#ict4e

Find responsible members: Clubs can not start with only one person. There are positions needing to be filled with responsible students, defined as loyal, intelligent, and hardworking. A club containing student like this will definitely succeed. Also starting to talk with the responsible student will help in the planning of the club so that one will not have to do it by oneself beforehand. Club leaders should be democratically elected by club members. You can crown club leaders with identification badges as a tradition of most school leadership style.

Find a club adviser/Patron/Mentor. A club adviser/ patron is not a teacher that is supposed to babysit a club; they are a trusted mentor. They also need to possess an interest in the club's activity or goal. So find the perfect one that would take an interest in the club. So that they would love to be involved making the club more active and prosperous.

Spread the word to the school administration. Even with the best team, you still need approval and the justification of the club by the student and administration. Let everyone know about the club activity, objectives, mission and vision.  Carry out club dissemination at the assembly and student baraza. School administrators who have not been well informed on the club activities may not support you club. Invite the Principal’s in your club activities.    

Plan out how the club will run. At the beginning of the term, come up with a work plan. Let the school and the club sponsor approve it. Involve the student in work plan development  

Talk with the other club officials. Make sure there is a high level of communication between the club officials. Without good communication, there will be infinitely many problems occurring. Associating with others beforehand makes it easy for an alternative or a solution.

Convince others to join. Once the club is running, all of the work rest in the officials of the club hands. Keep convincing other students to join, since clubs are dynamics (others come and others go).  Without members it is not considered a club, it is good to get people to join if they have a motive to join your club.

Stay organized. Now that a club has started, it is not over yet. All of the hard parts may have passed, but there is still the maintenance of the club, and with low maintenance the club will later on be rejected and disbanded. Have plenty of activities that encourage greater participation and involvement of Members!

Motivate Members: Develop a strategy that motivates members to join and to be retained in the club.  Motivation can be award of certificate, attending out of school club events, gifts, free internet browsing, etc

Evaluate and document:  Strive to ensure all club activities are well documented for future reference, learning and sharing. Conduct regular evaluation to determine club progress. Develop club reports and share with other.

Networking and sharing:  Create avenues where students can share club activities and well as gathering information. Use social media to create blog, fan page,facebook, skype, chats etc.  Teach students on the use of search engine for information gathering. Club Patrons should be open to consultation and sharing, share with other patrons. Create your contacts database of like-minded club partners and stakeholders.  

Capacity building: Knowledge is power!, use the ICT club platform to disseminate ICT knowledge and skills. Integrating student training enterprise (virtual companies) in the ICT clubs is an excellent idea that allows student to practice their skills. Organize various training session to empower members. Training such as communication skills, presentation skills, computer usage skills, interview and CV writing skills, video editing skills, web design, blog, creating of business documents, software installation, basic computer troubleshooting skills, etc, are vital for ICT club members.  You can organize for guest speaker or facilitator. Student like guest speakers!

Active participation: Keep the club active, have scheduled club meeting days with defined agendas. Assign roles and duties to club members. Students quit clubs that are boring and have no meaningful activities that are interactive and stimulating. Club patron, organize and attend club day’s session to fuel the student participation. You can even organize school based   club event such as a trade fair or club presentation that will involve the whole school to attend. Use such forum to educate non-club members you activities and encourage them to join.

Harry Mwailengo  

(First published on the eLearning Africa News Portal, here.)

When I decided to register for the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2014, I did so with slight apprehension. The theme, “From Information to Participation: Challenges for the Media”, sounded interesting – especially the first part – and the programme featured presentations on ICT4D, mobile empowerment and democratic participation in Africa. But the event is designed for journalists and media practitioners. What does that have to do with learning and education? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.

During a panel discussion on political opinion making in the digital age, a comment from Matthew Armstrong, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, got me thinking. Internet freedom, he said, is not only the freedom to speak, but the freedom to listen.

http://congresoedutic.com - En Twitter nuestro hashtag es: #CongresoTICLEF ¡Participa!