In keeping with our narrative style the promised news. February and March were busy months at SPES creating and developing appropriate training materials employing Multimedia and digital films some of which were created in our hi-tec unit by our specialized teachers, “newly recycled” in Training Skills and Assessment techniques.
Our innovative basic teaching materials include Craftsmaking, are mostly computerized and are extremely user-friendly to reachout to illiterate “kids at risk”, for whom SPES designed an e-Learning Multi-literacy Global Village Project. In view of the demand, we are in the process of adapting it for worldwide use in several languages, for countries that want access to education for all their citizens to eradicate Poverty and Exclusion.
SPES Globalization approach
On April 5th SPES organized an OPEN DAY to demonstrate our new competencies for teaching life-long skills using ICT.
We were pleased to have a special guest speaker M. Callan McDonnell, who was visiting SPES as an External Verifier of City & Guilds IVQs, International Vocational Qualifications in Training Skills and Assessor Award Courses, which our team of SPES Teacher Trainers had followed enthusiastically last year. The latter displayed 12 Evidence Portfolios consisting of their IVQs practical work. These were very admired as they are highly illustrated.
All present followed with great interest Mr. Callan McDonnell’s PowerPoint presentation on new Training and Assessment skills
Eight Presidents of NGOs, specialized Teachers, Craftspeople and Industrialists enjoyed participating and learning about the latest findings in the fields of Dyslexia, Autism, Visual aids and Health foods for Diabetic children. A vibrant video clip was produced by the President of the Lyons Club of Curepipe, Mrs. Marie Josée Baudot, for a better understanding of Autistic children and their social affective development and learning capacities.
The SPES displays were in the form of wall posters, films, satellite radios broadcasts and Health satellite programmes. Computerized documentation on Robotics and future aids to help the elderly and the paraplegics to improve motor ability, were on show, and stimulated beneficial interaction.
Typical Crafted fibres were also displayed to promote recycling of materials and the use of eco-products. Everyone was surprised to see the list of 61 different kinds of fruit trees and bushes that are grown in Mauritian Islands. And some even vowed to replant disappearing fruit varieties as they contain natural vitamins, and are exotic and delicious.
Mr. José Delaître vice-president of the Rotary Club Curepipe presented a Microwave and a Voice Recognition software to “Lizié dans la Main”. His wife, Héliette, the President of the “Jacques Cantin Talking Book Association” (Audio Library situated at Beau Bassin, at the Louis Lagesse Centre for blind and visually impaired people) demonstrated how to operate the microwave touch keys next to which she had glued plastified braille lettering. Maya (in pale green) and a group of her friends, who have visual problems will follow the Baking Courses that SPES has specially set up to teach the Art of Cuisine and Health Foods.
Astonishing wizard tots
The highlight of the day were the two amazing short computer films SPES had made of Michael, a 10-month baby boy and Valerie, a 11-month little girl. It was fascinating to watch as both tots reacted, with great glee, to special software!Ý Their experimental and playful reactions were a great revelation, and showed the possibilities of the use of a computer as a tool to stimulate responses at a child’s early age.
Our psychologists took great care to limit to only a few mintues these multimedia coordination and finger dexterity awareness sessions.
We hope that these movies will encourage people who are reticent to learn computer work and will help craftspeople, specially at grassroots level, to engage in CAD – Computer Aided Design and technology exchanges.
