eGyankendra Telecenter for Emergence Strategy: Prepared by Jan Herder, 2010 for eGyanKendra Learning Center (Initiative of SEWAA) Dalanwala, Dehradun, India

OVERVIEW

Vision: The community is the curriculum. The whole systems of the biome which support the sustainability of the community are the curriculum.

Methodology: By leveraging a student empowerment, productivity centered service learning model, using design science and creative economy practices along with the use of web 2.0 and ICT, students engage and develop a comprehension of their unique biome and its sustainability and its relationship to others locally and globally.

Funding model (start up): A pool of stakeholders of Corporate Socially Responsible investors provide seed money. In return they have access and 1st rights of refusal for an appropriate percentage of ʻproductsʼ and human capital which emerge.

Facility: A 100% ecological and sustainable facility, that is the living laboratory of the curriculum and embodiment of the practice of the methodology.

Major components:

State of the Planet Community Collaboratory--Inventories of each biomes resources, aggregated in a knowledge base/wiki--Data streams, multimedia of quantitative and qualitative information--Web 2.0 sharing, including web cams, vlogs, blogs, photos, etc.--Renewable energy lab and monitor

Synthesis of SEWAA proven programs (to be more fully described)

Where to begin:--Engage two different schools/telecenters with broadband connection on the ning--Determine a class and instructor from each, wiling to participate to begin sharing and comparing and developing learning activities.

Synthesizing Sustainability, Web 2.0 and Immersive Pedagogy in the Telecenter for EmergenceThe biome of the community is the curriculum (including environmental, social, political and cultural). In the eGyankendra Telecenter, the very systems that support the Center are them selves the subject of an 'eco-literacy'. The methodology for delivering full capacity transfer of 21 Century Learning Skills is a technique of challenge based, productivity centered immersive learning. Aggregated and networked in commonly accessible social networking platforms, an emergent opportunity is readily accessible. The question is: how do you teach it?

For example, we could begin by:

Using Google Earth and Sketch-Up the students design and create their presence on the web. They learn the basic program by putting their school/telecenter on Google Earth. A web cam at each Center is available for sharing and contrasting. They contribute their photos, videos and podcasts describing themselves, their community and its characteristics. Community observatories are created which monitor the health and status of the area. Digital stories are created and document the histories and lives, the concerns and projects, challenges and environment. This provides a baseline and the beginning of a local knowledge base. Community radio highlights the sounds and lessons that are learned and which emerge. The ICT Center's web site permits asynchronous learning and access to the

knowledge base. The ICT Centers are networked, global and regional differences and similarities are compared. A strong sense of place, on the planet and in the biome are created.

1. Energy: renewable energy sources are utilized to create independence and power for the people. Solar arrays exceed the facilities needs to provide battery charging for locals.

2. Water: Cisterns collect rainwater from the roof, simple filters provide potable water for cleanliness, consumption and facility greenhouse needs. The systems are designed and maintained by the students.

3. Waste: Waste to power alternatives are studied and designed by the students. Grey water is used for the living machine and agricultural experiments. Black water is digested for other agricultural entrepreneurial projects such as growing orchids and herbs, or for gasification.

4. Nutrition. The living machine enhances the local areas ability to grow nutritious food. Nutrition is studied and needed supplements are incorporated into the living machine, including aquaculture. The students and community benefits directly from their production.

5. Health. Along with nutrition basic human health information is available and integrated into the curriculum and broadcast. Solar refrigeration is utilized for storing vaccines.

6. Society. Policy, laws and customs are enhanced by web 2.0 tools--especially creativity in the arts. Stories, dance, music, crafts, writing and journalism are preserved and aggregated. The community of the facility is used as a collaboratory to manage itself, as a living example of governance.

7. Environment. In the shift from exploiter to stewards of the land, sustainability is created in awareness of the uniqueness of each locale, using eco-relevant industry and agriculture. Both community observatory

and class laboratory, the Center and its eco-machine’s can test best practices for local adoption and see immediate results.

Economy. In a shift to more lateral economy, local control of local resources becomes the wealth and the most important asset. In the paradigm shift to the information or knowledge economy, local tourism deepens the knowledge base and experience of the trip. This is reflected in Web 2.0 tools, evolved and aggregated from the ICT Center. Every aspect of the Center can have an entrepreneurial component, connected to electronic currency.

I evolved a teaching style and method that uses peer to peer and situated learning to empower students to develop their creativity and confidence. By using a hands-on experiential and immerse approach I discovered my role as a teacher was to facilitate these studentʼs access to learning in a highly technological environment. The result was a transformed learning community, one of inclusiveness, exposure and respect to diversity and ownership by the students. The students experienced tremendous personal growth, creative expression and leadership skills. In my approach students take responsibility for every aspect of operating and managing the telecenter: the systems that sustain the learning community--its food, power, waste, governance, technology, economy, and curriculum--a ʻCreative Centerʼ could transform the members and wealth of the community, especially the young.

Applying Sustainability, Eco-Literacy and Cultural Creative Economy ideas to the CTC.

Technology and Philosophy

Access to Information and mastery of information technology is the foundation of the CTC. To be relevant and useful this information must address critical problems facing the community. The technology has to be applied to the problems and challenges of the community. The pedagogy I would suggest is called Productivity Centered Experiential Learning and it is based on constructivist educational philosophy. Technology would be applied across the CTCʼs curriculum to build 21st Century Learning Skills, student ownership and leadership, sustainability and economic prosperity. The guiding principle would be that the systems that support the Center--energy, water, waste, food, technology, the local biome (includes cultural, civic, economic, and ecological systems)--are themselves the subject of the curriculum, and are mastered by the students.

I believe it is important to reconsider some of the design features of CTCʼs. For example, this would consist of cistern water systems, a renewable energy source, a teaching kitchen and cafe, an eco-machine for bio-remediation of waste--both grey and black water, and if possible, a larger interior space. These are relatively minor adjustments and could be easily incorporated into existing CTCʼs and with minor design changes for new ones.

--all roofs should drain rain water into a cistern easily filtered to provide ample potable water for the center.

--A central area for a gallery space with natural light and traffic. Student art and display of projects and pictures of students and other members would really help the local residents take ownership. Sculpture placed around the building would add external indications of the excitement and creativity going on inside.

--toilets could either be solar composting or flushed with used grey water and used for scientific purposes in the eco machine.

--water, power and waste management should all be separate, sustainable and independent of the municipality when possible

--the size of the solar array should be increased to have excess power, both for use in the CTC and for charging batteries. This idea, pioneered recently by Ashram of Germany, in Africa, brings light and renewable power to rural areas, allowing residents to study at night and power their electronic devices cheaply.

--Stage Area. It should have a location for a projector and screen. Reverse projection with the screen located at the edge of the building would permit access through the door during use. It should also have a port for internet access or wireless for presentations, etc. An awning should be included to protect from rain and sun for the audience, preferably made of bamboo grown locally. A large, open area for a variety of creative activities, events, performances, presentations, etc. is a crucial element.

--The Radio station. The inclusion of the radio station is a critical component. The radio show hosts should also be students, not only members of the staff. Youth Radio, coupled with use of iPodʼs constitute a tremendous media audience with important pre-professional skill training for students. Radios are charged at the CTC from extra power from the solar array for a slight fee. Journalism skills enhance 21st Century Life Skills such as literacy, reflective thinking, verbal expression, computer technology and conflict resolution. Locally produced music, as well as live performances are regularly broadcast.

--Media. There should be opportunities for student creation of media: audio, video, digital cameras, iPodʼs, etc. and their work displayed prominently. Teen TV, developed though the use of YouTube and iPods should be established in each CTC. This gives authentic youth voice, develops many complex skill sets and pre-professional career options. In

the process programming and issues relevant to the young and their community have a place to be aired.

--Cyber Cafe. Nutrition is essential to develop human capacity. Having meals at the CTC would be one place where young people can be guaranteed a good nutritious meal. Integrated into the curriculum, and using the eco machine, interesting and nutritional meals can be made and taught to local people. The cafe is wireless to encourage internet use from the community, it hosts events and special meals to help subsidize it, and it is the social center of the CTC during appropriate hours. A local cookbook can be developed with contributions from traditional foods and women who showcase their speciality. These recipes can be aggregated into a cookbook and sold to support the cafe, both locally and on the internet. Chef and barista training can provide concrete career skills to the young. The cafe is a productivity centered learning application, used by many components of the CTC--from management, to economics, to hosting Gallery exhibits, to featuring celebrity chefs, to developing exotic recipes from the eco machine, or local staples re-imagined.

--Visiting artists, performers, celebrities, professionals, and performance groups from other CTCʼs should be weekly public events. Exposure to role models and ʻherosʼ build excitement, expose students to excellence, and permit them to experience diversity. Allowing the CTC to be a resource for visiting experts and exhibits draws attention, provides diversity and raises the legitimacy and sophistication of the community. Events are recorded, added to the community knowledge base wiki and made available for future use. Scheduling, managing, recording, producing and advertising the events provides excellent productivity centered hands on experience allowing students to develop their skills and interact with extraordinary individuals. It honors local people presenting their stories and skills. A variety of ICT skills are used in the process. Students are empowered by hosting these events. Using web 2.0 tools international and regional attention is drawn to the CTC, raising its visibility and introducing new

contacts to the community. CTC to CTC tours and exchanges through the use of radio, web cams, blogs and pod casts facilitate the networking aspect of CTCʼs and create healthy competition.

--The Gallery. There should be a central space in the CTC for a gallery. Managed aggressively and integrated into the community and curricular areas of the CTC, it can be a galvanizing and dynamic addition. With frequent turn over and ever changing exhibits it draws from a wide diversity of community members. Touring exhibits created by other CTCʼs would be a regular feature. Exhibits would be recorded and added to the knowledge base of the CTC, archived and accessible in the CTCʼs library and on its web site. Pictures of the students, staff and visitors along with evolving documentation of their digital stories would create ownership, pride and visibility for initiatives. Coupled with student produced videos and food treats created by the cyber cafe, large numbers of the community would visit.

Teen TV-- Let me use it as an example of productivity centered learning within a creative technological center. Basic digital video cameras are used, nothing fancy.--A brainstorming session is held by the Collaboratory Class with students interested in the project.--A number of program ideas are presented and judged based on criteria decided by the group. A pilot is chosen.--The Production teams are formed with: director, producers, writers, actors, film crew, technical support. --Students research their roles and responsibilities on the internet.--The Management Class develops a schedule, requirements and budget--The weekly or monthly show is shot on the CTC stage and on locations easily accessible. The community is invited to watch.--Critical reflection sessions are held following each production to improve the awareness of the students and the quality of the project.

--There are visits from film and TV professionals; perhaps a visit to a studio for the CTC students.--Weekly screenings are held at the CTC as part of their events schedule.--The Media Students begin to document the process of the creation--from the first brainstorming meeting through the completion of the project. Students and leaders are showcased, given little features on the radio, video, pictures and biographies in the paper--or featured in the Gallery. --On the ning, with individual Groups set up for each CTC, all of the media is presented: in blogs from the students and teachers, discussions, in photos, in video on YouTube, and on sites like: Global Youth Action Network and TakingITGlobal, etc. All of the sites are linked: every site from Google Earth --YouTube videos, to each blog and individual picture of the project-- to optimize networking. --A Digital Story is made by all the participants of the process and archived in a community knowledge base--a community wiki of best practices and its culture. Each student includes it in their eportfolio for life long learning--essentially a personal web site. The artifacts of these stories would be accessible in the libraries, injecting new meaning and life to the local CTC library.

Let us follow this example into its use a part of a creative economy strategy. This involves scaling it up, regionally, nationally and finally internationally. The use of contests by are enhanced through viral web 2.0 tools. The network of CTCʼs provides a built in mechanism to scale up a contest. Each CTC would send their best projects and designs.

eGyankendra.org, --or to begin our ning--the administrative hub of the CTCʼs, identifies various contest categories and has modest funds available for local CTCʼs through investments from CRS.Various projects and categories are submitted to a central committee. Communication and management is achieved through video conferencing and other electronic mediums, minimizing travel and expenses. Incubated and innovative projects, designs and products, collected from all the CTCʼs,

are aggregated and presented for showcase each year. They could be organized by theme, such as video, or recipes, or art forms, etc.

The yearly ʻFestival of Innovationʼ would be widely publicized through the internet. The winning projects from each CTC would be invited to participate. Businesses, investors and recruiters would be invited to adjudicate and experience the latest cultural ʻproductsʼ aggregated from all of the CTCʼs from around the DR. The National Theater--or some such venue-- would be reserved for previews, performances and exhibits. International guests would be invited. Prizes such as scholarships, job offers, commissions, start-up loans, etc., would be distributed and showcased. Individual digital stories, prepared by students from the CTCʼs would be featured. Best practices would be aggregated into a wiki available to everyone, but especially the leaders of each CTC. The week long ʻFestival of Cultural Innovationʼ would be huge boost to economic activity in the city. More importantly it would honor the work of the students and create excitement for learning.