Testing PACE tablets

 

For some time we’ve been experimenting with the best way to make PACE materials available digitally, in areas where internet and power supplies are unreliable.  This month we visited PDC (Painted Dog Conservation) partner schools in the Kariba and Mana Pools areas of northern Zimbabwe.  The schools are in areas where dogs have been sighted, so tend to be remote –  Nyamakate, Chitindiva, Makanda, Gachegache, Chapoto and Masoka.   We took along a set of Children’s tablets, and the school conservation club leaders all agreed to test them out with their clubs – to see if necessary material can be loaded, if they are suitable for club use, if the tablets are durable enough, if the clubs can keep the devices secure, charged, and so on.   Our goal is to add another dimension to the conservation club activities and learning, lift up the kids general education and IT awareness and skills as well as enabling them to see video about wildlife and about actions they can take to alleviate environmental problems they have to cope with in their everyday lives.   If the tablets are a success, and it’s looking positive, we plan to provide more, along with small solar chargers.  Watch this space.  Any support will be most welcome!

Makande club, above, did an ICT lesson this week, on how to find information on the PACE website, and how to download information.  ‘We had quite some fun because it was hands on for the learners, and for most of them it was the first time handling and using a tablet to do research.’