FLOSS4Edu Pacific Workshop/Workshop report group

=REPORT ON FLOSS4EDU PACIFIC CHAPTER WORKSHOP= Dates: 13 - 15 August 2007 Place: Wellington, New Zealand.

Accommodation: Portland Hotel, Wellington Venue: Auldhouse Computer Training, Level 8, 11 Hunter Street, Training Room 4

RATIONALE
In working towards the vision of a free education curriculum by 2015, COL in collaboration with the New Zealand Ministry of Education hosted this capacity building and strategy workshop to launch a Pacific Chapter of the FLOSS4Edu initiative.

FLOSS4Edu (Free/Libre and Open Source Software for Education) is a rapidly growing Commonwealth initiative to tackle the dire shortage of free knowledge for education, and to build capacity in the use of free software tools for educators. WikiEducator's FLOSS4Edu project strives to build a thriving community of teachers sharing knowledge to widen access to quality learning opportunities. The aim of this workshop was to ensure that the Pacific region can engage as equal partners in the information society leveraging the potential of relevant and accessible technologies.

OBJECTIVES
The hands-on approach for this workshop is inspired by a Native American proverb:

Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me, and I'll understand. The FLOSS4Edu Pacific Workshop aims to:
 * build capacity focusing on the skills required for developing free content on WikiEducator so that participants can return to their home countries to present their own capacity building workshops;


 * to explore work done in New Zealand relating to the specific pedagogical requirements of eLearning for Maori and Pacific learners;


 * to introduce the range of free content resources and projects on WikiEducator which are freely available for use in facilitating capacity building workshops in country;


 * to establish and launch the Pacific Chapter of the FLOSS4Edu project;


 * to create the foundation for a community of support, during and after the workshop;


 * to collaboratively build a strategy for growth and sustainability of the Pacific Chapter of the FLOSS4Edu project;


 * to strengthen strategic networks in the Pacific region.

WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES
Day 1 - Monday, 13 August 2007

Starting time: 9:00 am


 * Official opening and welcome address by Murray Brown, Manager Information Communications Technology, Curriculum Teaching and Learning, Ministry of Education;


 * Intro to WikiEd community by Dr. Wayne Mackintosh, workshop facilitator :Introduction to wiki technologies, their advantages and disadvantages;
 * How to register and create an account in the www.wikieducator.org website;
 * How to edit and format text within a wiki;


 * Resources and projects to support in country initiatives;


 * Closing remarks by Ms. Karen Sewell, Secretary for Education, Ministry of Education

Approximate finishing time: 5:00 pm

Welcome Dinner

Day 2 - Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Starting time 9:00 am


 * Participants will work on real projects and ideas generated by the group.


 * How to create internal links; and uploading images in media Wiki;
 * How to communicate on the wiki and to use the discussions and talk features on WikiEducator;
 * How to manage collaborative editing with the ability to revert back to earlier edited wiki version and inherent WikiEducator features that prevail against content vandalism; and


 * Creation of External links within WikiEducator

Approximate finishing time 5:00 pm
 * Presentation by Karen Sewell, Secretary for Education, Ministry of Education

Day 3 - Wednesday, 15 August 2007

Starting time 9:00 am


 * Strategic planning for the Pacific Chapter of the FLOSS4Edu project;


 * Launch of the Pacific Chapter of FLOSS4Edu;
 * Free content project commitments listed;


 * Presentation by Lesieli Tongati'o, Pule Maata Pasifika (Senior Manager National Operations, Early Childhood and Regional Education)


 * Official closing.

Approximate finishing time 5:00 pm

Community-Building Activities
Community-Building Activities were integrated into each day of the Workshop About 1 to 1.5 hours per day, focused on community-building for each of the 3 days. The activities were as follows:

Day 1:

Morning:
 * Why participate in Wikieducator? What's in it for me? my / organization? the value proposition


 * Short & Simple Intro to Copyright Issues - overview - what are the top issues, and why this discussion is important


 * Short & Simple Intro to OER's - overview - what they are, and why they're important

Afternoon


 * What is a WikiAmbassador - Part II (i.e., lecturette + homework --> reflection)

Day 2:

Morning


 * What is a WikiAmbassador - Part II

Afternoon
 * Who is going to support you? Is a buddy system a good idea?


 * WikiAmbassadors engaging others, including newbies

Day 3:

Morning


 * Action planning


 * Chapter Formation, next steps - chartering & (COL) support;


 * Address Roles, Accountabilities & Responsibilities


 * Development of Core Capabilities Matrix - Part I (focusing on internal roles)

Afternoon


 * Development of Core Capabilities Matrix - Part II
 * Identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps (create Core Capabilities Matrix, to identify partnering and proposal development opportunities with other chapters


 * Assemble Buddy System and/or Rapid Development Teams
 * Wrap-up

COUNTRY REPORTS

 * The Republic of Kiribati
 * New Zealand
 * Niue
 * Papua New Guinea
 * Samoa
 * Solomon Islands
 * Tonga
 * Tokelau
 * Tuvalu

Kiribati
 * Summary of Recommendations

New Zealand
 * Summary of Recommendations

Niue
 * Summary of Recommendations

PNG
 * Summary of Recommendations

Samoa
 * Summary of Recommendations
 * 1) The launch and promotion of a wikiambassador community in Samoa
 * 2) The offering of workshops in wikieducator for NUS staff and MESC
 * 3) The offering of workshops in basic ICT skills for NUS staff and MESC

Solomon Islands
 * Summary of Recommendations

Tonga
 * Summary of Recommendations

Tokelau
 * Summary of Recommendations
 * 1) The need to improve existing or develop better communication infrasturcture to ensure efficient service and delivery of wikieducator.
 * 2) Offer workshops on wikieducator for Dept. of Education staff (includes USP Centre staff, teachers on the three atolls). The aim is that this small training will have a 'snowball effect' on the community and wikieducator.
 * 3) Develop systems which monitor the progress of wikieducator usage at local level.
 * 4) Develop (to be spearheaded by the Education Dept.)community promotional and awareness activities. E.g. Have a 'WIKIDAY', have wikieducator on rubbish bins around the atolls, posters, include as part of the community-based programme plan, etc (something the $15,000CND could be used for).

Tuvalu
 * Summary of Recommendations

OUTCOMES

 * 1) Capacity building: delegates learning to use wikieducator (and training of two other people by delegates eg colleagues)
 * 2) Building networks amongst Pacific countries. Creating an environment of collaboration within the Pacific.
 * 3) Awareness of available free content resources.
 * 4) Launching of the FLOSS4Edu Pacific Chapter. Design of country pages, Pacific portal and logo, report development of Pacific group.
 * 5) Building communities. Recommendation of support for and creation of Wiki ambassadors.
 * 6) Strengthening and renewing professional and regional alliances. Begun with agreement to create the Pacific Chapter.
 * 7) Raised awareness with policy decision makers and key stakeholders. Delegates to inform key people within own country to continue progress

RECOMMENDATIONS

 * 1) Establish wikiambassadors
 * 2) Conduct workshops on wikieducator
 * 3) Utilise existing wiki support resources and integrate with locally available resources
 * 4) Re-examine existing  and/or develop new policies in the light of the outcomes of this workshop.
 * 5)  Maintain and promote national and regional networks for OERs
 * 6) Lobby publicly funded resouce development projects to release materials under a free content license
 * 7) Develop fundraising strategies
 * 8) Advocating senior-level support and committment (e.g. teaching release time)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The participants of this workshop would like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the contributions of the following:

Funding agencies:
 * The Commonwealth of Learning
 * NZAid
 * NZ Ministry of Education

Facilitators: Dr Wayne Mackintosh Education Specialist, eLearning and ICT Policy, Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Jenny Williams, COL Project Manager for the South Pacific

Dignitaries: Ms. Karen Sewell, Secretary for Education, Ministry of Education, Murray Brown, Manager, Information Communications Technology, Curriculum Teaching and Learning, Ministry of Education Lesieli Tongati'o, Pule Maata Pasifika (Senior Manager National Operations, Early Childhood and Regional Education), Ministry of Education

WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
Canada: Dr. Wayne Mackintosh Kiribati: Tebania Tebakabo Tebania Tebakabo New Zealand: Jenny Williams, Brent Simpson, Helena Mill, Peter Guiney, Paul Rodley, Warren Lidstone Niue: Jieni Taoba-Mitineti PNG: Demas Tongogo Samoa: Ioana Chan Mow Solomon Islands: Bernard Rapasia

Tonga: Sisilia Takapautolo Tokelau: Samuelu Misionare, Hana Atoni-Tui Tuvalu: Michael Noa

RESOURCES
Links to resources distributed at the work (including online resources)