English language, the working language of the project. Bangladesh on the other hand, chose not to participate as they are currently implementing another PBL model; participating in KISP might cause confusion among its teacher-participants. Consequently, other countries were asked to participate; Canada and Korea were selected, as its

1 http://ict.unescobkk.org/

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participants already have a background in project-based learning and use of ICT in education.2 Participants from China and the Philippines are the holdovers from the capacity building workshops organized and conducted by UNESCO, with China adding another university in the mix of participating groups (Nanjing University).

Country Teacher Education Institute (TEI)Canada McGill UniversityChina East China Normal University

South China Normal UniversityNanjing University

Korea3 -Philippines Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology

STATUS REPORTIn order to facilitate the conduct of scenario C, online meetings among the participants and UNESCO were organized.4 The objectives, timeframe, and outcomes were set and clarified during the first meeting and was used in the concept note for KISP:

ObjectivesA. UNESCO

• To expand the community of teachers who were trained and to put the training into practice

• To document processes, experiences, and feedback as inputs to the Regional Guide on PBL and telecollaboration that will be published in 2012

• To measure the effectiveness of PBL

• To further strengthen the partnerships between teacher educators and teachers

B. Canada (For the participating classes)

• To increase awareness of different cultures

• To integrate ICT for collaborative learning in and across classrooms

2 the participating school from Korea, Daegu Wolam Elementary School, was an awardee at the recent Intel Teach School Awards3 No TEI as of writing this report; it is assumed that Daegu Wolam Elementary School will work without a TEI4 Via Skype; first meeting was on 25 November 2011; second meeting was 9 February 2012

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• To be exposed to different social cultural environments (e.g. in QEP curriculum – Social Studies)

• To learn about different views on geographic and climate differences

C. China (For the participating classes):

• To provide actual opportunities for authentic English practice

• To learn about other countries’ experiences on various global issues (e.g. Science: climate changes/environmental education)

• To improve and contribute to the international understanding of different cultures

TimeframePhase Activities Target dates

1(project initiation and

preparation)

• Clarification of scope and targets among the project’s core team members (i.e. UNESCO + TEIs)

• Identifying classroom teachers

• Initiating communication between teachers and core team to identify topics, process and calendar

• Familiarization with the online collaboration platform (i.e. UNESCO’s Education Community or EC)

September 2011 to November 2011

2(sharing each group’s project

and developing ideas for multi-national / inter-cultural

group projects)

• Implementation of the designed PBL within the national team

• Sharing processes and products between countries

• Facilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC)

• TEIs: monitoring and documentation of the processes and products

late November to December 2011

3Multi-national / inter-cultural

group project

• Implementation of the designed PBL (international / inter-cultural)

• Sharing processes and products between countries

• Facilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC)

• TEIs: monitoring and documentation of the processes and products

February 2012 – May/June 2012

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Target outputs:

• Publication: UNESCO Regional Guide on PBL and Telecollaboration, including relevant case studies

• Research articles to be co-authored by TEIs and/or school teachers

• Project progress report for the Korean Government

However, the timeframe for Phases 1 and 2 was not followed; this was confirmed during the second online meeting.5

Additionally, participants (TEIs) requested for closer supervision and guidance from UNESCO; TEIs mentioned the need for information on recommended topics for collaboration, research questions as well as templates on PBL and tele-collaboration. In response, UNESCO has posted on the EC the materials of the capacity building workshops on PBL and tele-collaboration. An official launching date for the implementation of Phases 1, 2 and 3 for Scenario C (inter-cultural collaboration) was set at March 5, 2012.

UNESCO is now in the midst facilitating Phase 1, including the process of identifying participant schools, gathering suggestions on how to make the EC more suitable to the needs of KISP participants as well as making the TEIs and schools become more active users of the EC.

5 Via Skype; 9 February 2012. For details, see minutes of meeting.

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WORK PLAN

The timeframe has been adjusted to reflect the official launching date of the project:

Phase Activities Target dates

1(project initiation and

preparation)

• Clarification of scope and targets among the project’s core team members (i.e. UNESCO + TEIs)

• Identifying classroom teachers

• Initiating communication between teachers and core team to identify topics, process and calendar

• Familiarization with the online collaboration platform (i.e. UNESCO’s Education Community or EC)

February 9 to March 16

2(sharing each group’s project

and developing ideas for multi-national / inter-cultural

group projects)

• Implementation of the designed PBL within the national team

• Sharing processes and products between countries

• Facilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC)

• TEIs: monitoring and documentation of the processes and products

March 12 to May 20

3Multi-national / inter-cultural

group project

May 14 toJuly 31

School2Country4

School1Country2

School1Country4

School2Country2

School1Country1

School2Country1

School1Country3

School2Country3

TEICountry2

TEICountry3

TEICountry4

TEICountry1

EDUCATION COMMUNITY

EDUCATION COMMUNITY

UNESCO

UNESCO

TEIs

Schools

UNESCO

1

2

3

KISP Group (EC)

Live ChatForumWikiDocs

Other Tele-collaboration

tools

4 5

6 7

● Projects through inter-cultural collaboration● Publication

(Regional Guide on PBL and tele-collaboration

● Research articles● Project Progress

report

Phase 1

1 UNESCO clarifies with TEI the project scope and targets

2 TEIs identify schools (teachers and students)

3 Entry and familiarization with the Education Community (EC)

Phase 2

4 TEIs continue to identify and refine topics, process and calendar

5 TEIs coordinate with schools for national project

6 Schools implement PBL within national teams

Phase 3

7 Schools implement multi-national / inter-culture group project

KISPTele-collaboration

Framework

Phase Activity Task UN

ES

CO

Sch

oo

ls

February March April May June July

Conduct online meeting (via Skype) x xx x

Start using EC (use forums instead of email) x xceremonial launch x x x

Identify classroom teachersx

Submit accomplished form to UNESCO xRevive forum on project topics / themes xPost revised or additional topics / themes xPresent draft process and calendar xRevise draft process and calendar x xinvite all KISP participants to KISP group (EC) xStart using EC (introductions) x x x

x x xIdentify topics / themes for national project x xImplement project x x

Upload project output in EC x

x x

Prepare project reports (national) x

Identify topics / themes for international project x x

Implement project x

Upload project output in EC x

x x

Prepare progress and implementation reports x

Project close-out Project assessment and evaluation

online meeting with core team x xceremonial close-out x x xprepare terminal report x x

A simplified Gantt Chart further illustrates the tasks and activities for each phase:

TE

Is

1Project Initiation and Preparation

Clarification of scope and targets among the project's core team members

Make improvements to EC (1st round)

Send form to TEIs

Initiating communication between teachers and core team to identify topics, process and calendar

Familiarization with the online collaboration platform (i.e. UNESCO’s Education Community or EC) Make improvements to EC (2nd round)

2(sharing each group’s project and

developing ideas for multi-national / inter-cultural group projects)

Implementation of the designed PBL within national teamsSharing processes and products between countriesFacilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC) Exhange comments in ECmonitoring and documentation of the processes and products

3Multi-national / inter-cultural group

project

Implementation of the designed PBL (multi-national / inter-cultural)

Sharing processes and products between countriesFacilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC) Exhange comments in ECmonitoring and documentation of the processes and products

Task-related details are as follows:

Phase Activity Task Output From To Groups Involved

Conduct online meeting (via Skype) Feb 9

Feb 9 Mar 2 UNESCOStart using EC (use forums instead of email) Feb 9ceremonial launch Mar 5 Mar 5

Identify classroom teachersteacher data worksheet Feb 22 UNESCO

Submit accomplished form to UNESCO Feb 22 Feb 28

Revive forum on project topics / themeslist of topics for consideration

Feb 27 UNESCOPost revised or additional topics / themes Feb 27 Mar 12Present draft process and calendar final process and calendar Mar 1 UNESCORevise draft process and calendar Mar 1 Mar 9invite all KISP participants to KISP group (EC) clean member list for KISP group Mar 5 Mar 15Start using EC (introductions) Mar 5

Mar 5 Mar 16Identify topics / themes for national project Final topics / themes for national project Mar 12 Mar 30Implement project student projects (national) Apr 2 May 14

Upload project output in EC uploaded projects in EC May 14 Schools

forum posts on student projects Apr 2 May 20

Prepare project reports (national) project reports (national) May 20

Identify topics / themes for international project Final topics / themes for international project May 14 May 31Implement project Jun 4 Jul 16

Upload project output in EC uploaded projects in EC Jul 16 Schools

forum posts on student projects Jun 4 Jul 27

Jul 20

Project close-out Project assessment and evaluationonline meeting with core team Jul 23ceremonial close-out Jul 27prepare terminal report terminal report Jul 31

1Project Initiation and Preparation

Clarification of scope and targets among the project's core team members

Core Team: UNESCO (Lead), TEIs

Make improvements to EC (1st round) EC customisation / upgradeUNESCO, TEIs, SchoolsUNESCO, TEIs, Schools

Send form to TEIslist of participating schools, data on teachers and students TEIs

Initiating communication between teachers and core team to identify topics, process and calendar

TEIs, Schools

TEIs, UNESCO

Familiarization with the online collaboration platform (i.e. UNESCO’s Education Community or EC)

UNESCO (Lead), TEIsUNESCO, TEIs, Schools

Make improvements to EC (2nd round) EC customisation / upgrade UNESCO, TEIs, Schools

2(sharing each

group’s project and developing ideas for

multi-national / inter-cultural group

projects)

Implementation of the designed PBL within national teams

TEIs, SchoolsSchools (Lead), TEIs

Sharing processes and products between countriesFacilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC) Exhange comments in EC Schools (Lead), TEIs

monitoring and documentation of the processes and products

TEIs

3Multi-national /

inter-cultural group project

Implementation of the designed PBL (international / inter-cultural)

TEIs, Schoolsstudent projects (multi-national / inter-cultural) Schools (Lead), TEIs

Sharing processes and products between countriesFacilitating teacher’s engagement in discussion on the online platform (EC)

Exhange comments in EC Schools (Lead), TEIs

monitoring and documentation of the processes and products Prepare project reports (multi-national / inter-cultural) project reports (multi-national / inter-cultural) TEIs

Core Team: UNESCO (Lead), TEIsUNESCO, TEIs, SchoolsUNESCO, TEIs