I know my last blog was a little boring, because dealing with problems related to my data collection. That’s why in this one I will tell you about a different matter. I remember in my first blog saying that I will inform about my research and some issues of my country as well. What I called “Meeting time: a cultural phenomenon” is a happening people will notice while travelling in some countries in Africa especially in the republic of Benin. This phenomenon is related to how people consider a meeting time or a time certain people agree upon for a meeting. It is common to hear in Benin while two or more people are setting up a time for a rendezvous or a meeting: Is it a Beninese time or a French time (Benin has been colonized by France and is a French-speaking country)? A French time means the exact time they agree upon; whereas a Beninese time means an hour or an hour and half after the exact time they agree upon. This practice is so engraved in people’s mind; consequently people will show up an hour or more after the scheduled time. This does not mean that people will be late for their work or when they are meeting an important authority or person. However, it is common place to notice this situation when it is a group meeting or when two friends are meeting.
Aware of this fact in Benin people’s habits, I told teachers I will be working with, that we will start the training at 8:00 AM, knowing perfectly that the opening of the activities is at 9:00 AM. So, whenever an African friend especially a Beninese friend is late at one of your rendezvous, do not be disappointed. He is probably using his home country time.
vendredi 29 février 2008
Disappointment
I am so disappointed and annoyed because among more than 50 teachers who originally registered and agreed to participate in the training, only 23 of them showed up for the first session and about 20 for the second. However, despite this defection, the sessions went very well. The teachers who attended the sessions – held in one of the biggest high schools of the capital city Porto-Novo – participated actively in the different activities.
During the first session (Tuesday 19, 2008), we discussed in the morning, issues related to science and technology, the differences and relationships between both concepts. Early in the afternoon, teachers made the first object included in the physical science and technology curriculum of middle schools in Benin: an electrolysis apparatus. The last activity of the day was the “Exploration on the Internet.” Internet connection fees were paid for teachers to search information related to teaching technology education. The topic discussed in the morning of the second session (Friday 22, 2008) was tilted: Why teach technology. Different perspectives were provided pertaining to the impacts of technology education on Benin secondary school students. Obstacles related to teaching of the subject matter were listed by the participants. In the afternoon, after reviewing their first object made on Tuesday, teachers started making the second: an electric current detector. The session ended with the daily evaluation. Two other sessions have been scheduled for Easter break (March 25 and 27). I hope that they will come.
Training about 50 teachers is one of the purposes of my data collection. I am very confused regarding what to do after getting this little number of participating teachers. Anyway, I already emailed my committee members about the difficulties encountered on the ground. One suggestion that I made was whether or not I should replicate the training in another province.
During the first session (Tuesday 19, 2008), we discussed in the morning, issues related to science and technology, the differences and relationships between both concepts. Early in the afternoon, teachers made the first object included in the physical science and technology curriculum of middle schools in Benin: an electrolysis apparatus. The last activity of the day was the “Exploration on the Internet.” Internet connection fees were paid for teachers to search information related to teaching technology education. The topic discussed in the morning of the second session (Friday 22, 2008) was tilted: Why teach technology. Different perspectives were provided pertaining to the impacts of technology education on Benin secondary school students. Obstacles related to teaching of the subject matter were listed by the participants. In the afternoon, after reviewing their first object made on Tuesday, teachers started making the second: an electric current detector. The session ended with the daily evaluation. Two other sessions have been scheduled for Easter break (March 25 and 27). I hope that they will come.
Training about 50 teachers is one of the purposes of my data collection. I am very confused regarding what to do after getting this little number of participating teachers. Anyway, I already emailed my committee members about the difficulties encountered on the ground. One suggestion that I made was whether or not I should replicate the training in another province.
samedi 16 février 2008
Return to my home country, Benin
More than three weeks that I left Kent to return back to my home country Benin to perform the data collection of my dissertation. After being away for more than a year, it was hard for me to adjust quickly. Indeed, it was snowing hard on Kent when I left on January 22, 2008 in the morning. I landed in Cotonou, Benin the next day at 1:50 PM (local time) in a hot and humid climate. The temperature was around 40oC. Because of that heat and the ambient pollution, I have been sick for a week. I know this is strange. Being a native of Benin which is located in West Africa, with a tropical climate, I can hardly stand the heat. Sometimes, I wish I could wear a short and T-shirt; but this is not our common clothing, especially grown people’s outfit. Now that I am recovered and that I started my research, I could send a few words every now and then related to my research and talked about some issues concerning my home country. Quickly, let me explain why I chose “Squirrel in Benin.” First, squirrel is an animal found everywhere in the south and the center of the country. Also, our national teams’ name is “Squirrels;” and second, the first things that I noticed when I arrived at Kent State University in 2001 are the squirrels especially the black ones. Therefore, because of this common animal that Kent State University and Benin cherished, I took the nickname “Squirrel in Benin.”
Now, allow me to talk about my background. I was a certified high school physical science teacher. After teaching for about 12 years, I had the opportunity in 2001 to go the United States to complete my Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Science Education). I returned back to Benin in 2004 where I worked with secondary school inspectors before returning to the US in 2005 to start the Ph.D program in Curriculum. My research has a double purpose: a practical purpose and a research purpose. The practical purpose is to design a technology education professional development for secondary school teachers in Benin. Through this, teachers will learn technology education content knowledge and the pedagogical content knowledge. The research purpose will consist of testing the participating teachers’ self efficacy and their technology education awareness. Presently, I am contacting the educational authorities of my country in order apply for internship in our National Institute for Research and Training in Education called INFRE and to get permission to work with the targeted teachers. The training will probably start in a few weeks.
See you in a few days.
Now, allow me to talk about my background. I was a certified high school physical science teacher. After teaching for about 12 years, I had the opportunity in 2001 to go the United States to complete my Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Science Education). I returned back to Benin in 2004 where I worked with secondary school inspectors before returning to the US in 2005 to start the Ph.D program in Curriculum. My research has a double purpose: a practical purpose and a research purpose. The practical purpose is to design a technology education professional development for secondary school teachers in Benin. Through this, teachers will learn technology education content knowledge and the pedagogical content knowledge. The research purpose will consist of testing the participating teachers’ self efficacy and their technology education awareness. Presently, I am contacting the educational authorities of my country in order apply for internship in our National Institute for Research and Training in Education called INFRE and to get permission to work with the targeted teachers. The training will probably start in a few weeks.
See you in a few days.
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)