As part of the NmInTheSouthPacific, a look at Pedagogy, Usability and New Media in Kiribati.

Links

• http://www.trussel.com/f_kir.htm
• kiribati message board

Indigenous Education in Kiribati

See pdf document of thought-flow for meeting with Teweiariji Teaero, based on Indigenous Education in Kiribati, Chapter 11. From Educational ideas from Oceania : selected readings / edited by Konai Helu Thaman. Suva, Fiji : Institute of Education in association with the UNESCO Chair of Teacher Education and Culture, The University of the South Pacific, 2003

Key applications from the meeting (14 July, 2003)

• Aversion to question Authority: consensual decision also result in "holding back arguments", so less likely to ask questions, selective imparting of knowedge means that sometimes teachers will not provide all information because it is not appropriate
  • elaborations okay
  • Consensus is built by agreeing and then honing or adding to a previous statement
  • E-anonymity or shyness?
  • Where do computers fit in here? Tools? Underlings? Seniors imparting knowledge?
• Layers of simplicity: Not just simple to hard, but rote to perceptual. Practice then concept. Teach building blocks, then build with blocks
• cultural knowledge only governed by cultural restrictions

Torote Kauongo

notes from a phone interview with Torote Kauongo, Director of the Kiribati DFL Centre, on August 8, 2003

Access

• 13 computers for students connected to internet
• have cdroms, sound cards, etc
• 9AM-9PM usage
• still dont' have enough computers
• 500 students, sometimes up to over 1000
• open 7 days a week

Questioning Authority

• "that's the one problem we are trying to get them to overcome, the problem of talking back and asking questions"
• "what I sometimes do i demonstrate it, convey their question, so they know how to do it, aren't scared of the mic, it won't bite them"
• "i think it is the fear of the technology, no problem with face to face, and amogst themselves, maybe their grammar is not coresdct aand they are ashamed of that"
• "quite a number use their email and are able to ask questions directly to their tutors"
• "alot are using their computer to access their assignments"
• being able to repeat, do things on their own so they will not be afriad of asking questions

Language

• teaching done in English
• "most are ashamed to speak because they will make a mistake"
• "some indian lecturers are hard to understand, especially when they talk really face, sometimes they speak too closely to the mic and here it is all waffle, and very hard to tell the lecturer that they cannot hear them, so they just sit and wait for the tutorial to be over"
• "it is culturally very hard to tell them they cannot hear them, sometimes I have to talk on their behalf"
• discussions are done in their own vernacular
• local tutors mostly do it in vernacular
• output is always english

Training

• they conduct computer courses, internet, word processing, etc
• most don't have computer knowledge before training
• teach lecturers how to use the mic, let them hear what they sound like

Student Background

• students from outer island are computer illilterate until training
• they come rarely, once a semestre, and no means of communications other than telephone
• more than 90% are based near centre

Best time to visit

• just be sure it is not a public holiday, otherwise they will accomodate whenever

Others to speak to

teachers at other schools: only way to see them is to visit them

• At least a week neede, must go to toehr islands to speak to teachers and students
• Abayang:
• Abana:
  • some are 6 hours, others are further afield
  • also planes to many

Emily Moala

notes from a meeting with Emily Moala about the different USp Centres, on 18 August, 2003

• 3rd largest enrollments, after Fiji and before Solomons!
• 75% of population are school aged
• 2 church schools, 1 govt school
• centre open 24 hours per day: "its the only place where students can study because houses are the open type"
• "there are always students in the centre, even at night"
• "outside of the centre, the whole environment is not into education" instead they "fish, play volleyball..."
• most activities are in Tarewa

Site Visit to Kiribati

notes from the visit to the Kiribati Centre, 3-8 November, 2003

Summary: overall observations

Centre Usage

• the centre is in use day and night, some students even sleep there
• the lab is often booked for classes, and incredibly hot and humid (the worst of all the centres)
• Transport in Tarawa is cheap, fast and frequent (60 cents to $A 1.50), so majority of students can and do come to centre regularly
• outer islands have expensive and infrequent transport and very little communication, so the %10 in outer islands are very isolated

Language

• Kiribati has been the country the most difficult to communicate with in English (language + "shy"), of the six USP centres I have visited (Nauru, Samoa, Solomons, Kiribati, Marshalls, Fiji)

Questions

• Email seems to be used by most, primarily for administraive questions, while content-questions are covered in Audio Tutorials, though most students prefer to ask their local tutors (note to self: talk to Suva Coordinators to see if this is an institutionalized division or something the students do on their own)

Wentapo Mackenzie, Centre Director

notes from a conversation with the Kiribati Centre Director, Wentapo Mckenzie, 4 November, 2003

Tutors

• payed $20/ hour
• tries to hire staff from outside the Centre so as not to distract them from their other duties

Atoll Students

• Points of Contact at each atoll are the Junior Secondary Schools
  • The Principal is the P.O.C.
  • The pricnipal's staff are USP students/ Junior Secondary School teachers
• Contact - students from Atoll's contact the centre through collect calls
• no reliable elctricity outside of Tarawa

Talk with a Math/Education Student

notes from a conversation with a USP Math/Education Student, 4 November, 2003

Computer Usage

• uses the computer every day
  • email, websites, research (Teoma)
  • no discussion boards
  • says she is "not keen", that she just uses it "to type and download"

Tutorials

• has tutorials once per week with Mrs Vakaloloma (Church of God Highschool)
• always in Ebglish
• "sometimes we cannot quite understand what kinds of words she used" so they ask her to repeat slowly, and says the students are not scared to ask "because we always meet and we know her very well, so if we have questions we ask her, but I don't know what is the difference between this (Audio Conferences, where they are scared to ask) and this (face to face, where they ask questions)."

Audio Conferencing

• "most of the time we cannot reply during (audio) tutorials"
• "we feel ashamed to talk alot because maybe if we give an answer some will make fun"

Email

• "for us it is better to email because it is not face to face, and they respond"

Language

• in study groups, they speak English

Computer Science Student

notes from a conversation with a Computer Science Student, 4 November, 2003

Video Broadcast

• "only problem is we cannot ask questions, so we email and people respond"

Language

• Torote can answer their CS questions in Kiribati
• ad-hoc study groups are in Kiribati
• she would prefer English as the main teaching language, but Kiribati when confused

Nm Needs

• wants practice problems with their solutions (quizzes)

Computer Usage

• she takes CS via Webct, but only 1 of the 3 computers in the Webct room works
• "No 'A' drives work" in all the pc labs in the school
• No Air Conditioner in labs, and CD-rom drive doesn't work (I checked them out and they did work)

Torote, USPNet Operator

notes from a conversation with Torote, Kiribati USPNet Operator, 4 November, 2003

Computers

• most disk drives are broken b/c of dust, no a/c, no sealed environment
• cd drives work
• 2 in Audio Conference (one reserved for scanning)
• 3 in VBC room (only 1 works)
• 13 in computer kab -- open to everybody

Continuing Ed Courses

• age 11 and up
• some have never touched pcs before, start from scratch
• "very nervosue when they start; they just follow what we tell them"
• enrollment of between 60-80 students

Language

• sometimes there is no Kiribati term, so uses English term but explain in Kiribati
  • for instance: RAM = memory or brain. describes the parallel in Kiribati

Sharing PCs

• ususally 2 or 3 students at each pc in these classes, time is given for each to try out every exercise
• "less nervous when they are together, because they ask each other questions"

Computer Access

• some have access at their offices, so they are encouraged to use office pcs (once course is filled, they accept students with their own pcs)
• those who have family overseas or work have access to computers outside of the centre

USPNet Student Demographics

• most are sponsored
• many from other schools , so have pc-access but no internet
• 3 schools have pcs: Catholic, Mormon and Govt
• most are workers

Needs

• AC, sealed rooms, library is ready but needs pcs
• not enough pcs, need 40 pcs, have 13 pcs

WHO Lab

• at hospital
• with minsitry of health, for health workers
• 10pcs + 1 server
• USP maintained, Torote will be T.O.T.

Tarawa Technical Institute

• offers pc training

2 Students from the Outer Islands

notes from a talk with two students from the outer islans of Kiribati, 4 November 2003

• both have computers at work, one has to share with workmates
• both have used the web
• both prefer Kiribati, think "most people would prefer their own language over English"

Economics Student

notes from a conversation with an Economics Student, 4 November, 2003 Computer Usage

• a few times a week
• emails mostly to friends, but occasionally to lecturers in Suva
• uses her work computer to type assignments, and only uses USP computer for email and studenet, because can't get studenet at work

Video Broadcast

• once a semester

Questions

• first asks students, then tutors. If that fails, then they turn to email

Studying

• sometimes studies at centre, but when it gets too crowded she studies at home
• prefers to study at centre, because if there are problems she can ask others
• prefers group study to solo study because others can asnwer questions in a group

Foundation Student

notes from a conversation with a Foundation Student, 4 November, 2003

Computer Usage

• 3x/wk
• internet, emails, usp
• likes the computer, but can't get at it enough (she was waiting for a spot at the computer lab while we talked. She was still waiting a half hour later)

Studying

• prefers to study at the centre "because we like to sit on chairs"
• prefers group study to solo

Audio Conference

• "we haven't asked any questions there"
• says it is too crowded amd there is not always access to the mic, but says it is "useful"

NMwants

• "conversation and video"

Talk with a Staff/ Student

notes from a conversation with a science lab assistant/ marine science student at the Kiribati USP Centre, 5 November, 2003

Computer Usage

• assignments, research
• "I'm not familiar with working with computer"
• emails every day, mainly to friends, but also to corrdinator (predominantly admin, paper format, test dates, etc)

Questions

• prefers to ask fellow students questions, but also asks local tutor
• Suva coordinator: student only asks admin questions, via email

Studying

• prefers to study at centre b/c of the "good environment", and can contact teachers
• comes to centre every day
• lives on Tarawa, in Eita, about 30 minutes and 70 cents (australian) fronm the centr
• likes to study both in groups and alone

A Solomon Student in Kiribati

notes from a conversation with a student from the Solomon Islands who i studying at Kiribati USP Centre, 5 November 2003

Student Background

• teaches home economics at a Secondary School
• taking FT202, FT213, FT113, ED252
• this is her first term at USP

Studying

• prefers to study at home, too many students at the centre
• she only comes in to hand in assignments
• says she is the only student in her courses, so "I will not receive any help from students, that is why I don't come in"

Questions

• emails the course coordinator in Suva with her questions
• FT203 - has sent 2 or 3 emails, but otherwise doesn't have questions

Computer Usage

• "I know nothing about computers" so writes all assignments by hand
• only uses the computer to send email "I can't type and send assignments"
• never used VBC

Audio Conf

• "first time I not feel goog, now I'm okay"
• at first, forgot to switch off mic after asking her questions
• she was the only one using the mic, but other students were in the room taking ID photo, which disturbs her "I don't want to talk when there are other students in the room"
• asks lesson questions in Audio Conference, but must email admin questions "if we have confusion on the assignment"

Binto, CS Tutor

notes froma conversation 5 November, 2003, with Binto, who is a CS121, 122 tutor at USP, manager of Internet in Kiribati (TSKL), and in the Working Committee of the USP/WHO Collaboration in Kiribati

Computer Skills

• says older students are afraid to touch the computers until given instructions, but that the younger ones just click around
• computer is taught at KG5, Marinai High, St Louis, TTI and USP, but is not a mandatory course

Language

• kiribati and english at both TTI and USP
• difficulties expressing some technical terms in kiribati: ram vs. rom, bus, etc.
• uses local metaphors in these cases
  • highways for bit rates, "here we have one lane, but get them to imagine we have several"

Questions

• "typically Kiribati students are shy; they thought that if they ask the question their peers woulod laugh, but soem stay after the class and ask afterward"
• students are more comfortable asking questions alone or in small groups (a big group in this context would be 20 students)

Computers and Groups

• several students on each computer for KCC01 and KCC02
• "some like to share, if they really know who is sitting next to them" but siting next to a stranger is difficult for them, and they would be better off alone

Major Problems

• the USP computer Lab is too hot and too crowded
• books arrive in the 5th or 6th week of the semestre

NMneeds

• "more interactive": not just sitting and watching the computer to learn, but '""if they ask a questions they will learn an answer"''

TSKL

• 850 customers (pop. 20-30k)
• "internet cafe is mostly travelers; you don't see many students"
• $A2 per half hour for students (half-price), still too expensive

Talk with a Foundation Student

notes from a conversation with a Foundation student at Kiribati USP Centre, 5 November

Audio Tutorials

• maybe 10 in a semestre
• 1 hr once a week, student says this is the only reason the student comes in to the centre (but later on says she comes in every day to email, and also has local face-to-face tutorials, so...)
• although nervous the first time, the student now '""sometimes asks questions"''

Questions

• will first ask the local tutor, and hasn't had to ask the Suva coordinator because the local tutor is '""always able to answer"''

Computer Use

• for internet, email, usp websites
• uses computer 5 times a week at the USP centre ("sometimes everyday")
• sometimes the lab is full
• never used webct
• sometiems she types ehr assignments by hand, other times she will type them on the computer
• says she is "not so good" on the computer, but finds it "interesting"nd says the internet is her favorite activity on the computer

Studying

• studies at the centre because it is quiet
• sometimes likes discussions

Dako, S.I. Staff in Kiribati

notes from a conversation 5 November, 2003, with Dako, a Solomon Islander tutoring Science at the Kiribati USP Centre

Background

• assistant lecturer of sciences:
  • chemistry: CH101, CH102
  • biology: but facilities are not enough so students were advised to withdraw
  • assists prelim DFL courses inbio and chemistry
• taught in Solomon Islands highschools before Kiribati Centre
• been at centre just over a year

Language

• feels disconnected due to language issues
• "most students don't understand English very well"
• tries to use basic English in his classes: "they need someone who knows their local language very well"
• estimates that Kiribati English level is at 40%, while he would rate S.I. English level at %60

Cultural Diffs

• Kiribati students seem to miss more deadlines than his Solomon Islands students had
• finds Kiribati students either don't understand or are lazy, "a 2-3 day assignment takes several weeks"
• Kiribati students seem less focused in class; they talk more to each other than in S.I.
• doesn't know if it is intentional, or "how it is done here"

Satellite Tutorials

• fortnightly
• prelim students don't show up because full-time employed
• twice a week students must come in for tutorials (midweek) and labs(weekend)
• says students also come in regulalry to study

Questions

• most want to answer his questions in Kiribati
• reluctant to ask him questions
• "they have to have a good number (of fellow students) to boost their confidence"
• resorts to giving "mock tests" to see if they understand, because he has troubles telling from their response in class

Computer

• PRELIM STUDENTS: "when I say to type their assignments, they say 'oh, we don't know how to use computers'"
• DEGREE STUDENTS: better at pc
• most students who work have pcs at their offices, compared to S.I. where fewer offices have computers, and those that do are often shared amongst the whole office
• computr lab is often open 24 hours a day as well, though there is no lab attendant

Studying

• most prefer to study in groups
• small proportion want to study alone: "I see those who want to study alone get better marks, but others can't cope without their friends"
• feels students need to be encouraged to be in a program, many "just take courses here and there"
• Maneaba
  • open-walled, breezy space, that is great for students to study in and sleep
  • as a result, the centre is open 24 hours a day: "they are very fortunate"

?NmNeeds

• would like a lab simulator, because existing labs are insufficient
• would like materials on CD in Kiribati as well
• would like a few computers reserved for science only

Talk with a Working Student

notes from a conversation 5 November, 2003, with a student who works at the office of the people's law in Kiribati, taking classes part-time at USP

Centre/ Computer Usage

• comes to centre ocne a week for tutorials
• studies at work and at home; doesn't study at centre because it is too noisy
• has a computer at work- email, internet, word
• has been usign computrs since 1995
• uses computers everyday, has CD-rom drive and speakers

Questions

• often asks questions during audio tutorials
• also uses email

Studying

• studies at home and at work
• doesn't study at centre because it is too noisy
• prefers to study alone

Talk with a Foundation Student

Centre Usage

• 3x a week, for tutorials

Audio Tutorials

• sound is good, though it sometimes starts late
• has missed soem of the tutorials because has class
• has asked questions during the audio tutorials

Studying

• studies at the centre
• to communicate with other teachers and classmates
• sometimes studies alone, and studies "in groups when I have problems"

Computers

• maybe once a week
• the labs are often full with students
• finds assignments on studenet

Talk with a Working Student

notes from a conversation 7 November, 2003, with an economics student who works at the Ministry of Planning

Computer

• uses the computer everyday, at work and at school
• word, excel, listens to MP3s, email, no games
• used a CD-rom
  • came with EC203 text
  • tests, quizzes, study-guide, solutions
  • uses it by himself

Studying

• prefers to study at school "when not too crowded"
• prefers to study in groups, "can share ideas"

Language

• prefers to learn in Kiribati, though said this would make it harder to communciate with Suva coordinator, if learned everything in Kiribati

Talk with Students about Traditional Ed

notes from a a conversation with several Kiribati USP Centre students about Indigenous Education in Kiribati, by Teweiariji Teaero (see top of this page)

This conversation, based on Tevi's paper on the steps of Traditional Kiribati Education, showed that the students were familiar with both traditional learn-by-do education and formal education. "Learning has been since our forefathers; it's only the system that has changed." "Most of our learning is related back to our culture."

Some terms, like Teneiai, were used exclusively to describe non-formal education. Others, like Bwakuaku, they felt applied to both formal and traditional education. According to these students, traditional methods are used out of school (OS) exclusively, but are not restricted to traditional subjects. For instance, Oral and Active learning is used to teach basic maths as well as fishing.

Kiribati terms discussed

• Atatai
  • means "aquainted"
  • means "you have this sort of info"
• Teneiai
  • means "experienced"
  • "you don't need to read or study for this"; instead this is the type of knowledge you get when "you see your father" do something
  • "it's part of growing up"
• Rabakau
  • "you have the knowledge"
• Bwakuaku
  • "confined to a certain field"
  • "more practical, you are bwakuaku in fishing"
  • "you are an expert in a certain field, like physics"
• Wanawana
  • "the ultimate"
  • "its like general; you are wise in everything, not just physics"
  • "more... theoretical"

Talk with a Sociology Student

notes from a conversation 7 November, 2003, with a sociology student

Audio

• "maybe one person talks"

Email

• with email, he is "usually apologizing for a late assignment"

Tutors

• for questions on the content

Usability Tests in Kiribati

Usability TEP02

4 november, 2003, Kiribati CS student, uses computer everyday

The student acted unsure, but seemed to click confidently and without error through the tasks

• rolled over START ANIMS, paused then hit INSTRUCTIONS
• after a quick look, hit the BLUE ENTRY LINKS
• tapped NEXT STEP, then SHOW ENTIRE DRAWING
• hit the PULLDOWN, but first paused over it and asked "Next?"
• used pulldown properly, selected another animation and hit PLAY
• Audio didn't work even with speakers, perhaps because they were playing MP3's through them

Usability TEP02

5 november, 2003, Kiribati student, uses computer everyday

This student was very methodical, reading every detail, asking for reassurance, and going through the program without error

• read everything before using the mouse
• asked what he should do
• rolled over START ANIM, then clicked INSTRUCTIONS
• went methodically through instructions
• hit START ANIM
• rolled over PLAY, hesitated, then hit SHOW ENTIRE
• hit REPEAT THIS STEP
• at prompt, hit PULLDOWN, then SHOW ENTIRE
• continued to play after it was over

Usability TEP02

5 november, 2003, S.I. student in Kiribati, uses computer occasionally, and only for email, writes assignments by hand

This student was very insecure, but managed to use the program properly with nothing more than encouraging prompts

• didn't know how to load CD
• tried to click NEXT DECORATION
• said "I have no idea"
• clicked START ANIM
• hit PLAY
• hit REPEAT THIS STEP
• hit SHOW ENTIRE DRAWING
• when I pointed to the pulldown, she used it properly
• hit NEXT STEP (not PLAY)
• hit NEXT STEP, and continued trying once it faded
• when that didn't work several clicks, hit SHOW ENTIRE DRAWING

Usability TEP02

5 November, 2003, Kiribati USP Centre, Foundation student who uses computer once a week to find assignments on studenet

The student had repeated difficulties determing what was active, though knew how to use the dropwdown, and knew that a faded button meant it was no longer clickable. This leads me to belive that the difficulties were due to images that looked hot (demo buttons, etc.) and past experience (usp logo being hot in studenet) rather than misunderstanding difference between what represent hot or not.

• tried to click the USP logo; kept trying; kept trying
• then tried to click the NEXT DISPLAY
• when this failed a few times, clicked INSTRUCTIONS
• tried to hit play in instructions, didn't work, so
• hit LINK to got o animations
• hit NEXT STEP, NEXT STEP
• when done (knew that faded button was unclickable), hit PULLDOWN
• scrolled through all choices, back to bisecting a line, then hit PLAY

Usability TEP02

CS student, 7 November 2003, Kiribati USP Centre

This student proceeded without pause and used the program without error

• hit INSTRUCTIONS
• hit START ANIM
• hit DORPDOWN
• hit PLAY
• hit SHOW ENTIRE DRAWING
• asked about audio

Usability Academic Systems Demo

4 november, 2003, Kiribati CS student, uses computer everyday

The student went very methodically through this program, though didn't seem to notice much beyond the main body, and was clearly turned on to the hand-icon as indicating hotspots

• rolled over a block, but shown no hand, so decided it wasn't a button and didn't click
• later confused when a block without a hand later turned out to be a button
• she read through the entire instructions, slowly, but didn't notice the arrow on the right (which the instructions said to click to begin) for a long time
• once began, she progressed through the lesson step by step witht he arrows, never even noticing the side buttons
• when I pointed out the side buttons, she went to the next one in line, and clicked through them all in order