At the center of our model is our Teacher Training Center & Academy, an innovation hub for public school teachers, and a Model School in a region where access to primary education is not guaranteed. Here, we support teachers as they strive to address barriers to learning and improve student outcomes.

THE NEED:

While information and communication technology (ICT) was introduced in 2019 as a key component of Kenya’s new competency-based primary school curriculum, teachers in rural Kenya lack the skills to effectively access digital learning resources available on the Ministry of Education’s own website and operate the government-issued tablets intended to promote student-centered access to technology as a tool for literacy, numeracy, and the development of 21st century skills.

Following baseline assessment observations conducted in preparation for our pilot Teacher Tech Training initiative, just 8% of teachers were able to turn on a computer and navigate a home menu with independence and 0% of our teachers knew how to access the content-rich website of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). The lack of basic skills was a catalyst to the development of our modular curriculum focusing on foundational skull-building and a path to self-directed learning.

OUR APPROACH:

We train educators on the development of foundational technology skills and the use of available resources to improve teachers’ digital literacy and support the effective integration of technology in the classroom, as required by Kenya’s newly-introduced Competency-Based Curriculum. The core objectives of our Teacher Tech Training Program include: 

• Development of foundational technology skills aligned with the use and application of available technology resources for teaching – including government-issued student tablets.

• Ability to access and utilize digital content, including Kenya’s online curricular resources and resources for self-directed learning and professional development. 

• Optimized Digital literacy for the effective integration of technology in the classroom, as required by Kenya’s newly-introduced Competency-Based Curriculum. 

Flying Kites Featured in UNESCO’s GEM Report World Education Blog:

In August, UNESCO published the 2023 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report entitled "Technology in Education: A tool on whose terms?" In connection with the report, our Teacher Training Center was featured as an example of how harnessing the power of technology can help educators unlock their potential and transform their classrooms. Specifically highlighted in UNESCO's GEM Report World Education blog is Monica Kinyua, a teacher at our Network School, Nyakio Primary.