CAS Digital Learning in Emergencies (2022-23)/module4-Mikias

Module 4 - Mikias' page

Topic:

Integrating Learning through Play (LtP) approaches in selected Refugee and IDP sites

Overview of the context

The aim of this course will replicate and scale up the connected learning in schools located in refugee camps and IDP collection points. It drew inspiration from the successful pilot project titled Ethiopia Connected Education Project that was implemented in refugee camps in Ethiopia. It follows the Learning Through Play (LtP) approach to learning in primary schools, child-friendly centers, and selected households to address the lack of access to digital learning content in schools and at home and the unavailability of tech-enabled solutions in school and home-based learning environments.

Learning through Play is the operationalization of LEGO Foundation’s vision to empower children’s playful experiences to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. The approach emphasizes children’s experiences of agency, their initiation of playful learning, and their need to provide opportunities to exert their own thinking and actions (The LEGO Foundation, 2017). This has adopted views LtP as an important underlying philosophy and pedagogical approach that recognizes the value of play as a tool for learning. While acknowledging the importance of agency and providing support rather than directing children through play, this program aims to encourage play and embraces the five characteristics of play within the classroom, home, and child-friendly spaces. LtP approaches will be supported by digital educational resources/tools, supplemental learning content, and instructional design and training resources focused on teachers, facilitators, parents/caregivers, and the broader community.

In alignment with their vision and aims, the LEGO Foundation partnered with UNHCR and Arizona State University (ASU)’s Education for Humanity program to provide a comprehensive offline digital solution to selected refugee camps in Ethiopia to ensure that children can learn through play despite school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed upon previous approaches implemented as part of the PlayMatters initiative and another play-based learning programming in low-resource settings.

A key contribution is the development of an offline library that has curated content and a user-friendly navigation system. UNHCR under the pilot project was able to contract Arizona State University to discover, archiving, and translate relevant content aligned to the national framework. For this course, these existing resources will be engaged to enhance the capacity of teachers, and school directors in selected IDP and Refugee schools.

Objective

• Improve learning outcomes by addressing the lack of access to learning content, unavailability of tech-enabled solutions, and inaccessible learning environments in both IDP and refugee contexts

Outcomes:

• Teachers/facilitators will be able to describe the concept and the holistic benefits of Learning Through Play, particularly in emergency contexts
• Train teachers in schools, early childhood care and development centers, and child-friendly spaces to use Learning Through Play resources, such as the Solar SPELL digital library,
• Teachers will be able to integrate LtP materials and new teaching modalities into their lesson planning.
• Engage students with Solar SPELL-provided content and LtP materials in school and child-friendly spaces

Project structure:

By design, the emphasis was introducing support programs via digital educational resources by leveraging global investments from OER, learning platforms (INEE, Kaya, LEGO F), and existing structures (teacher learning circles, remote mentorship models, Centre Management Centers, Parent Teacher Association). In addition, this was scaffolded into teacher-resourcing centers as part of sustaining the model. Given the scarcity of devices teachers, students and schools were supported with solar-powered offline digital library (Solar SPELL), tablets, and solar charging stations. Successive training was provided to support families in utilizing the kits/educational resources and modeling approaches.

Open Educational activities

• Self-study course reading material on topics of UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers, Play responsive teaching in early childhood, and Let’s Play
• Complete online training course on Kaya: Learning through play in Education in Emergencies (EiE)
• Complete the use guide training on off- line library (Solar SPELL)
• Produce a lesson plan linked with OER in off-line digital library
• Integrate Learning through Play (LtP) materials and new teaching modalities into their lesson planning.

=== Tools for publication ===

• Khan Academy
• Wikipedia
• Podcast apps
• YouTube video
• Kaya
• LEGO Foundation

=== Resources ===

• UNESCO Open Education Resources
• Play-Responsive Teaching in Early Childhood Education | OER Commons
• LEGO Foundation: Let's Play (learningthroughplay.com)
• Kaya Education in Emergencies (EiE) Online Course https://kayaconnect.org/course/info.php?id=2748

=== Expected results ===

• Write a short reflection- 500 words- explaining what the UNESCO article discussed.
• List and explain the benefits and challenges of open education at K-12 levels according to the article.
• Explain with no more than 500 words what OER you have chosen
• Write a brief report on what Learning through Play approach can be in your local context
• After choosing the topic from the subject/grade, complete the below activities.

Activities

List of Activities

Activity	Time	Evaluation	Reward
Self-study course reading material: UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers	1.5 Hours	Peer: Share summary from the reading	NA
Self-study course reading material: Play responsive teaching in early childhood	1 hour	Peer: Share summary from the reading	NA
Self-study course reading material: Let’s Play	3 hours	Peer: identify age appropriate and share LtP activities	NA
Complete online training course on Kaya: Learning through play in Education in Emergencies (EiE)	8 hours	Quiz	Badge
Complete the use guide training on the offline library (Solar SPELL)	6 Hours	Quiz	Completion certificate
Produce a lesson plan linked with OER based on resources uploaded from an off-line digital library	15 Hours	Evaluation of lesson plan/s by supervisor/mentor	Completion certificate

Completion Certificate

Rewards

For the last activity, students will be asked to do a mini project to Produce a lesson plan linked with OER based on resources uploaded in the offline digital library (Solar SPELL), and the OERs they chose to analyze. The project should be a written document, and the student can choose one of the above-mentioned online tools to publish his work as an OER. The Evaluation will be an open evaluation. Every student will be asked to observe his colleague's work and evaluated it based on the criteria. In addition, supervisors from the district will conduct class observation and provide summative criteria-based evaluation using 5*5 Rubric.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria

Criteria	4	3	2	1	0
Describe the concept and the holistic benefits of Learning Through Play, particularly in emergency contexts	Learners can describe the underlying philosophy and pedagogical approach of play as a tool for learning	Learners show a basic understanding of underlying philosophy and pedagogical approach of play as a tool for learning	Learners show limited understanding of underlying philosophy and pedagogical approach of play as a tool for learning	Learners show no understanding of underlying philosophy and pedagogical approach of play as a tool for learning	N/A
Use Learning Through Play resources, such as the Solar SPELL digital library in classroom/CFS	Learners will independently develop and implement learning plans that capture 5 LtP core competencies	Learners will be able to adopt contents from generic learning plans in line with the 5 LtP core competencies	Learners have challenges in understanding generic learning plans in line with the 5 LtP core competencies	Learners have challenges in understanding generic learning plans in line with the 5 LtP core competencies	N/A
Integrate LtP materials and new teaching modalities into their lesson planning	Learners can introduce digital learning resources via tablet use at schools & small group work with minimal supervision	Learners can introduce digital learning resources via tablet use at school supervision of trainers	Learners have difficulty in managing digital learning resources via tablet use at school supervision of trainers	Learners fail to integrate digital learning resources via tablet use at school supervision of trainers	N/A
Students with Solar SPELL-provided content and LtP materials in school and child-friendly spaces	Very good skills in managing digital tools and resources	Good skills in managing the digital tools and resources	Requires supervision or continuous support during sessions	Can’t manage the tools or utilize the learning resources	N/A