Offering Mini-Courses in El Salvador

John Paxton

Montana State University

October 20, 2003

Co-Author

Karim Heredia

Director, Computer Science Department

Don Bosco University

Soyapango, El Salvador

Don Bosco University

• Founded in the mid 1980s

• 3500 students

• 900 computer science majors

• 7 full time CS faculty (B.S.)

• 10 part time CS faculty

DBU Mission Statement

To offer superior scientific and technological education with a solid humanities base to the people of El Salvador, especially the poorest young people. The aim of the training is to produce people illuminated by the Gospel who can be the protagonists in a changing society.

Soyapango

Mini-Courses

Title Slides Hours Average Attendance

Common Lisp

145 19 35

Neural Networks

224 15 40

Theory of Computing

143 11 20

Mini-Course

Mini-Courses

• http://www.cs.montana.edu/paxton/elsalvador/salvador.html

Attendees

• 75% students, 25% faculty

• Don Bosco University

• University of Central America

• University of El Salvador

Motivation

• Mini-courses

• Faculty training

• Curriculum advising

• Student projects

• IEEE CONESCAPAN conference http://conescapan.org.sv/

Student Projects

Timeline

• December 2002: invitation

• April, 2003 – June, 2003: preparation

• July 15 – August 15, 2003: visit

Funding

• U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Division:– plane ticket

• Don Bosco University:– guest house (laundry, breakfast)– $1100 honorarium– $20 per diem– office space

Guest House

Office

Per Diem

Lectures

• 9:00 a.m. (9:15 a.m.) – noon

• Air conditioned lecture hall

• Projector

• Laptop

• Translator

Lectures

Laboratories

Publicity

• Don Bosco University

• La Prensa Grafica

Cultural Quirks

• Cell phones

• Timeliness

• Personal connections

• Transportation

Teaching Tips

• Hands-on labs

• Prepare materials in advance

• Use electronic delivery

• Take 20 minute breaks

• Keep written material to a minimum

• Translation is important

Translation

Teaching Tips

• Solicit questions

• Present certificates

• 3 hours maximum

• Interject off-topic cultural material

Where is Montana?

Improvements

• Bring a laptop and projector

• Don’t rely on the internet

• Schedule events with respect to faculty obligations

Future Directions

• A semester visit to Don Bosco University– teach courses– supervise student projects

• A semester visit to Montana State University– start a master’s degree– take courses

• Library

• Grants

USAID – ALO

• USAID – U.S. Agency for International Development

• Association Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development

• 18 awards of up to $100,000 over a two year period

• Target strategic objectives of USAID missions

USAID - ALO

• Objective: improve the quality of eduction for El Salvador’s poor families

• Objective: improve the efficiency and productivity of key public and private institutions, particularly those contributing to sustained democracy and development

Benefits for Montana State

• Internationalization

• Better understanding of gender issues

• Conference papers

• Grants

Benefits for Don Bosco

• Internationalization

• Faculty training

• Student experience

• More advanced workforce

• Better library holdings

Questions?

Tikal

Lake Atitlan

Antigua

José Barrios University

El Cuco

Joya de Ceren

San Pedro

San Pedro

San Pedro

Parque Imposible

Parque Imposible

Last Night