The devil is in the details

That's it. We are embarking in an exciting new project/partnership with FUNDAP in Guatemala, working with 3 of the schools they have had a long term relationship with, and pilot the use of technology to enhance the education of 4th, 5th and 6th grade students.

I am very excited that we will be working with FUNDAP. TINFA and FUNDAP have so many shared common values and are bringing to the table such complementary skills. Perhaps I'll go into the details of this in another blog.

The concept of this project is very simple. We believe that a computer, a projector, a screen, an internet connection and a power supply can make a substantial difference in a school if used the right way, taking advantage of amazing programs like the Khan Academy, e-Books or Scratch. 

The HOW is the key. There is nothing fancy about the how, but the "devil is in the details". 

Our goal is to go very deep in understanding the HOW, understanding what in the HOW is essential, so that we can create a model that is replicable. 

For example, the team we are working with at FUNDAP needs to feel 100% comfortable with the applications we are proposing to the schools.  It is essential for the staff to have a thorough training on setting up the system, navigating the applications, troubleshoot some of the common issues, and be advanced users of the applications like the Khan Academy. This is essential, so that they can properly present the opportunity to principal and teachers of the schools. This is essential, so that they can stretch the partners and have deep discussions on their regular visits to the schools. This investment in the staff of FUNDAP is a pilot investment, and a cost that would not occur, once we are talking about replication. 

I am very excited about this project. It is quick starting on July 1st!

www.tinfa.org

Exchange in between schools TINFA supports and schools in the Northwest

The other main area TINFA is involved in, is relationships in between schools, supporting exchanges in between schools that we support and schools in the Northwest. 

We have started this work in 2006 with a yearlong virtual exchange in between Santa Maria in Bogota Colombia, and Coe Elementary in Seattle. 

Last year, our family joined a long standing physical exchange that my children’s school (John Stanford Int’l) had with a school in the outskirt of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico (Juan de la Barrera). This year, I joined the trip again, this time through TINFA and as part of the organizing committee. I have been specifically focused on the interest of the school we are partnering with: 

• How can we support the strengthening of local capacities, among teachers, among the parent community, in between the administration and the district? 
• How can the long term current exchange evolve from a punctual week long visit to a continuous exchange? 
• How can technology support such initiatives?  

TINFA will support the school in Mexico by providing technology training to the teachers for the year to come, as well as coordination engagement for the four virtual exchanges that both schools have defined and are planning on engaging in, during the coming school year.

www.tinfa.org 

Project outlines

Recess playing volleyball at the Morelia Middle school

We are still in the definition phase of this project, but here are the main lines.

• Train FUNDAP Education department collaborators on the use of technology and online content/applications that will help them serving their partners better. We are currently specifically looking at the Khan Academy, eBooks and Scratch. 
• Define a simple low cost technology kit. This will most likely be a laptop, a projector, a screen, and an internet connection. The kit will be deployed in 3 pilot schools.
• Train the teachers on the use of the technology and the online applications.
• Learn and adapt the project with constant support, monitoring and bottom up feedback.
• Define a larger scale deployment kit, based on the learning of this one year project.

Both of our organizations are quite excited about this initiative, and its potential. 

We will have a fundraising campaign for this project in the months to come.

www.tinfa.org

Partnership with FUNDAP

I am just coming back from a visit to our partner in Guatemala FUNDAP. Although TINFA has worked with FUNDAP since 2006 on 2 projects, this is the first time I made a visit there.  

I am so pleased with this visit. I had the chance to meet with school directors, teachers and students of 7 rural schools, see the fruits of our past projects, understand more in depth the activities of FUNDAP, and get a sense of the culture and leadership of the organization. 

TINFA's model is to partner with organizations locally. We need to share strong common values and have complementary added values. I feel that we have a very strong partnership with FUNDAP:

• Respect and focus on the dignity of the human being, 
• avoidance of the paternalism, 
• focus on collaboration with local partners, 
• strengthening the self reliance and community engagement, 
• and a strong believe in the inherent values of the people we serve. 

Students performing a dance at school. The choreography and costume designs were done by the community.

FUNDAP has a strong presence on the ground. It is well respected with deep relationships within the community. Although FUNDAP does not "own" any of the projects they collaborate on, their facilitation and expertise is clearly seen as a welcoming and beneficial. 

Both of our organizations are interested in defining simple and common sense solutions that are precisely helpful for the communities we serve. 

I am very excited that we are about to kick out a new project together.

www.tinfa.org 

Heading to Guatemala

I am heading to Guatemala next week, to continue defining our latest project with our fearless partner, FUNDAP. This will be a pilot project with 3 rural middle schools in the Xela region.

The questions we are asking ourselves :

• What type of technology would be the most useful for schools and students? 
• Can the Khan academy resources or the likes be taken advantage of in such settings?
• What is the right empowering approach to the use of technology for education in such environment?
• Can we find an answer that can be replicable?

www.tinfa.org

TINFA is picking up steam

After couple of years of low activities – I went back to school to get a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy school at Harvard – TINFA is picking up steam again. 

It is starting with renewing our non profit status. According to our accountant, Howard, it can take about 6 months.

This Dec/Jan we made a family trip to Guatemala, and took this opportunity to visit our long time TINFA partner there: FUNDAP. It was great to finally put a face to some of the people we have worked with for the past 6 years. The timing was not ideal, as this was the holiday season, and pretty much every body is on vacation during that time, including FUNDAP and the schools. But still, there is nothing more powerful than making a physical contact, and picturing the places where TINFA is involved with.

www.tinfa.org