Voices from Israel and Palestine + Israel and the West Bank Final Report March 17 March 29, 2010 By: Dr. Paul Kim, Chief Technology Officer of the Stanford School of Education Elizabeth Buckner, PhD Student in International and Comparative Education, Stanford University School of Education
Trip Itinerary March 17 19: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel March 20 24: Ramallah, The West Bank March 25 26: Nablus, The West Bank March 27: Ramallah, The West Bank March 28: Qalqilya, The West Bank 2
In Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, we discussed the potential of mobile devices to allow students to share stories across borders. Our first stop was at the Faculty Club of Hebrew University, in Jerusalem. Hebrew University is the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in Israel. We met with Dr. Ronit Kampf, who is currently a Professor of Peace and Conflict studies at Tel Aviv University. Dr. Kampf teaches courses on the Israeli Palestinian conflict using technology, including the PeaceMaker game, and Second Life. March 17 19 Jerusalem Tel Aviv Dr. Kampf was very interested in learning more about the potential of mobile technology to promote peace and mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, such as through a joint storytelling project. Our next meeting was in Tel Aviv, the modern capital of Israel. In Tel Aviv, we visited the Peres Center for Peace and met with Ms. Yarden Leal, who is the Director of Youth Dialogue through Technology Department at the Peres Peace House. The Peres Peace House has a long history of successful projects designed to promote mutual cooperation and understanding between Palestinians and Israelis. At the Peres Peace Center, we discussed the possibility of using mobile technology to bridge the border between Israel and Palestine. Ms. Leal emphasized the fact that despite sharing a border and constant interactions at checkpoints, Israelis and Palestinians really have no interaction with one another. Mobile technology projects that specifically target younger children could help overcome one of the main problems the center has found, which is specifically that youth adopt the political narrative between Israel and Palestine rather than telling their own story and experience in conflict. 3
At Birzeit University, we discussed the possible mobile technology projects. Birzeit University is located in the small town of Birzeit, outside of Ramallah. It is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious universities in the Palestinian Territories. March 20 Birzeit University At Birzeit University, we met with many university officials and deans to discuss how Birzeit University could further develop their status as a leader in IT technology both by serving as a hub for Arabic content development and by designing a Master s degree program in Educational Technology. We met with the following professors, deans and staff members: Ibrahim Abu Kteish, Director of IT Center of Excellence George Yerouisis Training Coordinator, IT Center Younis Hammoudeh Programs Manager, IT Center Dr. Munir Qazzaz Acting VP for Community Outreach, Birzeit University Dr. Adnan Yahya Vice President for Academic Affairs, Birzeit University Dr. Maher Al Heshweh Dean of School of Education, Birzeit Univeristy Professor Kim s Lecture: The Possibilities of Mobile Learning On March 20, 2010, Professor Kim gave a lecture on the potentials of mobile technology to students, faculty and staff from Birzeit University. In the picture above, Mr. Abu Kiteish is introducing Professor Kim. In his lecture, Professor Kim discussed the POMI project at Stanford, as well as previous projects implemented with TeacherMate devices, including those in Mexico, India, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the US. The lecture led to lively discussion about the role of teachers as instructors, and the potential of mobile learning in Palestine. 4
The Najjad Zeeni IT Center of Excellence at Birzeit University The Najjad Zeenni Information Technology Center of Excellence (NZITCE) at Birzeit University established to promote research and development, innovation, training and consulting services in Information technology field and to form a bridge between the university and the local community. Pictured Above from Left: Elizabeth Buckner, Marwan, Paul Kim, Ibrahim Abu Kteish At the Najjad Zeeni IT Center for Excellence, we discussed future collaborative projects between Stanford and the IT Center. Specifically, we spoke about developing Arabic language content targeted to the needs of Palestine and the Arab world for mobile learning devices. In the coming weeks, the IT Center for Excellence hopes to develop a model for designing and programming educational and healtheducation content to be implemented in Palestinian schools. We also had the chance to meet with current Birzeit students in Computer Engineering. The students are already active with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project in Palestinian Schools. The students recruit and train volunteers, mainly college students, to go into classrooms and train teachers and students on how to use the laptops. We are excited about capitalizing off of this existing implementation structure in a future mobile learning device model. 5
Students as Scientists: The Educational Model and Research Objectives 1. Critical Math Games and Executive Function Exercises We first translated some critical math and critical thinking games into Arabic and Hebrew. The games included a Fire Rescue game, which requires students to use critical math skills to get to the right floor to save someone, and a Farming Simulation, where students were asked to earn money by planting seeds, taking out loans and harvesting crops. We also used the mobile devices as a means to test students executive functions (EF), which test how easy it is for students to plan actions and think ahead and to respond to changes in schemata. The EF games included matching and card sorting activities. Card Sorting Game to Test Executive Functions Farming Simulation in Arabic 2. Scientific Inquiry: Students as Scientists Farming Simulation in Hebrew When we visited students and classrooms, we did not offer any instructions. We simply told students we had something for them, but needed the students to figure out what they were and to explain them to us. This approach, based on scientific inquiry approaches, encourages students to figure out what to do on their own. Many students were able to quickly manipulate the devices; others, however, had never seen such technology and had no idea how to even turn them on. By trusting students creative curiosity, and giving them as much time as needed to explore the devices, we found that in nearly all the students, working in teams of two, were able to turn on the devices and begin playing games after 15 20 minutes. Students are incredibly successful at discovering the rules as they go along. When there was some confusion over the instructions of specific games, we used a student who had already successfully figured out the instructions to explain to the rest of the class. 6
SCHOOL VISITS During our trip, we visited seven different groups of students and carried out workshops with approximately 185 students total. AMIDEAST in Ramallah Our first workshop with the TeacherMate devices was in AMIDEAST s Ramallah office. AMIDEAST is a well known non profit that works to bridge America and the Middle East. We worked with 36 students from the ACCESS program, a micro scholarship program that gives top students from disadvantaged backgrounds free English lessons at AMIDEAST. The Friends School in Ramallah Our second workshop was with 36 students from the Friends School in Ramallah. The Friends School is one of Ramallah s elite private schools, and its reputation is known around the world for offering high quality bilingual education in both Arabic and English. In the Friends School, we worked with one 4 th grade class to carry out critical thinking games on the TeacherMate devices and to also collect stories from students. UNRWA After School Program in Ramallah Our third visit was to the Al Amari refugee camp community center that provided extracurricular activities and academic support to students in the UN s schools. We worked with 12 students who had come to the school for academic support, ranging in age from 10 12. The students played with TeacherMate devices and shared their own creative stories. 7
SCHOOL VISITS During our trip, we visited seven different groups of students and carried out workshops with approximately 185 students total. Al Midia School When we left Ramallah, our first school visit was to a small school in a rural area north of Na aleen. The town was called Al Media. We worked with one 4 th grade class of approximately 36 students. This school had very few resources, and many of the students struggled with reading and writing, and had little exposure to computers, cell phones or other types of technology. Pioneers of the Future School, Nablus In Nablus, our first workshop was with an elite private school called Pioneers of the Future. With these students, we worked with 5 th graders, many of whom had extensive exposure to technology and game boys. Like the Friends School in Ramallah, this school was entirely bilingual and the students literacy in English and Arabic was very advanced. Many students chose to share stories written in English. Tomorrow s Youth Organization Our second group of students in Nablus were younger students who participated in after school activities at a Nablus based NGO called Tomorrow s Youth Organization. Many of the students in this group of students lived in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, which is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Many also had trouble with literacy. A K 12 School in Qalqilya Our last visit was with a Palestinian school on the Israel side of the separation wall essentially isolated from the rest of Palestine. The students also suffered from low literacy and exposure to technology. The contempt the staff felt for the separation wall was palpable, as it had forced many of the school s programs with outside organizations to end. 8
On March 21, 2010, we met with the Minister of Education, Mrs. Lamis Al Alami. Dr. Paul Kim and the Palestinian Minister of Education, Mrs. Lamis Al Alami, discuss the future of mobile technology in Palestine. At the Ministry of Education, Professor Kim discussed the opportunities for implementing a large scale mobile technology project in Palestine. The Minister was very interested in mobile technology to help Palestinian schools, but wanted to know how the project could be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry and involve training of Ministry personnel and local teachers. We were also very fortunate to meet with other officials from the Ministry, including Dr. Wasl Ghannam, who is the Project Manager for the Palestinian Education Initiative (PEI). In addition, we met with Dr. Sabri Saidam, who is the Palestinian President s Adviser for Telecom, IT and Technology Education. Both were very excited about implementing a mobile learning program in Palestinian schools. Dr. Saidam also arranged for our visit and future initiatives to be covered by the Palestinian national TV channel. On March 27 th, the Palestinian National channel taped an interview with Professor Kim and Mr. Abu Kteish. We hope this positive media attention will generate enthusiasm for future projects. 9
The Conflict: A Constant Source of Tension One of the most striking observations from our trip was the constant presence of political tension whether it was our own experience crossing borders and checkpoints, students stories of violence, the graffiti on the walls, or just the sight of soldiers and guns everywhere. The effects of the conflict were palpable and we left Palestine still concerned over both Israeli and Palestinian children s mental and physical health. A Picture Worth 1,000 Words On our stop in Nablus at Tomorrow s Youth Organization, we saw a mural painted by students. The students were each asked to depict a building important to them in Nablus. As shown to the left, one student drew a house with a rocket hitting it (the square blue house). A Constant Reminder Throughout the West Bank, and particularly in Nablus, large posters are plastered to the streets and walls with pictures and tributes to Palestinians who died as a result of the conflict with Israel. These young men are considered martyrs and their pictures are depicted holding machine guns. Their pictures service as a constant reminder but also a call to arms in many cases to continue resistance. Soldiers Everywhere Quite simply, soldiers are everywhere in Israel and Palestine. This picture is taking right outside a restaurant in East Jerusalem. The presence of soldiers holding machine guns, bringing their guns on public transportation gives for the feel of a country at war. Blame And the Toll on Children This picture, taken directly on the Palestinian side of the separation wall in Qalqiliya says: Stop Killing Children in blue spray paint and Let me Learn Peacefully in green spray paint. This graffiti symbolizes how much mutual blame there is on both sides. More powerfully, however, it reminds us that it is the children who suffer for their states conflicts. 10
Findings and Recommendations Findings Our school visits suggested a number of noteworthy findings, specifically: 1. The need for critical thinking There is a huge need for the development of creative and critical thinking in Palestinian schools. While many students figured out things on their own when there was no teacher intervention, in cases where teachers were attempting to help them figure out in the very early stage, students quickly developed a tendency to rely on teacher s help. When they were given partial help, some of the students easily grew frustrated. It seems that keeping silent would have been better to let the children explore on their own. We believe there is a more proper approach in getting children to become and act as scientists. In short, getting children manipulate technology promotes not only digital literacy, but also problem solving abilities 2. A large gap in student achievement There is a large gap in academic achievement between different types of students. Students in the elite schools we visited were bilingual, and highly technologically competent. Students in many of the rural or isolated schools could not even figure out how to turn on the mobile devices and often struggled with literacy. While the digital divide is well documented, we believe that manipulating technology teaches not only skills with technology, but also critical thinking, curiosity, and problem solving skills that are crucial for all students. 3. The constant presence of the conflict takes its toll on students psychological development and may affect their academic achievement. The constant presence of the conflict may be detracting from students ability to learn, not only because of the psychological trauma it causes, but also because of its effect on students executive functions. This is an area in need of further study. Recommendations 1. Develop a large body of age appropriate, subject specific content in Arabic and Hebrew. 2. Emphasize the development of critical thinking exercises, basic literacy in Arabic and English and problem solving skills, appropriate for mobile learning devices. 3. Explore the potential of mobile devices to promote peace and mutual understanding through storytelling and cross border sharing by harnessing the power of mobile technology to serve as a bridge between Israelis and Palestinians. 4. Develop Public Private University partnerships to promote content development, technological literacy, full scale project implementation, and rigorous testing and evaluation. 11
We would like to sincerely thank all our partners, who made this trip so successful, including: AMIDEAST, West Bank Office Birzeit University The Center for Continuing Education, Birzeit University The Friends School of Ramallah Innovations for Learning The Najjad Zeeni Center for Excellence, Birzeit University Office of the President, Palestine The Pioneers of the Future School, Nablus The Palestinian Ministry of Education The Palestinian Education Initiative Tomorrow s Youth Organization Special thanks to the following individuals: Ibrahim Abu Kteish, Director of the Najjad Zeeni IT Center of Excellence Firas Maher Abuzaid, Translator Zaid Adhami, Translator Rasheed Alloush and Family Noah Freedman, Programmer Uri Geva, Translator Dr. Wasl Ghannam, Program Manager for the Palestinian Education Initiative Salpi Giacaman, School Outreach Coordinator, AMIDEAST, Ramallah Veronica Grant, Hebrew University Younis Hammoudeh, Programs Manager, Najjad Zeeni IT Center Ronit Kampf, Professor at Tel Aviv University Steve Keller, Country Director, AMIDEAST, Palestinian Territories Yarden Leal, Director of Youth Dialogue Through IT, Peres Peace Center Wynne Mancini, Center Director, Tomorrow s Youth Organization, Nablus Brian Phelps, Friends School of Ramallah Lynne Rankin, Senior Training Advisor, Model Schools Network Program, AMIDEAST Dr. Sabri Saidam, Office of the President, Advisor on IT, Technology Education Chris Shinn, Director of the Model Schools Network, AMIDEAST Intisar Tawil, ACCESS Program Coordinator at AMIDEAST, Ramallah Together, we will make a difference in the lives of children in Israel and Palestine. 12
Pictures of old Nablus (top left), the separation wall between Israel and Palestine (top right), a school in Nablus (bottom right) and old Jerusalem (bottom right) z For more information or inquiries about possible partnerships in the MENA region, please contact: Elizabeth Buckner: ebuckner@stanford.edu Dr. Paul Kim: phkim@stanford.edu / http://www.stanford.edu/~phkim For more information on the Programmable Open Source Mobile Initiative (POMI) please see: http://ldt.stanford.edu/~educ39109/pomi/ For more information on TeacherMate devices see the Innovations for Learning website: http://www.innovationsforlearning.org