We’re delighted to be invited to join this exciting collaboration!
- A personal introduction to your role at your organization
Naomi Rouse – advisor to Lyra, leading the Digital Learning Initiative. I have worked in education in Tanzania for 18 years, and recognise the huge potential for digital learning, IF appropriate support is provided to students and teachers to optimise usage.
- An overview of your current deployments (what towns, schools, or locations are you in?)
Madege, Lundamatwe and Mazombe Secondary Schools in Kilolo District, Iringa Region, Tanzania.
- What current client devices (make / model) do you use with RACHEL and how many have you deployed to date?
90 7” 8GB Amazon Fire Tablets, 30 per school. If we had additional funding, we would be interested in using tablets with larger screens for a better user experience, as well as increasing the allocation per school to 45 tablets.
- List of precise locations you would like to expand to (e.g. Manyara Secondary School)
Twelve Secondary Schools in Kilolo, Mufindi, and Iringa Rural Districts, (Iringa Region, Tanzania) likely to include:
Udzungwa (Kilolo)
Ipeta Kilolo
Lulanzi Kilolo
Dabaga Kilolo
Kiwere Iringa Rural
Nyang’oro Iringa Rural
Makungu Mufindi
Mdabulo Mufindi
Kihansi Mufindi
Kiyowela Mufindi
- Number of devices needed to expand there (# of RACHEL and # of client devices needed)
12 RACHEL Plus + 540 tablets (45 per school)
- Total number of people using the devices (usually more than 1 per device, but not always)
1 device for 10-15 pupils. We work hard to get the school to arrange a timetable of regular access to the tablets, so that tablets are in use for several hours per day. Our on-site digital learning coaches also ensure that each pupil is logging into an individual account so that we can track regularity of access and work to ensure that every pupil gets reasonable access time, not just the select few.
- Desired quantitative program impact (e.g. number of hours devices used, reduced absenteeism by X% in school, increase in test schools of X% in subject X, etc.)
- Number of hours devices used (from RACHEL logs and KA-lite logins)
- Number of hours usage by pupil (from KA-Lite logins – ensuring equitable access among pupils)
- Improvement in KA lite exercise scores, especially Math and English
- Improvement from baseline to midterm paper test in Math (we have baseline data)
- Improvement in internal school exam results and national exam results (we have baseline data)
- Links to current summaries or descriptions about program operations
- Do you have a planned budget for your programs?
$140,000 to establish the program in 12 schools for 1 year (and around $4000 per school per year to maintain for subsequent years, giving a cost of ~$15,000 to run and embed a 2 year programme in each school)