DRAFT: Maureen W. McClure University of Pittsburgh
1998 Date: |
Tasks assigned UNESCO/Baghdad Office |
Assisted by |
Achievements/Results |
2/1 |
Travel from Pittsburgh to Amman |
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3/1 |
Arrival in Amman Dinner briefing meeting |
Gonzalo Retamal Margaux Sauzet |
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4/1 |
Meet staff at UNESCO/Amman office Obtain visa from Iraqi Embassy |
Gonzalo Retamal Margaux Sauzet |
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5/1 |
Travel to Baghdad |
Gonzalo Retamal Margaux Sauzet |
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6/1 |
am: briefing by UNSECO staff
pm: research at FAO on strategy for sanctions committee- studied documents created for approval of spare helicopter parts illustrative examples:
met with FAO staff to discuss strategy
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Gonzalo Retamal Manal Omar Margaux Sauzet Program Officer : Erbil
UNESCO: Manal Omar FAO: Amir Jhalil, Representative William Gardner, Programme Coordinator/986 Tarek Abdeen, Logistics Specialist |
Identified important background information about the impact of sanctions and current UNESCO initiatives e.g. wide spread availability of computers in local black markets ($800-$1000)
Identified the following needs to be considered for potential UNESCO/MOE cooperation, based on analysis of FAO strategy:
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7/1 |
am: review documentation and interview UNESCO staff related to the sanction's committee's rejection of the MOE's request for educational computers Observations:
pm: prepared for meeting with MOE by integrating research at FAO with research at UNESCO |
Manal Omar |
A niche market for UNESCO/Iraq is needed to generate greater visibility for the office (recommend ‘camera friendly’ niche market easily identifiable with a concrete image of no more than two words) Identified need to separate two policy issues for discussion with MOE: dual use and excessive quantity
Identified need to separate two policy issues for discussion with MOE: dual use and excessive quantity
Formulated an initial strategy, subject to discussion with MOE and UNESCO |
8/1 |
Prepare for meeting with MOE
Meeting with MOE Follow-up discussion of MOE meeting to discuss next steps Key points:
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Gonzalo Retamal Manal Omar Manal Omar Hassan Hattab, Head of UNESCO National Commission Loai Omari National Commission Khamael Hussein National Commission ? Head of Education Technology Section at the MOE
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(Often the cruelest legacy of a war is the stories that parents repeatedly tell their children. How do embarrassed parents explain to their children that they have no pencils, paper or textbooks to study? What happens when these stories become folklore?) Educational computing requires not only technical skills, but English language skills as well. Needs
Action Prepare talking points paper by Saturday, 10/1 |
9/1 |
Prepare talking points paper
Key points
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Manal Omar Gonzalo Retamal Hassan Hattab, Head of UNESCO National Commission Loai Omari National Commission Khamael Hussein National Commission ? Head of Education Technology Section at the MOE
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Paper on diskfile and in hardcopy at UNESCO office Note: Need to clearly link effective technological training to improved efficiency in content areas such as the development middle cadres to provide organization support for humanitarian assistance efforts (Teaching English as an Other Language, word processing, spreadsheets) |
10/1 |
Meeting with MOE to deliver talking paper and discuss next steps |
Gonzalo Retamal Manal Omar |
MOE agreed to review paper |
11/1 |
Review budget response |
Manal Omar Ivan Donoso, UNICEF |
Reviewed pending UNESCO budgets in light of potential impact of budget increase MOE delivered paper on impact of sanctions for translation |
12/1 |
Travel from Baghdad to Amman |
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13/1 |
Travel from Amman to Pittsburgh |
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20/1 |
Wrote extended memo on observations about trip, distributed by e-mail to over 200 addresses of US education professionals (copy attached) |
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Created visibility in US education professional community of UNESCO work in humanitarian assistance |
26/1 |
Initiated a research project on education in Iraq in the Economics of Education class at the University of Pittsburgh |
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Preparing a report on the impact of sanctions on education in Iraq Designing a website for education in Iraq. |
14/2 |
Meeting at UNESCO/ Washington to discuss shorter and longer term strategy for improving education quality through technology in Iraq. |
Frank Method |
Recommendation that technology and content training should be tightly linked to demonstrate how educational computing is a necessary tool to meet current job demand Identify need for economically generative professional development center to train trainers to support student learning through education and technology. Need to support and build on existing education and technology cadres in Iraq through the development of counterpart relationships. |
25/2 |
Investigated the value of network computing in developing nations with limited access to a technological support infrastructure of expertise and maintenance |
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Recent declines in PC prices and the benefits of less technologically fragile standalone computers and supporting infrastructure may be a more technically and economically stable way to proceed in the design and development of educational computing systems |
27/2 |
Investigated the use of interactive CD ROM technology for accelerated training Phone interview with Professor Chen Qi |
Chen Qi, Visiting Professor, School of Education, Rutgers, Professor of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, member UNESCO International Federation for Information Processing, Technical Committee 3 |
Professor Chen's work in interactive CD ROM focuses on student learning, which goes far beyond classroom teaching. Her CD ROM for teaching Primary Mathematics are created for student use both in and outside of the classroom. This means that students who need extra tutoring can work alone at home or in small groups in a lab. This approach may create new opportunities for accelerated learning. It may be useful for education professionals in Iraq. |