Case Study
Building a science e-learning platform for high school teachers in the Pacific
Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and produced through a collaboration between Nanogirl Labs, Catalpa International and WINTEC, this e-learning program for high school teachers aims to improve science outcomes for students in Pacific Island communities.
The Pacific e-learning Programme is designed to support the national and regional education priorities of Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
It promotes innovative approaches for high school teachers to help increase young people's use of scientific knowledge with a local context.
By helping to increase science engagement and confidence for both students and teachers, this project hopes to enable greater social, cultural and economic participation for those involved.
The programme is designed to help improve the science learning for Year 10 students in all four countries. Specifically it is targeted at non-specialist teachers who are currently teaching science, some of whom have limited access to teaching and learning resources designed with a local context.
Through a co-design process in collaboration with participating governments and local teachers, this project will deliver 100 science lessons, relevant videos and an audio glossary through a custom designed e-learning and professional development programme.
The technology is designed for the specific needs of the user communities where each lesson can be accessed offline and on simple smart devices designed for people with low levels of digital literacy.
Scalability is key as this program will be delivered to both urban and rural regions. Long term all of the lessons will be handed over to each of the local governments with the scope to expand topics further.
At Nanogirl Labs we specialise in creating relevant science content that aligns with the curriculum, but is also fun and accessible too!
By reviewing the science curriculum from each of the participating countries and working closely with local teachers and education experts, the Nanogirl Labs used a human-centred design approach to developing the educational content in the program.
Core to every lesson is the inclusivity of local indigenous knowledge and culture as well as examples that are relevant to the students' daily lives. In addition to this, each lesson is also designed to be engaging, interactive, accessible and fun!
