Introduction to my grant

Central Question:
What impact do OC4D tools have on access to critical content
targeted at lower-literates in Himalayan villages?

Eliminating various forms of poverty in the developing world (economic, social, physical, spiritual) is directly linked to improving opportunities for education (UNESCO, 2009). However, effectively disseminating information in developing countries requires a continuous focus at removing obstacles that stand in the way of the right to education (Tomsasevski, 2006).

This is most likely to be achieved through a holistic approach with concerted focus on sustainable and context-sensitive literacy programming conducted by locals for locals with particular regard to tailored content collection and dissemination (REFLECT, 2007).

Research reveals that local literacy facilitators and change agents desire to develop skills that allow them to advance knowledge, creativity and freedom (Chambers, 2000; Curtis, 2990; Freire, 1977). Furthermore, inadequate attention has been given to these questions: “How do we sustain momentum after funding dies? How do we cultivate environments that can ensure lifelong literacy progress?” (World Education, 2006)

ProLiteracy Worldwide (PLW), an international NGO based in New York, supports a global network of over 130 NGO partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. These partners are connected through the use of ProLiteracy’s FAMA pedagogy anchored in participatory dialogue.

Although these partners share the same theoretical approach of “literacy for social change” (Curtis, 1990), they have not been connected to one another except through ProLiteracy Headquarters in New York (Anderson, 2009).

PLW has facilitated the aggregating of critical content tools from several sites that face similar dilemmas (e.g. AIDS prevention, infectious disease, environmental conservation, health/hygiene, micro-enterprise, and conflict resolution).

PLW has sometimes facilitated the sharing of content between partners and has often funded the localization of critical content developed in one region in order to increase utility and effectiveness in other regions.

PLW has also occasionally assisted in the dissemination of critical content through local partners according to specific donor objectives (e.g. AIDS awareness and family planning).

However, the majority of accessing, localizing and sharing of critical content between ProLiteracy Partners around the world has depended on funding from external donor organizations.

Sustainability of literacy programming at the macro and micro levels depends upon availability, affordability, and accessibility of appropriate content tailored (linguistically and culturally) for lower-literates and tethered to real-world issues.

The Open Content for Development (OC4D) initiative builds upon the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement (Hewlett, 2007) that aims to expand and realize the right to education for all learners. Although there is discussion about ways that OER players may build capacity in developing countries for effective use of OER, extension of these tools to lower-literate groups is nascent at best and nonexistent at worst.

Building from ProLiteracy’s partner base is an effective way to work within an existing structure to bolster the expansion of educational opportunity through access to open content tailored for the neediest learners.

Although many predict that OER is a panacea that will afford great educational benefit in areas where resources are scarce, limited research has been done in lower-literate rural environments. If these tools have the potential to revolutionize access to the right to education in developing countries, then it is imperative to find out what impact OER has in such environments and why.

Answering these questions will expand the focus of the OER movement toward the billion people across the world who are currently deprived the right to education. Are OC4D tools an effective means for sustaining access to quality learning materials for neo-literates in developing country contexts, particularly in the hard-to-reach rural villages of Nepal?

TIMELINE OF ACTIVITIES

I. Design Class (Fall 2009)
(a) Design OC4D portal
• All ProLiteracy manuals (start with English, Nepali, Spanish etc.)
• Accessed by 130+ partner NGOs in developing world
• Asia, Africa, Latin America, Carribbean, Middle East
(b) Design toolkit for OC4D
• Hand-holding tips on accessing, localizing, disseminating content
• Literacy facilitators & YMRC Managers
• Change agents (health workers, ag extension agents, loan officers)


II. Evaluation Project (December 12-22, 2009)
(a) Conduct a pilot study in Sankhu Village to find out viability of OC4D
• evaluation: determine the merit or worth of the design for OC4D tools
• viability: is there a demand (YMRC stakeholders)? Is it user-friendly?
• lower-literates: people without formal education or limited education
• Himalayan villages: limited access to reading material / ed opportunity
(b) Instruments for Evaluation
• Survey, interviews, focus group discussion
• What seems to work? What doesn’t seem to work?


III. Dissertation (April 15 – June 30, 2010)
a. Conduct a larger study in 10 YMRC sites to find out viability of OC4D design
• All YMRC sites that are partnered with CDN
• Youth Summit training in Kathmandu (training, exposure)
• Visits to field sites and exploration of how / if / why OC4D is used.
b. Is OER useful? Does this increase capacity of the facilitators?
c. Formative evaluation: Are these tools desired? Are they useful?


IV. 3IE Funding Proposal (International Initiative Impact Evaluation) Nov 27,09
(a) What is the impact of OER for increasing access to critical content in rural Himalayan telecenters?
• Content is key! Why get connected if there’s nothing useful there?
• Manohar, Mahabir, Karma, TMUC
(b) Conversations with 3IE
• Approved in April 2009 for PPG (could go for open or thematic window)
• Met with Director and others in Jun 2009 in Delhi (post-Nepal trip)
• Funded by Hewlett Fdn, Gates Fdn, DFID
• Conversation with Ron (Program Officer): working with Manohar (HLCIT) – approach is better if nationwide study, longer-term study, could be university
• “Long studies with an ex ante evaluation design, starting with the collection of baseline data and eventual collection of endline data to conduct impact analysis of interventions of relevance to the theme and associated enduring questions. Such studies will usually take place over 3-5 years. The costs of these studies will depend on the extent of the data collection requirements, but are expected to be in the range US$ 0.5 – US$ 1.0 million.”

29 Sept 2009: Writing the Introduction

DC 123: 16-17
- A very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm
- Cheerfully do all that lie in our power
- Take the path of least resistance in order to survive the storm

Introduction is the small helm; this sets the scene
Question drives the introduction
If you get the right question, everything will flow

Patterning and foreshadowing = flow, support (evidence), confidence

The research question is the last note of your introduction
It should build, it should work & clearly conclude with the question that you're asking

What makes bad movies bad?
- too predictable
- too trite
- didn't end "right"
- no climax
- no novelty
- too repetitive
- unmet expectations

What makes good movies good?
- well-written
- dialogue
- delivery (acting)
- timing / pacing
- classic
- timelessness
- danger / tension
- resolution
- passion

How does this relate to writing a grant or dissertation?
- believable
- pertinent, important, relevant
- timing and pacing
- urgency
- placement of tension (people are dying)
- passion (metered? bridled?)

Funnel Technique
- open up by "hanging on the cliff" - set the hook and keep the tension
- start general and taper down - direction downward - to the central question
- discussion of global issues down toward the local issue
- what about leading out with the chorus?
- keep people turning pages with the momentum
- too much tension without some pause/resolve doesn't keep people either

"The most needy kids don't learn to read."
Why don't they read? I want to know!

24 Sept 2009: Guidelines for a Prospectus

- We need to avoid isolationism and focus on collaboration - build on what has gone before.
- Einstein needed Newton before him & had to build from there.
- As we pray for the spirit, we'll get direction for line by line support.

- Literature review is critical - will help us to figure out our unique niche & build from best books.
- How does what I do build and go further - "unto him that receiveth, I will give more"

Example: ice-delivery vs. refrigeration unit in each home (ice-box) - although they were best suited to help the public achieve this goal, they were limited in their vision, so other people did it.

Disrupting Class
Horner Christensen

Lit Review

22 Sept 2009: Exploring the RFP

2 Nephi 28

We learn line upon line, precept upon precept.

Knowledge is accelerated and exponential.

As we learn, it becomes easier to do something "not that the nature of the thing has changed, but our capacity to do has increased." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

In tandem with funding, as we learn principles and are grounded in goodness, we will increase our ability to achieve.

17 Sept 2009: Finding My Partner

Don't sell your soul for funding
Especially if strings are attached that betray your own integrity

FUNDER: donor who has goals that they want met and think you'll help them achieve that

PARTNER: how do we define this and what roles/responsibilities does this convey

STAKEHOLDERS: those that give supplies (funds), those that receive supplies (funds)

Guy Kawasaki: The Shopping Mall Test
The Art of the Start

- Choose carefully those with whom you want to work
- Choose people who work well with each other
- Could be potentially good to get people with different views

CONTRACT: we'll give this money for these deliverables and if you don't deliver we won't pay
GRANT: based on trust, we'll give you this to do what you say you'll do or something like that

NSF: High-Risk and High-Reward topics
- Consider F&A (Facilities & Administration)
- Consider intellectual property of the work you do
- Prepare the grant and send it to ORCA (Office of Research and Creative Arts)
- Check out the IRB requirements
- There is no F&A on a gift
- All grants and contracts have 45% lopped off the top
- Spencer Dissertation Fellowship comes directly to you

Clarify my question
Check out class notes on IPT-like Projects
University has someone looking for grants (Aaron McKay School Rep for RFPs)
The best way to get access is through networking
Search: private foundations, grants, gifts, endowments
don't search RFP term (mostly government contracts)

Department of Education
Kellogg
Sloan
MacArthur
Hewlett

How can I find a mentor?

Many students are surprised at how eager professors can be to work on projects with them. Knock on some office doors and find out if you can help on research that your professor is already doing, or find a professor who is interested in your project and work out a plan to accomplish something together.

Talk to your department about which professors are interested in mentoring. Look for professors who share academic interests -- you may have taken a class or two from them – and approach them about mentoring an ORCA project.

How can I increase my chances of receiving a grant?

• Find the right mentor: Look for a mentor now. Talk to professors about their research and seek those who share your academic interests. Look for someone who is interested in your ideas. Don’t try to find a mentor at the last minute.
• Start your proposal early: Write and edit several drafts of your proposal. Don’t throw your proposal together the night before it’s due.
• Build a professional relationship with your mentor: meet with your mentor frequently to discuss your project before you submit your application, but don’t expect them to do everything for you.

How can I make my proposal better?

Start your proposal early and seek your mentor’s advice, criticism and guidance.

ORCA offers free proposal writing workshops to students interested in applying for a grant.

Click here to signup for a writing workshop.

Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation from the workshop.

15 Sept 2009: Exploring my Question (My Weakness?)

Ether 12:27
- My weakness may become strong
- My question may become strong?
- My passion may help weak things become strong
- If I become humble, I can become stronger at fulfilling my passion & making others strong
- My passion is my weakness and my strength; find harmony with my passion
- Brigham Young said that our challenge is to stand on the line (not fall short of it or go over it)

Hubble Ultra Deep Field
11 day exposure of black space (size of
11,000 galaxies in this photo
YouTube

Goals
* Find/Create Significant impact
* Make recommendations for moving forward
* Validity of the study (Avoid contamination of data)
* design is purposive constraint


Refining the Question

What (possibilities) are afforded by (localized open content, digitized and freely available) educational (tools, training (toolkits)) for (sustaining) (literacy) in (developing) (countries)?

What (possibilities) are afforded by (localized open content, digitized and freely available) educational (tools, training (toolkits)) for (sustaining) (literacy) in (developing) (countries)?

What is the impact (are the outcomes) of open educational resources for sustaining literacy in developing countries?

What are the (outcomes) of (open educational resources) for (sustaining) (literacy) in (rural) (areas)?

What is the impact of OER for increasing (access) to (quality) (localized) (content) in (rural) (Himalayan villages)?


Does access always lead to change?

- collect baseline of all involved centers - see what they are using for content now
- collect data after intervention (1 year or 5 years?) to see how their access changes
- control group
- intervention group
- how long of a period of affection by the intervention?
- what's my key variable for checking out
- What are my assumptions?


"resilient in the face of data" (proving what you want regardless of your findings)

Research says: "Properly designed" learning environments help people learn better.
* "properly designed" - leveraging the affordances of the environment appropriately

* Categorize the affordances of one approach.
* Which affordances are different with different variables?
* How can those differences be used to the learner's advantage?

What (impact) do (OER) have on (accessing), (localizing), and (sharing) (educational materials) in (rural) (developing) (areas)?

How does (OC4D) (improve) (access) to (localized) (educational) (content) in (developing) (countries)?

Q: Am I assuming that OC4D will be used??
Q: How long will I have to wait for OC4D to be deployed?
Q: Even after OC4D is deployed, how long will I have to wait to see impact?

Q: What is a user-friendly design of OC4D for increasing access to localized educational materials in developing countries?

Q: Impact of YMRC instead of OER?



MetaAnalysis:
US Dept of Ed (online ed is more effective than face-to-face) - key variable = time on task

* Beloit College: Mindset Test

10 Sept 2009: My Passion is "The Question"

Spring-Boarding from My Passion to My Question:

Read the Tootle Train book

TOPIC
How do we sustain the light of literacy? How do we help newly-literate learners continue to self-learn? What scaffolding is needed? How do we continue progressing once funding is finished (in a low-cost, low-maintenance manner)?

What possibilities are afforded by open content, digitized and freely available educational tools, training (toolkits) for localization for sustaining literacy in developing countries?


COMMUNITIES I WANT TO SERVE
- youth-managed resource centers
- community multimedia centers
- literacy buddy program
- family reading program
- reading corners in personal homes
- mobile mentors on bicycles
- women's literacy groups
- microcredit borrowers groups
- female community health volunters
- rural health clinics
- agricultural cooperatives


REALITIES RIGHT NOW
- there is a severe need for content
- we have groups who are ready to use the tools
- tech is there but limited (issues with bandwidth/electricity/training/experts)
- it would take a lot of time if I try to evaluate the impact of open content
- Manohar: inventory of what is the current context for accessing/sharing/localizing content
- 3IE: baseline of current context regarding content & 5-year impact of OC4D in rural areas?
(baseline, intervention, control group)


WHAT IS RESEARCHABLE RIGHT NOW?
- what is a useful interface [design] for disseminating OC4D - especially focus on ProLiteracy?
- what necessary tools (toolkit) build capacity for change agents to access/share/localize OC4D
- what benefits/obstacles are faced when incorporating OC4D into rural tech centers?


WHAT IS MY FOCUS?
- OC4D interface (portal) design
- OC4D toolkit to help change agents use tools
- OC4D tools themselves?
- accessing, localizing, sharing content
- only accessing content?
- only localizing content?
- only sharing content?


PROCESS
- substitute variables
- look at synonyms
- phrases / terms that have baggage (be careful and conscious about politics of word choices)
- look at subtleties / nuances of language and concepts (esp. history / professional debate)
- zoom in and zoom out on the issue

- clarify what you are asking
- clarify what you are not looking for
- clarify what methods
- clarify what units of measure


QUESTIONS

- How do (open content) (literacy) (tools) increase (sustainability) of (literacy) (programs)?

- How does (OC4D) increase (access) to (knowledge) in (rural) (communities)?


KARL FISCH: The Fisch Bowl (What if?)