Distance learning solutions to mitigate COVID-19 school closures

Mar 12, 2020 | The Latest

Distance Learning Solutions to Mitigate COVID-19 School Closures

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Distance Learning Solutions to Mitigate COVID-19 School Closures

Thursday, March 12, 2020

In response to school closures caused by COVID-19, UNESCO recommends the use of distance learning programmes to limit the disruption of education.

Below is a list of open educational applications and platforms to help schools and teachers facilitate student learning and provide social caring and interaction.While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. Several support multiple languages.

Open educational applications and platforms

ClassDojo (link is external) – A free app that connects teachers with students and parents to build classroom communities. Teachers can bring parents into the classroom experience by sharing photos, videos, announcements and instant messages with parents. ClassDojo is used in the Colégio Monte Flor primary school in Portugal and featured in the UNESCO-Fazheng case study series. It supports more than 20 languages including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Italian, Korean.
Edraak (link is external)– An open educational resource in Arabic for school learners and teachers (k-12 education). Arabic and some classes in English.
EdX (link is external) – Access to free online courses from leading educational institutions worldwide. English
EkStep (link is external) – An open learning platform with a collection of learning resources in literacy & numeracy. English
Global Digital Library (link is external) – A digital library that promotes early-grade literacy worldwide by offering digital storybooks and other reading materials available in multiple languages. UNESCO is working together with Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) to promote the Global Digital Library for digital early grade reading worldwide. The GDL collects existing high quality open educational reading resources, and makes them available on web, mobile and for print. The GDL currently offers resources in 43 languages (including Arabic, English and French), and by end 2020 the goal is to provide 100 languages. The platform also facilitates translation and localization of GDL-resources to more than 300 languages.
ICT in Education Toolkit (link is external) provides education policy makers, planners and practitioners with a systematic process to formulate, plan and evaluate education development programs enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). English
Khan Academy (link is external) – Nonprofit organization that offers free online courses, lessons and practice. English
LabXchange (link is external) – An online platform which brings together high-quality content from a variety of sources including videos, assessments, and simulations. In association with Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences that is part of the UNESCO Chair on Life Sciences and Social Innovation. English
Lezioni sul sofà (link is external) – A website that has been created by Italian children’s book writers for schoolchildren who are studying from home due to the virus. It includes videos discussing books and different topics of interest surrounding art and literature for students of different ages. Italian.
Mindspark (link is external) – An adaptive online tutoring system that helps students practice and learn mathematics. The system was shortlisted for the 2018 ICT in Education Prize. English
Nafham (link is external) – Free Arabic language online learning platform that hosts educational video lessons that correspond to the Egyptian and Syrian curricula. Arabic
One Billion (link is external) – Child focused application provided by a nonprofit organization to deliver reading, writing and numeracy education. English
Seesaw (link is external) – A digital portfolio for students to store their work and for teachers and parents to see their progress. The app can be used in over 55 languages. Multiple languages
Siyavula (link is external) – An open educational resource offering online mathematics and physical sciences education aligned with the South African curriculum. English
Study Saply (link is external) – An online platform for middle school students. Free until the end of March. Japanese.
Ubongo (link is external) – A multi-platform education media which uses entertainment, mass media, and the connectivity of mobile devices to deliver effective and localized learning to African families. The media is low cost, small scale and provided by a nonprofit social enterprise. English

Applications and platforms to support live-streaming classes

Dingtalk (link is external)– DingTalk is a free communication and collaboration platform, which includes video conferencing, task and calendar management, attendance management and instant messages. Available in English and Chinese, but used in countries worldwide.
Lark (link is external)– A collaboration suite that offers service to schools free of charge without time limit of service. The one-stop suite include services of 200G free storage spaces and video conferencing to support synchronous classes, messenger for connection, online interactive and collaborative document processing for project collaboration , calendar for syncing up the syllabus, and workplace to integrate third-party applications. Available in English, Japanese and Chinese, used in countries worldwide.
Other well-known free and private platforms for teachers and learners can be found on the internet.

Applications to support production of video lessons, MOOCs and asynchronous classes

Edpuzzle (link is external) – Edpuzzle is an easy-to-use platform allowing teachers to engage with all students, one video at a time (more than 8 million lessons and more than 20 million students). English.
Icourses (link is external) – An MOOC platform for universities in China. Chinese.
Mosoteach (link is external)– An app which provides cloud classes. Chinese.
Thinglink (link is external) – A digital poster editor that enriches images with notes, links or video clips. This project was a laureate of the 2018 UNESCO ICT in Education Prize. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Italian.

Applications and platforms in low tech environments

Can’t wait to Learn (link is external) – Can’t Wait to Learn, an innovative programme providing education to children affected by conflict, was awarded the 2018 UNESCO ICT in education prize. The programme teaches children how to read, write and count by playing educational games on tablet devices, online and offline. The programme is available in both Arabic and English. French is currently being developed.
Kolibri (link is external)– A free offline resource with over 80,000 pieces of content from UNHCR partners at Learning Equality. English

Assessment tools for e-schools

SELFIE: Self-reflection tool & mentoring scheme for schools (link is external) – SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) developed by the European Commission, it is a tool designed to help schools embed digital technologies into teaching, learning and student assessment. It can highlight what is working well, where improvement is needed and what the priorities should be. The tool is currently available in the 24 official languages of the European Union with more languages to be added over time. Multiple languages

Applications to support communication between students, teachers and parents

Teacher Aide Pro (link is external) – A free teacher assistant app in Iran’s android website that offers parents the chance to follow their children’s progress. It includes group messages, curriculum progress, and the option to save lessons. Farsi, English.
ClassDojo (link is external) – please see above.

Article written by UNESCO

America’s Top 10 Best-Performing Large Cities

Mar 11, 2020 | The Latest

America’s Top 10 Best-Performing Large Cities

Wednesday, March, 11, 2020

America’s Top 10 Best-Performing Large Cities

Wednesday, March, 11, 2020

How did US regional economies perform recently? And what are the key factors driving their growth and decline?

The Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities series has tracked the economic performance of US metros for two decades using job, wage and salary, and high-tech gross domestic product (GDP) indicators. Metros are ranked on their performance, while indicators help identify the drivers behind their success or failure. With this publication, we hope metros will learn from others’ experiences and enhance urban economies in the long run.

-The Milken Institute

Will Digital Education Become the New Normal?

Mar 10, 2020 | The Latest

Will Digital Education Become the New Normal?

Tuesday March 10, 2020

While the world rapidly changes in many ways, “New Normal” is becoming more the routine than the exception.

One of the latest burgeoning new normal? Digital education. Advancements in technology are changing learning methods, and sometimes the advancements or how fast they are accepted, or become the new normal, can be buoyed by necessity and circumstance.

As digital technology first started coming to life, it had but a faint heartbeat, a sound heard only by the ears most educated to hear it. It beat out a faint invitation to join its new and emerging world, an invitation that some readily welcomed while others casually shrugged off as “not their thing.” But now in the wake of the global epidemic crisis, digital technology–specifically digital education–is about to become everyone’s “thing” whether they welcome it willingly or not.

As the sounding approach of digital education grew louder over the previous years, it began to nudge educators along with it. Incentives were presented to entice educators into experimenting with different digital methods. The response? A mixed bag of reactions. Some felt that the technology was “clunky” or couldn’t capture the essence of in-class experience. Fair enough, those comments are completely valid. It actually creates a win-win scenario where the negative responses allow for tech to focus on needed improvements, and positive responses opened up new opportunities for students to learn.

As authorities, schools, religious leaders, and others try to slow the flow and curb the damage done by nearly pandemic illness, the course of wisdom dictates that large public gatherings where many may be in close contact with one another must be on hold for an indefinite period. This will result in the world going digital by force and not by choice as circumstances necessitate that, among other things, schools start educating through digital means. If schools close down not knowing when classes will resume, those that are unwilling or don’t have the resources to conduct digital classes online will find that it’s the students who suffer as they fall behind in their curriculums, even to the point of jeopardizing upcoming graduations. Schools that previously did little in the way of digital learning might start to use situations like this to understand why digital technology is needed going forward, accepting, and conforming to the new normal. Sometimes all that is needed is a really good reason to change.

5 Tips for Going Digital

Having to navigate the unknown can leave many nervous and unsure about how to approach it. Educators, faculty, and leaders can keep these five things in mind as they begin to educate in the digital new normal.

Continue social etiquette and social cohesion. It’s easy to forget politeness, social graces, and even friendliness online; we almost start to see others as avatars or part of the tech. One thing internet trolls and online bullies have taught us is that we can be quick to lose our sense of humanity in a digital world where physical or face to face interaction doesn’t exist. But this means there is a need for humanness and social grace more than ever. There is no need for stiffness or formality within digital classrooms. There is ample room for conversation and niceties. Instead of going straight to the point, start by asking each individual in the class how they are doing, offering the appropriate level of care and concern that you would have the chance to show in a live setting. Make the little extra effort to keep humanity not just in spite of but especially because we lose physical proximity to other human beings.
Reduce what you are saying by one-third. In a live classroom, a typical lecture might last 60 minutes. But people process things differently while online and attention spans falter more quickly. That means that a 60-minute live lecture should now be 40 minutes online. Don’t dilute your message or leave out important information, instead make it more concentrated and poignant. That will allow for the lecture to be shortened without losing its punch.
Lead from the back. Most educators, leaders, and faculty lead from the literal front of the classroom and metaphorically from the front in terms of doing most of the talking. Though teaching is still an essential component, digital classrooms are a prime opportunity for students to shine and take the lead. Allow for student discussions while listening, encouraging, congratulating, and re-directing when necessary. Here is the chance to begin the new normal of educators doing more listening and less talking and of students doing more learning.
Have empathy for “digital dinosaurs.” Not everyone has the same comfort level with digital technology, and different people come along at their own speeds. Our knee-jerk reaction might be frustration with those lagging behind, but really, it’s not much different than teaching a live class where everyone learns and comprehends the information at different rates. In a live classroom, would students who had trouble comprehending the information cause you to openly express anger and frustration at slower students as you try to force them along? In real life, most educators wouldn’t dream of treating students that way. They look for ways to help their students connect with the very important information they need to succeed. A digital classroom should be no different, even if it’s the technology that is causing the slowdown.
Have fun. A new type of environment might cause stiff seriousness to reign as you concentrate hard on making it all work. But lighten it up. Have fun, engage with students, and encourage them to engage with one another. Foster an atmosphere that lends itself to social interaction and human connection even in a non-human environment.

For more resources: The International Labour Organization (ILO): Decent Jobs for Youth Knowledge Facility

The Decent Jobs for Youth Knowledge facility is a digital platform of tools, publications, databases, thematic resources and more to support evidence-informed action on youth employment. It leverages the collective experience of multiple partners to share curated, state of the art knowledge and to facilitate learning opportunities for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of youth employment policies and programmes. (CLICK HERE)

Article written by:

Ayman El Tarabishy
Deputy Chair, Department of Management
GW School of Business
ICSB Executive Director

Message from ICSB President

Mar 9, 2020 | The Latest

Message to ICSB Members from ICSB President Ahmed Osman

Monday, March, 09, 2020

March Message to Members from ICSB President Ahmed Osman

Monday, March, 09, 2020

Dear ICSB Family,

On December 17, 2019, I sent an email was to all ICSB active members about the board meeting that was to take place, under my Presidency, in Macao (Special Administrative Region, China) on December 11th.

The objective of this meeting was to closely follow up on the work agenda, discussed at the Board meeting in Cairo, and review the work delegated to each committee and their members. The ICSB Board approved a new set of bylaws for ICSB to be presented to the membership. It reflects a new business model, covering our four (4) pillars of membership; teaching, research, policymakers, and practitioners. In the email sent on December 17, 2019, I reported on the following:

1.   The new bylaws are built on a framework that recognizes the need for a new and sustainable business model.
2.   This model was validated by the success we have achieved in 2017 with our work in partnership with the United Nations-led by Past President Dr. Ki-Chan Kim and our dynamic Executive Director Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy and many countries and partners in the declaration of the UN MSME Day celebrated on June 27th of every year.
3.   This new business model will allow for sustainable growth for ICSB in terms of a footprint and financial growth strategy which develops a newly developed product called “ICSB Knowledge Hubs.”
4.   Since 2015, it has been clear to the successive boards that the affiliate model needed to be readdressed, modified, improved, or abolished. Built upon the work done by previous ICSB visioning committees (2020 and 2030), the Bylaws committee, led by President-Elect Winslow Sargeant, was charged to work on new Bylaws to match the new business model. This new model should address the concerns for a newly established framework for partnerships. With local groups rather than the chapter/ affiliate mode, it is desired to have local or regional groups as “partners of ICSB” rather than “subordinates” of ICSB. This clear recommendation was also received from Ms. Vicki Stylianou, ICSB SVP Development.
5.   The new bylaws and business model put the small business owner and entrepreneur at the heart of what we do: whether it is education, research, or policy advocacy. Without small business owners, there would be no supporting ecosystem.
6.   The new business model gives special attention to certain groups, with women and youth playing a major role to play in the future of ICSB.

I want to follow up on the progress we have made and a summary of all the actions the ICSB Board has taken so far:

October 4, 2019: The ICSB Bylaws Committee presented in Washington DC to the ICSB Board the new ICSB framework for feedback.

November 10, 2019: President of ICSB, Ahmed Osman, sent to the entire board the draft of the new Bylaws for review and comment.

December 11, 2019: The ICSB Board met at the Mid-Year Board meeting in Macao (SAR) and approved the new ICSB bylaws for membership voting. The ICSB board vote was in the majority for YES.

December 17, 2019: The new ICSB Bylaws were submitted to the ICSB active membership for approval/disapproval via email and posted on the ICSB public site.

February 7, 2020: ICSB receives legal notice from the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont, Division for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) not to certify the results until February 20, 2020.

February 15, 2020 (60 days exactly): ICSB Voting ends with 1155 YES votes and 28 No with all regions voted. The results not certified as per the TRO still in effect.

February 27, 2020: The Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont, Division dismisses the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).

March 9, 2020: ICSB Board certifies the membership voting results. Seven (7) Board Members voted Yes for certification, and two (2) Board Members voted in the negative. Motion passed, vote Certified.

March 9, 2020: ICSB New-Bylaws takes effect.

I would like to thank all active ICSB members that participated in the voting process and the ICSB board members for the hard work and dedication. An ICSB Transition Committee led by Dr. Rita Grant, ICSB SVP of Finance and Control, has been formed to start immediately working on the next steps. We will now move forward with an exciting new future to build a stronger ICSB.

Sincerely,
Ahmed Osman
ICSB President

The Social and Cultural Foundations of Entrepreneurship

Mar 9, 2020 | Gazette

The Social and Cultural Foundations of Entrepreneurship

Monday, March, 9, 2020

The Social and Cultural Foundations of Entrepreneurship

Monday, March, 9, 2020

What is the Foundation of Entrepreneurship Around the World?

The decision to start a new business is the product of an individual’s attitudes, perceptions and intentions, set within a social, cultural and political context that could support or constrain that decision. Some societies readily embrace enduring traditions of entrepreneurship and trade, yet others see enterprise as a relatively new characteristic of an economy in transition. Whatever the cultural context, to be successful the entrepreneur must rely on a wide range of stakeholders, including investors, employees, suppliers and customers, as well as the tacit support of family and friends.

Then entrepreneurship is a social and cultural phenomenon that is reflected in the GEM Adult Population Survey (APS) questionnaire by asking whether the individual knows someone who has recently started a new business, whether there are currently good opportunities to start a new business in the local area, and how easy it is to start a business in their country. Knowing someone else who has started their own business can increase awareness of entrepreneurship, as well as heighten appreciation of the associated costs and benefits, and can provide the potential entrepreneur with a benchmark. Knowing other entrepreneurs means exposure to role models and mentors, hardwires the motivating factors or drivers for being successful, and provides connections to relevant stakeholders and advice. Seeing good opportunities to start a business may indicate that innovation potential exists, and also points to an ability to recognize such opportunities. Finally, considering whether or not it is easy to start a business can reflect how people perceive the environment as enabling or constraining to entrepreneurial activity (Read more…).

Download the Full ICSB Gazette.