SCHOOLS WEBNET/STUDENTS BLOG PROJECT
1.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND
1.1 Problem Statement
As the pace of change accelerates, the level of skills required to collaborate in the workplace, or on other types of teams that bring change to the world, is higher than ever before. For example, if you aren’t proficient in empathy, you’re severely limiting your opportunities to contribute to society, and are at risk of being left behind. If we are to create a world where everyone can be a player, provide input, and create value, we must grasp, practice, and develop good interpersonal relationship and feeling for one another.
This is more than just awareness and concern. It is about cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution. It’s about the ability to communicate effectively and understand the motivations of others. It is about standing up, not standing by, uncovering what’s below the surface through active listening and putting words into action.
1.2 Project justification
Creating the future we envision demands we rethink our approach to school culture and curricula. By launching an online collaborative platform, Activating innovativeess and creativity, transforming peoples’ attitudes and creating an environment where everyone is free to share and have their thoughts and views respected, we are deriving more than a solution to deal with the global technological transition challenges and inter-generational conflicts which is limiting development and creating a lot of misconception and misunderstanding in this commonly referred to as dot com time.
This is why TEENS MEDIA GROUP (TMG) is launching this website design project for schools to ensure that our young people and the world around them are able to develop their communication skills, widen their horizon and expand their scope beyond their physical environment.
1.3 Project description
SCHOOLS WEBNET/STUDENTS BLOG PROJECT is one of the many youth’s friendly programmes of Teens Media Group designed to ensure that the young people learn, adopt and practice the art of effective communication and information sharing, enabling them to be effective citizens, leaders and trailblazers. Effective communication is a critical skill in peace building and conflict management especially in the current world defined by rapid change–one that is foundational to the social, teamwork and leadership skills required to contribute successfully to society.
Teens Media Group has secured technical expertise (non financial)support from the ICT department of EMMA AND YOUNG(http://uemma.blogspot.com/) a multimedia technology firm and intends to utilize this opportunity to open websites for TMG link schools in Lango region. Under this project, TMG will manage and coordinate the overall activities and the technical team from EMMA AND YOUNG will implement the project. Through the project we will open a website/blog for each school and identify a specified number of students, teachers and members of the administration and other stakeholders and train them basics in managing this site. After this opening the site, TMG will constantly visit the school and once in a while host an assembly where students will view and discuss the site on a big screen (LCD projector). TMG through TMG PRESS will document events involving participating schools and share on TMG’s site and respective school blogs
1.4 The offers that come with this site
Out of the many benefits coming with this project, this opportunity is worth grabbing because of the following features.
1.4.1 This site or blog is purely free of any operational charges. No annual subscription fees, or any restriction and does not need a paid expert to operate.
1.4.2 You can upload or post photos, audio videos and other communications.
1.4.3 People can join and participate in this site freely.
1.4.4 1.4.4 Your site can link r be linked to other sites against no payment.
1.4.5 Daily posts can be linked to other social networks freely
1.4.6 through teens media group, the schools will be linked to the benefiting schools and associate partners like schools in the united states of America reached by The Unity Project(http://www.unityproject.org/), Reach Up 2020, Street Level(http://www.street-level.org/) and link institutions like University of South Florida and Harvard University(our current research partners in Education).
1.5.0 Aims of this project
This programme will open a platform for friendly interaction and understanding to teachers, principals/school administrators, parents, students, and other innovators to share ideas, knowledge and best practices on how to create conducive learning environment for the young people in the Information and Communication Technology era. The main aim of this project is to:-
1.5.1 Close the communication and generation gap that exists in learning institutions between parents and teachers, teachers and the administrators, teachers and students, parents and school administrators and other stakeholders.
1.5.2 Create an avenue for dialogue, analysis of problems and appreciation of different views and perspectives.
1.5.3 Encourage social and emotional development
1.5.4 Promote community diversity and a respect for differences.
1.5.5 Unlock new ways of viewing problems, opening the door to a new world of potential solutions.
1.5.6 Address bullying or aggression in ways that advance understanding of others’ perspectives.
1.5.7 Champion the teens as real-world problem solvers rather than simply bystanders
1.6.0 Descriptions of Target beneficiaries
1.6.1 High schools with at least access to IT facilities; computers or if possibly internet connection.
1.6.2 This project is open to both government aided and privately owned schools within TMG’s official areas of operation. How ever on request it may be extended to any other institution within or beyond TMG's area of operation or the primary target beneficiaries.
1.6.3 Our expertise support partners has given us an offer of twenty 20 schools.
2.0 PROJECT DURATION AND ACTIVITIES
2.1 Project Duration
First phase which is a pilot scheme will run continuously for a period of six months from March to September 2012
2.2 Project Activities
2.2.1 Identifying the schools.
TMG will write letters to schools sharing with them the project information. Schools will be given time to internalize the idea, consult and contact with other stake\holders. The head teachers/principals will then write back to acknowledge receipt and possibly show their interest in the programme. TMG will then arrange a meeting with the school administrators where a working agreement will be signed and school team identified (school team are people who will be selected to manage the site).
2.2.2 Training the school team
In collaboration with the office of the headteacher TMG and the ICT team from EMMA AND YOUNG will organize training for the identified school team which will include a member of the top administration, at least two members of the teaching staff a proportionate number of students and possibly a member of the governing board or parents’ body.
2.2.3 Data collection
TMG Communications and Public Relations department together with the school team will collect and compile all the information required for the site and submit it to the ICT Team who will use it to open the site.
2.2.4 Designing the site
After training the school team and collecting necessary information about the school TMG, the ICT Team from EMMA AND YOUNG and the School Team will work closely in designing the site. The ICT team will do the technical work and the school team will be involved in uploading and posting materials on the site. After this process is done the ICT from Emma and Young will handover the site and the keys to the site to TMG who will later organize and handover the site to the school administration
2.2.5 Commissioning the site.
A one minute handover event will be organized in school where TEENS MEDIA GROUP will officially handover the site to the school and have it commissioned officially by a special stakeholder. In this event, the site will be previewed on a big screen/LCD projector and the school team will officially operate the whole process as a confirmation of their capability to carry on with the work in the absence of the ICT team and TMG
2.3.0 Partners in this project
2.3.1 EMMA AND YOUNG - Implementing Agency
2.3.2 Participating Schools - Beneficiaries
2.3.3 Teens Media Group- Lead Agency
2.4 Funding.
This project is a product of creativity and friendship between Teens Media Group and Emma and Young. All the inputs in this project come from these two agencies. Teens Media Group is in-charge project design, development, management and supervision while Emma and Young are donors, but here they are donors of service/expertise not real money. The beneficiaries will therefore, where necessary be requested to participate in helping this project succeed in their school by supporting the events like training and others.
2.5 Contribution from Participating Schools/the beneficiaries.
2.5.1 Training facility (probably a classroom for the training).
2.5.1 Meals and refreshment for the school team (students, teachers and others mobilized by the school for training).
2.5.2 Stationary/writing materials for the students.
2.5.3 A financial contribution of shillings three hundred and thirty seven thousand (337,000/=) as cost shared facilitation (meals, transport and accommodation) to the Emma and Young ICT Team during the working periods (training, site design and hand over).
Contact Persons
JANE ACOLA
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
E-MAIL: teenssource@gmail.com
Other projects include:
- YOUTHS VARIETY SHOW
- BIG PITCH/FILM EVENTS
- STUDENTS LEADERS ORIENTATION PROJECT
- RADIO DRAMA
- SCHOOL AND THE GANG MAGAZINE
- CITIZEN MEDIA
- MUSIC
- PRODUCTION STUDIO
