Three Americans are connecting in to rural Africa every month, from Ohio, Florida and New York.
Using Skype, these trans-Atlantic pioneers are using their resources and skills to bring new and relevant learning opportunities into Londolozi’s not-for-profit partner – Good Work Foundation (GWF) – and its Digital Learning Centres.
GWF is not just about access to education in the rural space. It is also about leveraging opportunities to expose its facilitators and students to real personal development and the global stage.
In the last 12 months GWF has been able to stabilise its communication lines, and install a new classroom with a big screen and projector for virtual classroom collaborations and partnerships.
Here’s a brief introduction to each of our pioneers:
- Denise Sharp and Professor Maureen Brustkern from Central State University (Ohio)
After a visit to Londolozi late last year, Denise Sharp (Director of Accreditation at the Professional College of Education at Central State University) identified an opportunity to support GWF’s digital facilitators by curating an online course to support leadership, lesson planning, English second-language, early childhood education and classroom management. Together with Professor Maureen Brustkern, Denise and her team present an online two-hour workshop to the team at Hazyview Digital Learning Centre (HDLC) twice per month.
Hazyview Digital Learning Centre’s online, connected and high-tech trans-Atlantic collaboration classroom. Denise Sharp from Central State University in Ohio presents her first lecture on English second language (ESL) training.
- Terri Fedonczak and Girl Power For Good (Florida)
Terri Fedonczak is a critically acclaimed mentor and author for mothers and daughters. After visiting Londolozi in 2013 and seeing the incredible dynamic of lion prides (in particular the strong bonds between lionesses), Terri created Girl Power for Good, an organisation that supports human female relationships, advocating “prides” that work together effectively in today’s modern world. Terri is also a certified life coach and, in 2015, set up a programme for GWF in which she coaches the organisation’s female staff and facilitators. GWF breaks rural (and probably urban) stereotypes by having a team made up 75 percent of women. Using structured Skype sessions, Terri has committed to harnessing the potential of this team so that they become one of Africa strongest forces for good in community development.
Gay Sibuyi (left) is one of Good Work Foundation’s IT veterans. Gay heads up the International Computer Driving Licence program and is part of Hazyview Digital Learning Centre’s management team. Gay receives one-on-one Girl Power for Good coaching from US life-coach and mentor, Terri Fedonczak (right) every month.
- Vivian Bohm and Fostertown Elementary School (New York)
After learning about GWF’s Open Learning Academy for rural Grade 4 schoolchildren, Vivian Bohm – a teacher at an elementary school in New York that focuses on art – suggested that we setup a virtual classroom connecting her young students to ours in South Africa. Using a big screen and Skype, the bi-monthly sessions will focus on cultural exchange. In the first eight weeks, the Fostertown kids are teaching kids from the Ntotsaka Vulnerable Children programme how to create 3D art – they are even sending over some 3D glasses!
GWF Head of Open Learning – Crispen Bvumbghe (left) – leads the introductions between the kids from Ntotsaka in rural South African, and Fostertown Elementary in New York. This was the first time that the Ntotsaka children had seen Skype, and the first time that they had spoken to children in the USA. On the right, the Digital Tree of Knowledge sums up the essence of connected learning.
Interested in “Beaming in” or Supporting the GWF Cross-Atlantic Initiative?
The Digital Tree of Knowledge (see above) has become a symbol not just of Ubuntu and world-class African learning, but of extending our branches of connectivity beyond our own direct sphere and reality. To that end, if you are interested in helping us to extend the learning opportunities and international connections at Good Work Foundation, you can contact the GWF Volunteers and Special Programmes Coordinator, Val Ross, val@goodworkfoundation.org.
The Good Work Foundation is also actively looking for a partner to sponsor its annual broadband expenses (in South African rural areas, where there is a reliance on cellular networks, the cost of connectivity remains high). If you would be interested in assisting for the 2015 academic year, you can connect with me on ryan@goodworkfoundation.org. The 2015 Internet budget for the organisation, which operates four Digital Learning Centres, is $15,000.
So exciting to be part of this global village. What fun we had yesterday chatting to school children on the other side of the world, who were surrounded by snow .
I’m beyond thrilled to be connected to such amazing pioneers! Connection across continents is my favorite way to start my day 🙂 XO
On behalf of the “pink” team, thanks Terri for your important and forward-thinking support and leadership.
Fantastic! It’s really exciting to hear about the learning exchange across the continents.
Fantastic story Ryan and an incredible initiative, well done to everyone taking part in this.