ImplementingandManagingICTIntegrationandSTEMEducationin

Mauritius

9June2016

Abidjan,Côted’Ivoire

Ricaud AUCKBURDirector(E-Education)

MinistryofEducationMauritius

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InitiativesinSTEMEducationandICTinMauritius - 1Pre primary schools§ IntroductionoftheBeebotfloor programmablerobotinsome elementary schools

Primary schools§ Interactiveprojectors inSankoréproject – grew from aProjecttoaNationalProgrammeforthis initiativestarted byFrance

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InitiativesinICTinSTEMeducation inMauritius - 2Secondary schools,TVETandTertiary§ Codecraft project– introductionofbasicconceptsofsoftwareprogrammingskillsatlowersecondarylevel

§ UseICTinMathematicsteaching:TeachingShapes,motion,formulae,3Dvisualisation

§ Useofdatalogging forpracticals anddemos inTechnology andSciencesubjects

§ ImplementationoftheNationalTabletPCprogrammeatSecondary§ Progressively connecting allsecondary schools tohighspeedwifi§ UseICTtools invocational collegestoensurematchwith tools usedinIndustry which areincreasingly technological

§ Ministrycurrentlyworking onsettingupofadedicatedNRENforenhancing research,inparticular inSTEMinUniversities

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ManagingtheintegrationofICTinSTEMEducation

• Ministryofficialsguidepolicy-makerstoengageandplanonintegrationofICTandSTEMEducation

• Progressivelytrain,buildorganisationalcapacity,coordinationandmonitoringabilitybyMinistry– GESCI’sALICTassistedinbuildingleadership

• DevelopedaNationalCurriculumFrameworkwhichembedsICTbothasataughtstandalonesubjectanditscross-curricularusageinSTEMsubjects

• DevelopedaNationalOpenSoftwarePolicy- encourageandtraininuseofOERinSTEMEducation,assupporttoclassroomteaching

• Statingtheobvious:RecruitteacherswithSTEMbackground• EncourageE-AssessmentinSTEMsubjects

ManagingtheintegrationofICTinSTEMEducation-2• Controlobsolescence:ChoosingappropriateICTandSTEMEducationsolutionsgivenlimitedfundingforreplacement• EnsureabilityofprivatesectorproviderstodeliverandmaintainICTandSTEMinfrastructure:thisisn’talwaysobviousinaSIDSordevelopingcountrycontext• Avoidvendorlock-in– butinsteadmanageandencouragevendorpartnershipswiththosevendorsthatdohavespecificstrengths• Planforthedisposalofe-wasteofICTandSTEMequipment• Ascertainregulatorycompliance– eg indataprotection,useoflicensedsoftware

ManagingtheintegrationofICTinSTEMEducation- 3• ICT,insomecases,providessimulationplatformsassubstitutetoexpensiveorunavailableequipment

• STEMEducationisexpensive,soplanfundsbyinclusioninNationalbudgets,insteps

• WorkwithNGOsforstartingprojects- butensuretheyalsobuildcapacityofMinistrydepartmentsintheseareaswhereinitialMinistrycapacityislow

• BuildAwareness:PlanaCommunicationsstrategyfordisseminationofICTinSTEMEducation

• Synergizearesourcemobilisationstrategywithdevelopmentpartners

SummarizingtheMauritianexperience1.StartprojectsinICTandSTEMEducationwithdevelopmentpartners

2.Strengthennationalexecutionandmonitoringcapacityacrossthesystem

3.Learnandadjustfromsuccesses(orfailures)

4.Expand,inplannedphases,intonationalprogrammes

ICThelpsinovercomingisolationofSIDS“SIDScanenvisagerapidtechnologicalinnovation,especiallyininformationandcommunicationstechnologies,thatwillhelptoovercomeislandisolation,createnewwaysofmaintainingsocialandculturaltiesacrosstheislanddiaspora andhelpevolveneweconomicactivities.”UNEP2014- GEOSmallIslandDevelopingStatesOutlook.

THANKYOU!ministry-education.govmu.org

rauckbur@govmu.org