REPORT OF THE MEETING WITH ERNWACA, UNIVERSITÉ de MONTRÉAL AND IDRC

Transcription

1 REPORT OF THE MEETING WITH ERNWACA, UNIVERSITÉ de MONTRÉAL AND IDRC

2 The meeting started at 8:30 am on Wednesday Present at the opening ceremony were: Kathryn Toure - Regional Coordinator, ERNWACA Mbangwana Moses Atezah Research Program Manager PanAf, ERNWACA Lamine Diarra Research Program Officer ICT, ERNWACA Dramane Drave Webmaster PanAF, ERNWACA Moise Thera - Finance Officer PanAF, ERNWACA Charles Dougnon Assistant Research Officer, ERNWACA Thierry Karsenti Professor, Université de Montréal Toby Harper Research Program Manager PanAF, Université de Montréal Location of meeting: Lunch: ERNWACA Regional coordination (In case of electrical failure it will be held at Amitié). To be ordered in some days at Maison de la Presse Hotel for Visitors: Amitié The agenda was adopted as follows: Objectives of the Meeting: To agree on the roles and responsibilities of partners. Finalise first draft of methods guide. Discuss partners meeting and methods workshop. WED 8:00-10:30 Welcome by Regional Coordinator of ERNWACA (KT) Introduction and Presentation of PANAF by TK and KT Presentation of Agenda of the meeting by KT and TK Presentation of summary of PANAF project by KT and TK Presentation of the Observatory by TK. 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:30 Lunch 13:30-15:30 Continuation on discussion on roles and responsibilities of partners Communication strategy in relation to Panaf project Plan of workshop in Dakar in October Discussion on methods guide 15:30-17:30 Methods Guide Training on remote access to UoM server (TK)

3 THU 8 :00-10:30 Methods Guide 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:30 Partners meeting by TK and KT 12:30-13:30 Lunch 13:30-15 :30 Partners meeting by TK and KT 15:30-17 :30 Partners meeting by TK and KT FRI 8:00-10:30 Meeting with Alioune and others Action research phase II by TK and KT 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:30 Newsletter Book for phase II ICT by TK and KT 12:30-13:30 Lunch 13:30-15:30 Other projects with IDRC by TK and KT Presentation of Methods guide draft

4 Kathryn Toure welcomed members present in the meeting and expressed her wish that within the four days we should try as much as possible to achieve the main objectives of the meeting which were as follows: To agree on the roles and responsibilities of partners. Finalise first draft of methods guide. Discuss partners meeting and methods workshop. She introduced herself and gave the opportunity to everybody to introduce themselves the way the wanted. After the self introduction, Kathryn took the floor again to present the vision of the PanAf Research Agenda for the pedagogical integration of Information and Communications Technology. Thierry Karsenti was given enough time to present the Observatory which he brilliantly did by showing how the website works. From his presentation, members observed that it is user friendly, easy to be used by end users, easy to update information by researchers and contact persons. One point that came up as a criticism was that many sceptics will not believe that it is a Pan African Observatory because the website was hosted in the Université de Montréal. Thierry explained that it is cheap to host it out there and that all African researchers and policy makers will have access to this site and that it really does not matter where a site is hosted but how beneficial and access to the end users. Kathryn led the discussion on the roles and responsibilities of partners participating in the Observatory. The question was posed to all members to reflect and make proposals. Thierry started by saying that for the past years he has been collaborating with ERNWACA and basically on a frank, sincere and open spirit to advance research. Members agreed that they observed that and thanked Thierry for what he has done over the years in ERNWACA but continue by saying the we really need to state in clear terms what ERNWACA and Université de Montréal will be doing and what they will actually gain. A non-exhaustive summary of partner roles and responsibilities, in no particular order, are outlined below. This list was developed simply to provide some background information, and general operational parameters, for the ERNWACA / U de M partnership with regard to the PanAf project. The litmus for all decisions will be how well they serve the primary objective of the project : AN ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEDAGOGICAL INTEGRATION OF ICT IN AFRICA The principles of the partnership between ERNWACA and Université de Montréal are: Flexibility Synergy Complicity What does ERNWACA bring to PanAf? 17 years of African education research experience A developed network of African experts Dynamic and dedicated individuals What does the Université de Montréal team bring to PanAf? 12 years of international development research experience (particularly ICT4Ed in Africa) Technical expertise and resources (equipment, support personnel etc.) Dynamic and dedicated individuals What will ERNWACA do? Help promote the project among African partners and institutions Publish the PanAf Newsletter Manage the majority of communication with African partner institutions Manage the funds allocated by IDRC for African partner institutions What will the Université de Montréal team do?

5 Provide scientific guidance Develop African partner expertise (through a variety of support and training initiatives) Provide the PanAf project with access to technical resources (at UdeM) Manage the funds allocated by IDRC for UdeM SHARED TASKS: Management of the PanAf website Planning and management of meetings and workshops Preparation of technical reports (for IDRC) What are ERNWACA s main advantages? International visibility (beyond the network s historical boundaries) Capacity building at multiple levels (regional coordination and national members) Funding What are Université de Montréal s main advantages? Enhanced international visibility Enhanced experience in ICT4Ed in Africa Funding After the roles and responsibilities Mbangwana Moses and Dramane Darave presented the draft of the methods guide they have already started. Kathryn and Thierry appreciated the work already done and made proposals that were to improve on the quality of the guide. Moses, Dramane and Toby were then to continue work on the guide while Kathryn and Thierry were to work on the program of September training workshop. The draft of the methods guide and the Observatory were presented to Alioune Camara the representative of IDRC on Friday in the morning. Alioune was very impressed and made the following observations which he said should be taken very seriously: The gender aspect in all the indicators The hosting of the website in such a way that people should not see it as a Université de Montréal business The inclusion of an item in the Observatory that will permit people to post news on the use of ICT The timing of the project should be very clear to allow researchers to know exactly what to do and when

6 Mbangwana Moses proposed topics that should appear on the maiden edition of the newspaper. There were some amendments made and it was concluded that the first edition should be ready during the training workshop for the PanAf participants in September. Bellow is a list of articles for submission in the newsletter. PanAf Newsletter No 1 Sept Editorial -..? Scientific committee -..? Gender in ICT - Prof. Tchombe What is an Observatory with specific examples - Prof. Thierry Karsenti Presentation of the Observatory - Kathryn Toure Project Conception and Vision - Alioune Camara Presentation of new PanAf management team staff - Kathryn Toure Presentation Countries participating in the project - Mbangwana Moses The Role and Responsibilities of the Primary Partners - Kathryn Toure Report on the (July) ERNWACA, UdeM, IDRC meeting - Moise, Moses, Dramane Calendar of PanAf activities - Kathryn Toure Upcoming activities Observatory research work in additional (non-first 11) countries -..? Review of African ICT policy documents, focusing on the education sector - Thierry and additional person to be decided by KT and MM Contact information - panaf@ernwaca.org A report on the countries participated was presented and it was resolved that the Program manager should write a letter to them and a follow up with telephone calls. Alioune promised to get in contact with Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique and Uganda. Documents received as of today from the participating countries is presented in the table below: Informations reçues/ Documents already received ( ) Pays Lettre d intention/ Letter of intent Fiche participant / National Participants CV participant/ CV of Participants Fiche Bancaire/ Bank information Document bancaire / Bank documents Donnés 12 Indicateurs / Data for 12 indicators Cameroon CAR en cours Congo- Brazza Egypte Kenya Mali Maroc Mozam. Sénégal South Africa Uganda The program for the training workshop was presented as follows: Workshop with Francophone countries 6-7 September 2007 in Bamako Mali

7 Workshop with Anglophone countries September 2007 in Nairobi Kenya.