Closing Learning Gaps Through Internet Technology—SEED in Nigeria

Date: 06/24/2010

For more than a decade, Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development (SEED) has been putting the power of technology to work linking underserved communities to the rest of the world. Recently, as part of a SEED pilot project at three schools in Nigeria, students and teachers received 3,000 laptop computers with built-in wireless network interfaces. School servers provide a gateway to the Internet, a local content repository, backup, and school management.

“By giving each child his or her own laptop, we instill a sense of ownership and pride,” Claudia Urrea, Schlumberger educational technology expert, said. “Also, SEED will link them to a wider world by providing this amazing piece of technology and Internet connectivity. Imagine never setting foot outside your own village and suddenly having access to a world of knowledge. It’s a very powerful tool.”

Public-private partnership provides laptops

Placing information and communication technology (ICT) directly into these students’ hands creates a saturated learning environment that will enhance the way they learn mathematics, science, and other fundamentals. This one-to-one approach is possible through a unique collaboration among the Nigerian government and One Laptop per Child (OLPC), United Company RUSAL and its local subsidiary ALSCON, Schlumberger Nigeria, and SEED.

“By being partners in progress for Nigeria’s future, our collaboration is a practical realization of cooperation, collaboration, and coordination on educational matters at national and international levels,” noted Simone Amber, founder and director of SEED. “Our contribution is achieved through a public-private sector partnership that has introduced two communities to the use of ICT for learning and teaching and enables them to access the vast knowledge available globally via the ICT revolution.”

Schools embrace one-to-one learning program

Providing these tools for learning is just the beginning, according to Valerie Edozien-Nwogbe, Schlumberger Nigeria special projects manager leading the SEED project. “You think you’re going to be able to go into a school and just give them some computers, set them up, and walk away,” Nigerian-based Edozien-Nwogbe said, “But it’s never that simple. Schools here often have to prioritize the challenges at hand, such as paying their teachers, books, or electricity. Obtaining Internet connectivity is another obstacle,” she said.

To address the challenges in Nigeria, SEED identified communities and schools with both the psychological and physical environments for the program to thrive. The chosen schools had to have motivated teachers and staff to implement the program and incorporate it into the learning process. School administrators had to be willing to take on the challenges of sustainability and maintenance after the endowment period.

Sustainability requires planning

Because the long-term success of the program depends on its sustainability, SEED and its partners have planned for the future of the program after the endowment period is over. School servers will provide centralized services and school IT teams will provide support for the laptops and help build a local area network that can expand with the program. A school ambassador with vision, drive, and leadership skills will help manage and build the program.

SEED constructs a foundation for learning

The foundation for the ICT program and SEED’s approach to education is constructionism, an educational theory that focuses on learning, not just teaching. The theory was developed by Seymour Papert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to make learning more fun, exciting, and practical for students.
SEED’s approach to constructionism is known as learning-while-doing, which actively engages students in real-world projects. Through this approach, SEED is empowering the students in Nigeria to take charge of their learning and actively engage in problem solving. The specially designed, Web-enabled laptop computers equipped with dedicated educational software can be used in the classroom, at home, and in the communities.

Knowledge sharing inspires, influences, and enables education

SEED’s mission is to inspire, influence, and enable educators in underserved communities where Schlumberger people live and work. This is realized by engaging youth in science and technology and by building learning communities and knowledge-sharing environments in which students, educators, and volunteers collaborate on projects in their local languages. The Nigeria project is one more step in the direction of fulfilling this vision.

Reference

Amber, S., Edozien-Nwogbe, V., Smith, M., and Zubiller, L.: ”One-to-One Learning—Using Digital Technology to Endow Children in Nigeria with Knowledge for a Sustainable Future,” paper SPE 127069 presented at SPE International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (April 12-14, 2010).