The document provides an overview of a simulation set in a rural village in Niger called Gao Kou Kou Seigi. The simulation aims to familiarize volunteers with village life through interactive activities. Learners will be able to greet locals, learn about appropriate gestures, customs around sharing meals, and more. The simulation involves visiting different areas to learn, including a schoolhouse to learn words and the chief's compound to demonstrate knowledge gained.
Jennifer Jensen is a technology teacher who has a lifelong passion for conservation, farming/ranching, travel, and sharing her experiences with students. She has been involved in various conservation projects since childhood and enjoys opportunities to learn about global farming practices and diverse cultures during her travels. Jensen believes the Discovery Schools Association trip to Costa Rica will allow her students to develop global awareness through hands-on, experiential learning and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. She plans to utilize the experience to inspire further student learning and collaboration with other educators.
This document outlines an English curriculum for 4th trimester 1st grade students. It covers key areas like listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar. Content includes greeting people, personal information, weather, seasons, countries and cultures. Competencies focus on communication, math, knowledge interaction, and citizenship. The methodology uses a communicative approach with techniques like warm-ups, discussions, role playing, songs and games. Assessment includes diagnostic, formative and summative evaluations like tests, projects and portfolios. Other subjects will be correlated and key resources are listed.
The document provides a checklist for setting up a new project in a quality assurance project management system. It outlines 8 steps to complete, including ensuring all necessary project documents are in the active job folder, verifying an existing signed contract, checking if the client and project are already in the system, entering unit and plan information, notifying relevant parties, and double checking all data entry for accuracy. It stresses the importance of accuracy when setting up new projects.
The document discusses how media is becoming more complex and converging across different platforms. It notes that traditional TV ad campaigns have low returns on investment and many people skip ads. The document recommends not fixating on broadcast TV and becoming aware of different digital media agencies and business models. It also provides a list of qualities like being creative, empathetic, and able to learn that are important for candidates.
Company A has experienced rapid growth over the past year but is struggling to deliver quality due to inefficient processes that have caused delays of several weeks in setting up new projects; analyzing the work processes revealed gaps in skills, incentives, environment, and motivation among sales, contract, and project staff; addressing these gaps through training, process changes, new roles, and job aids could significantly reduce setup times and restore quality.
This document discusses challenges in legal education and opportunities for innovation through new pedagogical strategies and learning technologies. It notes that many students do not significantly improve their learning in early college, and questions whether MOOCs truly revolutionize higher education given their one-size-fits-all approach. The document advocates connecting learning across networks and considering strategies like connectivism and rhizomatic learning. It also discusses opportunities to leverage big data, learning analytics, and new media to improve course design, content strategies, and learning experiences at scale through virtual and blended approaches.
CLIRIMI I SERBISE PREJ KOSOVES - Ismail KadareMarjan DODAJ
“Një nga më të mëdhenjtë shkrimtarë europianë, Ismail Kadare, flet për temat më delikate dhe ndarjet midis serbëve dhe shqiptarëve, mbi urrejtjen e zgjatur, zemërimin dhe mllefin, mbi miqësinë dhe moskuptimet me shkrimtarët serbë, mbi shtrembërimet e historisë, që e kapërcen dramën ballkanase, dhe për arsyen përse ishte dashur që Serbia të ishte e para që ta njihte Kosovën”. Shënim i redaksisë së revistës “NIN”
This document summarizes research on online dating profiles of gay and lesbian users in southern California. The researchers analyzed profiles on a popular dating website to look for trends based on age and gender. They found that older users generally wrote more in their profiles and used "I" less, suggesting they take online dating more seriously than younger users. The study provided initial insights but more research is needed, especially on outcomes after users meet offline.
Jennifer Jensen is a technology teacher who has a lifelong passion for conservation, farming/ranching, travel, and sharing her experiences with students. She has been involved in various conservation projects since childhood and enjoys opportunities to learn about global farming practices and diverse cultures during her travels. Jensen believes the Discovery Schools Association trip to Costa Rica will allow her students to develop global awareness through hands-on, experiential learning and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. She plans to utilize the experience to inspire further student learning and collaboration with other educators.
This document outlines an English curriculum for 4th trimester 1st grade students. It covers key areas like listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar. Content includes greeting people, personal information, weather, seasons, countries and cultures. Competencies focus on communication, math, knowledge interaction, and citizenship. The methodology uses a communicative approach with techniques like warm-ups, discussions, role playing, songs and games. Assessment includes diagnostic, formative and summative evaluations like tests, projects and portfolios. Other subjects will be correlated and key resources are listed.
The document provides a checklist for setting up a new project in a quality assurance project management system. It outlines 8 steps to complete, including ensuring all necessary project documents are in the active job folder, verifying an existing signed contract, checking if the client and project are already in the system, entering unit and plan information, notifying relevant parties, and double checking all data entry for accuracy. It stresses the importance of accuracy when setting up new projects.
The document discusses how media is becoming more complex and converging across different platforms. It notes that traditional TV ad campaigns have low returns on investment and many people skip ads. The document recommends not fixating on broadcast TV and becoming aware of different digital media agencies and business models. It also provides a list of qualities like being creative, empathetic, and able to learn that are important for candidates.
Company A has experienced rapid growth over the past year but is struggling to deliver quality due to inefficient processes that have caused delays of several weeks in setting up new projects; analyzing the work processes revealed gaps in skills, incentives, environment, and motivation among sales, contract, and project staff; addressing these gaps through training, process changes, new roles, and job aids could significantly reduce setup times and restore quality.
This document discusses challenges in legal education and opportunities for innovation through new pedagogical strategies and learning technologies. It notes that many students do not significantly improve their learning in early college, and questions whether MOOCs truly revolutionize higher education given their one-size-fits-all approach. The document advocates connecting learning across networks and considering strategies like connectivism and rhizomatic learning. It also discusses opportunities to leverage big data, learning analytics, and new media to improve course design, content strategies, and learning experiences at scale through virtual and blended approaches.
CLIRIMI I SERBISE PREJ KOSOVES - Ismail KadareMarjan DODAJ
“Një nga më të mëdhenjtë shkrimtarë europianë, Ismail Kadare, flet për temat më delikate dhe ndarjet midis serbëve dhe shqiptarëve, mbi urrejtjen e zgjatur, zemërimin dhe mllefin, mbi miqësinë dhe moskuptimet me shkrimtarët serbë, mbi shtrembërimet e historisë, që e kapërcen dramën ballkanase, dhe për arsyen përse ishte dashur që Serbia të ishte e para që ta njihte Kosovën”. Shënim i redaksisë së revistës “NIN”
This document summarizes research on online dating profiles of gay and lesbian users in southern California. The researchers analyzed profiles on a popular dating website to look for trends based on age and gender. They found that older users generally wrote more in their profiles and used "I" less, suggesting they take online dating more seriously than younger users. The study provided initial insights but more research is needed, especially on outcomes after users meet offline.
The document discusses how communities provide opportunities for children's socialization through various resources and facilities. It describes how rural, suburban and urban neighborhoods each offer different socialization experiences for developing skills like independence, social roles and problem solving. Community resources like after school programs, public libraries and museums, outdoor activities and healthcare facilities further support children's social, emotional and cognitive growth. They allow kids to learn skills, build confidence and interact with others in ways that strengthen relationships and empower achievement. Overall, being part of a community network provides social and learning experiences that are important for healthy development.
The document discusses socialization in rural and suburban communities. In a rural community, children have more opportunities for outdoor play and exploration. They develop independence interacting with nature. Socialization is mainly with family through affective and observational methods. The community celebrates together through seasonal events. In a suburban community, children have freedom to explore but also learn self-control. They learn social roles through interactions with peers. Schools provide cognitive development. Families celebrate holidays individually rather than as a community.
This guide provides activities to help students create maps of their community and better understand the relationships between people, animals, and the environment. The mapping process involves identifying community members, their needs, whether needs are being met, and available resources. Students explore the community through methods like interviews and then record their findings on a map. The goal is to help students identify an issue for a potential action project.
Lara took on the challenge of traveling to Senegal to help children at a school for the deaf and mute. She overcame difficulties with the language barrier by learning basic sign language to communicate with the children. The experience gave her a deeper understanding of global issues and encouraged her to seek more opportunities to help underprivileged communities.
Here are a few key insights from the conversation with Anu:
- Children from upper middle class urban families have limited exposure to natural environments due to living in apartments/gated communities. Their interaction with nature is restricted to manicured lawns and potted plants.
- Parents want to instill values of environmental conservation but find it challenging with the limited opportunities for direct engagement with nature.
- Fears and aversions towards certain elements of nature like insects can develop due to overprotective parenting in early childhood.
- Children are highly influenced by media like TV shows and tend to bring those behaviors into their pretend play.
- While educational toys and activities are encouraged, there is also indulgence in popular culture
The document describes a proposed project to connect younger generations in Taiwan with elders and farming traditions. As Taiwan industrialized, many children grew up disconnected from farming practices. The project aims to use online games popular with teenagers to teach basic farming knowledge and motivate them to participate in real-life farming with elders. This experience would give children a deeper connection to elders and their homeland in an effort to preserve traditions.
The document discusses supporting children and youth with developmental disabilities. It defines developmental disabilities and provides examples. It emphasizes the importance of creating diverse and accepting environments where differences are respected. It also discusses supporting inclusion and social skills development through intentional planning of activities that promote social skills and friendships. Adults can help children with disabilities learn skills like communication, socialization, and self-help.
Abbey Court Community Special School provides concise summaries of pupil work in geography. The summaries show how pupils at different levels are learning about their local environment through activities like transport surveys and leaf collection. Older pupils apply these skills on trips to places like garden centers using public transportation. Younger pupils focus on familiar areas like the school grounds. Teachers document learning through photos, annotations, and a tracking program. Pupils also learn about other cultures and work to care for the planet through recycling.
Abbey Court Community Special School provides concise summaries of student work in geography. Ayomi worked hard to identify different leaves in his environment. Students in year 6 went on a field trip to a garden center to practice using public transportation. Older students conducted a survey of local shops and shared their findings with other classes. Throughout their education, students engage in hands-on learning about both local and global geography through activities, field trips, use of technology, and cultural experiences.
This document describes activities for teaching English language learners based on NETS-T standards. It includes 5 activities: 1) having students describe language through a lesson plan, 2) pretending to travel around the world to learn about different places, 3) representing different cultural backgrounds by sharing facts about their ethnicity, 4) creating a newsletter to improve their school, and 5) doing a scavenger hunt to learn the butterfly life cycle. The activities are designed to help students demonstrate understanding of language systems, language acquisition, cultural identity, managing ESL instruction, using educational resources effectively, and classroom-based ESL assessment.
C:\Documents And Settings\Carol\My Documents\W200 Powerpguest2f3db4a
This document discusses resources available to help teachers support students with special needs. It outlines several websites that provide assistive technologies and educational tools tailored for specific disabilities. These resources can help ensure all students receive an appropriate education. Teachers need to familiarize themselves with assistive options in order to accommodate diverse learners.
This document provides information about a lesson plan for an after-school culture camp program for 8-9 year olds. The lesson focuses on introducing students to the plant and animal life native to Zimbabwe. Students will learn the Latin and common names of plants and animals from Zimbabwe through handouts and activities. They will create Zimbabwean flags to take home and answer trivia questions about what they learned. The goal is for students to gain knowledge about animals and plants in Africa.
The document describes history and environmental education programs offered by the Lake County Forest Preserves. It provides details about in-school and on-site programs addressing Illinois learning standards that cover topics like Native Americans, pioneers, the Civil War, and more. Programs are customizable, affordable, and located at various forest preserve sites and the Lake County Discovery Museum to provide hands-on learning experiences.
Technology and the Transformation of Learningtelss09
The document discusses technology and its transformation of learning. It notes that computers are multipurpose tools that can be used as productive tools, for information, communication, and entertainment. It also discusses that learning to use these tools requires various literacies and skills. The socio-cultural perspective is that all learning is mediated by tools, both digital and non-digital. However, people must learn to use tools in a transformative way. Professional development for teachers is key, and should involve risk-taking, sharing knowledge, and creating a collaborative culture.
This document provides guidance for teachers and teacher's aides working with blind students. It emphasizes treating blind students with the same expectations as sighted students and fostering independence. It offers specific strategies like using clear verbal descriptions, organizing materials accessibly, adapting lessons when needed, and understanding skills of blindness like Braille and orientation skills. The goal is for blind students to participate fully in class and develop skills to become independent adults.
“Any time anywhere learning” is an integrated learning approach. It ensures learning can happen at maximum level beyond the barriers, boundaries, and excuses of educators........................................................................
Life is too much complex- integrate life skills to make life simple, sober , and well organized to live and lead a happy life……………….where a child can think his own, can walk on his own foot, can talk what he feels, save a child to be a machine, to be a robot and to be a lifeless human being-----------------as an educator plays role of a gardener in a child’s life, who helps plant and flower to spread beauty and fragrance in the society, play the role of a potter to give a beautiful shape---------being human , shape a child to become human, where he shows respect to father, mother , brother, uncle, family , society and the nation. Do not produce a conflict personality , develop an integrated human being for the world, who is skilled enough to
face the challenges of universe and integrate himself, relate himself to the surroundings, then he will be able to live a life to be a human with values. Whole world is a learning platform, and in fact, learning can happen/ occur at anytime anywhere. A child comes in this universe with full potentiality, inbuilt power, nurture the potentiality, the inborn power , manufactured and empowered by GOD, as an educator be the integral part of a child’s life to be bloomed as integrated human being.
This volunteer opportunity involves teaching English, healthcare, and sports lessons at a Maasai primary school in a remote village in Tanzania. Volunteers will also assist at a local orphanage and participate in community outreach programs to help educate Maasai villagers. The 2-6 week placements include accommodations, meals, orientation, and cultural excursions. Rates are $700-1,600 depending on length of stay.
The document introduces Gloria and her family, including her parents Manuel and Alicia, her sister Karla, and her brother Juan Carlos. Gloria's father Manuel works as a farmer and they live in Jalapa, while her mother Alicia is a talented artist. The document provides details about Gloria's family members and their occupations.
The document discusses important considerations for designing early childhood education spaces and room layouts. It emphasizes that:
1) A well-designed space can greatly influence children's development, engagement, security, and care. The layout should guide and inspire children's behavior.
2) Key aspects of a good space include predictability, clear paths, well-defined boundaries, freedom to explore, privacy, variety, flexibility, appropriate stimulation, and a supportive environment.
3) When planning activity areas, factors like location, boundaries, surfaces, storage, and mood should be considered to best support children's discovery and self-directed learning.
The document discusses how communities provide opportunities for children's socialization through various resources and facilities. It describes how rural, suburban and urban neighborhoods each offer different socialization experiences for developing skills like independence, social roles and problem solving. Community resources like after school programs, public libraries and museums, outdoor activities and healthcare facilities further support children's social, emotional and cognitive growth. They allow kids to learn skills, build confidence and interact with others in ways that strengthen relationships and empower achievement. Overall, being part of a community network provides social and learning experiences that are important for healthy development.
The document discusses socialization in rural and suburban communities. In a rural community, children have more opportunities for outdoor play and exploration. They develop independence interacting with nature. Socialization is mainly with family through affective and observational methods. The community celebrates together through seasonal events. In a suburban community, children have freedom to explore but also learn self-control. They learn social roles through interactions with peers. Schools provide cognitive development. Families celebrate holidays individually rather than as a community.
This guide provides activities to help students create maps of their community and better understand the relationships between people, animals, and the environment. The mapping process involves identifying community members, their needs, whether needs are being met, and available resources. Students explore the community through methods like interviews and then record their findings on a map. The goal is to help students identify an issue for a potential action project.
Lara took on the challenge of traveling to Senegal to help children at a school for the deaf and mute. She overcame difficulties with the language barrier by learning basic sign language to communicate with the children. The experience gave her a deeper understanding of global issues and encouraged her to seek more opportunities to help underprivileged communities.
Here are a few key insights from the conversation with Anu:
- Children from upper middle class urban families have limited exposure to natural environments due to living in apartments/gated communities. Their interaction with nature is restricted to manicured lawns and potted plants.
- Parents want to instill values of environmental conservation but find it challenging with the limited opportunities for direct engagement with nature.
- Fears and aversions towards certain elements of nature like insects can develop due to overprotective parenting in early childhood.
- Children are highly influenced by media like TV shows and tend to bring those behaviors into their pretend play.
- While educational toys and activities are encouraged, there is also indulgence in popular culture
The document describes a proposed project to connect younger generations in Taiwan with elders and farming traditions. As Taiwan industrialized, many children grew up disconnected from farming practices. The project aims to use online games popular with teenagers to teach basic farming knowledge and motivate them to participate in real-life farming with elders. This experience would give children a deeper connection to elders and their homeland in an effort to preserve traditions.
The document discusses supporting children and youth with developmental disabilities. It defines developmental disabilities and provides examples. It emphasizes the importance of creating diverse and accepting environments where differences are respected. It also discusses supporting inclusion and social skills development through intentional planning of activities that promote social skills and friendships. Adults can help children with disabilities learn skills like communication, socialization, and self-help.
Abbey Court Community Special School provides concise summaries of pupil work in geography. The summaries show how pupils at different levels are learning about their local environment through activities like transport surveys and leaf collection. Older pupils apply these skills on trips to places like garden centers using public transportation. Younger pupils focus on familiar areas like the school grounds. Teachers document learning through photos, annotations, and a tracking program. Pupils also learn about other cultures and work to care for the planet through recycling.
Abbey Court Community Special School provides concise summaries of student work in geography. Ayomi worked hard to identify different leaves in his environment. Students in year 6 went on a field trip to a garden center to practice using public transportation. Older students conducted a survey of local shops and shared their findings with other classes. Throughout their education, students engage in hands-on learning about both local and global geography through activities, field trips, use of technology, and cultural experiences.
This document describes activities for teaching English language learners based on NETS-T standards. It includes 5 activities: 1) having students describe language through a lesson plan, 2) pretending to travel around the world to learn about different places, 3) representing different cultural backgrounds by sharing facts about their ethnicity, 4) creating a newsletter to improve their school, and 5) doing a scavenger hunt to learn the butterfly life cycle. The activities are designed to help students demonstrate understanding of language systems, language acquisition, cultural identity, managing ESL instruction, using educational resources effectively, and classroom-based ESL assessment.
C:\Documents And Settings\Carol\My Documents\W200 Powerpguest2f3db4a
This document discusses resources available to help teachers support students with special needs. It outlines several websites that provide assistive technologies and educational tools tailored for specific disabilities. These resources can help ensure all students receive an appropriate education. Teachers need to familiarize themselves with assistive options in order to accommodate diverse learners.
This document provides information about a lesson plan for an after-school culture camp program for 8-9 year olds. The lesson focuses on introducing students to the plant and animal life native to Zimbabwe. Students will learn the Latin and common names of plants and animals from Zimbabwe through handouts and activities. They will create Zimbabwean flags to take home and answer trivia questions about what they learned. The goal is for students to gain knowledge about animals and plants in Africa.
The document describes history and environmental education programs offered by the Lake County Forest Preserves. It provides details about in-school and on-site programs addressing Illinois learning standards that cover topics like Native Americans, pioneers, the Civil War, and more. Programs are customizable, affordable, and located at various forest preserve sites and the Lake County Discovery Museum to provide hands-on learning experiences.
Technology and the Transformation of Learningtelss09
The document discusses technology and its transformation of learning. It notes that computers are multipurpose tools that can be used as productive tools, for information, communication, and entertainment. It also discusses that learning to use these tools requires various literacies and skills. The socio-cultural perspective is that all learning is mediated by tools, both digital and non-digital. However, people must learn to use tools in a transformative way. Professional development for teachers is key, and should involve risk-taking, sharing knowledge, and creating a collaborative culture.
This document provides guidance for teachers and teacher's aides working with blind students. It emphasizes treating blind students with the same expectations as sighted students and fostering independence. It offers specific strategies like using clear verbal descriptions, organizing materials accessibly, adapting lessons when needed, and understanding skills of blindness like Braille and orientation skills. The goal is for blind students to participate fully in class and develop skills to become independent adults.
“Any time anywhere learning” is an integrated learning approach. It ensures learning can happen at maximum level beyond the barriers, boundaries, and excuses of educators........................................................................
Life is too much complex- integrate life skills to make life simple, sober , and well organized to live and lead a happy life……………….where a child can think his own, can walk on his own foot, can talk what he feels, save a child to be a machine, to be a robot and to be a lifeless human being-----------------as an educator plays role of a gardener in a child’s life, who helps plant and flower to spread beauty and fragrance in the society, play the role of a potter to give a beautiful shape---------being human , shape a child to become human, where he shows respect to father, mother , brother, uncle, family , society and the nation. Do not produce a conflict personality , develop an integrated human being for the world, who is skilled enough to
face the challenges of universe and integrate himself, relate himself to the surroundings, then he will be able to live a life to be a human with values. Whole world is a learning platform, and in fact, learning can happen/ occur at anytime anywhere. A child comes in this universe with full potentiality, inbuilt power, nurture the potentiality, the inborn power , manufactured and empowered by GOD, as an educator be the integral part of a child’s life to be bloomed as integrated human being.
This volunteer opportunity involves teaching English, healthcare, and sports lessons at a Maasai primary school in a remote village in Tanzania. Volunteers will also assist at a local orphanage and participate in community outreach programs to help educate Maasai villagers. The 2-6 week placements include accommodations, meals, orientation, and cultural excursions. Rates are $700-1,600 depending on length of stay.
The document introduces Gloria and her family, including her parents Manuel and Alicia, her sister Karla, and her brother Juan Carlos. Gloria's father Manuel works as a farmer and they live in Jalapa, while her mother Alicia is a talented artist. The document provides details about Gloria's family members and their occupations.
The document discusses important considerations for designing early childhood education spaces and room layouts. It emphasizes that:
1) A well-designed space can greatly influence children's development, engagement, security, and care. The layout should guide and inspire children's behavior.
2) Key aspects of a good space include predictability, clear paths, well-defined boundaries, freedom to explore, privacy, variety, flexibility, appropriate stimulation, and a supportive environment.
3) When planning activity areas, factors like location, boundaries, surfaces, storage, and mood should be considered to best support children's discovery and self-directed learning.
Similar to Processes_670_art_life_in_rural_niger (20)
1. Page 1 of 12
Gretchen Regehr, Lulee Sutuan and Preston Gales
Overview | Instructional Objective | Learners | Context of Use | Motivation | Avatars and Roles | Objects and
Locations | Goal | Play by Play | References
Overview
The village of Gao Kou Kou Seigi in rural Niger (map of Niger) has barely been touched by
modern civilization. Gao Kou Kou Seigi (translated as the Tall Gao Tree Over the Hill) is on
the edge of the Sahara desert, approximately 100 km north of Niamey, the Capital city. The
only access to technology in the village is a radio. There is no electricity, no running water,
very little use of money and hardly any wild life. It is a very harsh existence, yet it is a
vibrant village, filled with people who in spite of their many hardships and constant struggle
with subsistance living, are warm, happy, generous and friendly.
Using the simulation and interactive possibilities in Second Life, learners will have the
opportunity to experience many elements of life in this rural village in order to familiarize
themselves with the culture, language, animals, housing, food and inhabitants of a typical rural
village in Niger.
Instructional Objective
The "Village Life in Rural Niger" simulation will address the following instructional objectives:
After having completed all of the learning activities in the simulation, learners will be able to
1. Learners will be able to state 3-5 facts about village life in Niger
2. Learners will be able to interact with local inhabitants using a few common greetings
and other key words.
3. Learners will be able to demonstrate your understanding of traditions around sharing
meals with Nigeriens.
4. Learners will be able to demonstrate gestures both appropriate and inappropriate in this
society.
Learners
The primary audience for this simulation is adult, English-speaking volunteers who will be
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2. Page 2 of 12
going to Niger in a volunteer, humanitarian capacity. They are not likely to be familiar with the
local language, cultural traditions or lifestyle, and need to acquire a basic understanding and
knowledge in these areas in order to be well received upon arrival in the village.
Context of Use
Unfortunately, some organizations send volunteers into situations and lifestyles that are
extremely different from their own with very little preparation. Pre-arrival learning
opportunities or education which might lessen the culture shock on the part of the volunteer,
and improve the first impression that the volunteer makes when arriving in the village can go a
long ways towards making the overall experience successful from both the volunteer's
perspective, as well as that of the local culture. Knowing how to say "hello" or "thank you",
being familiar with appropriate and inappropriate gestures, and understanding the importance
of observance of customs around eating and sharing meals can make a considerable
difference in preparing the volunteer for a very positive first few days.
This simulation is intended for volunteers who will be going to live in Niger, and who have not
previously been to Niger or West Africa. It is designed for those who have not experienced a
first-hand look at subsistence living in a West African village, so that they can be better
prepared for real life arrival, and reception by the local culture by having developed the
knowledge of the environment, an understanding of some of the most basic cultural traditions,
and learned some basic communication skills.
Participants in the simulation will experience elements of local culture including familiarization
with local greetings, avoidance of inappropriate gestures or behaviors, and customs and norms
around meal preparation and sharing.
Motivation
This MUVE simulation will be designed based on Malone’s intrinsic motivation theory (Malone,
1987). We intend to intrigue learners’ intrinsic motivation to learn by finding learning sources
and rewards through their own exercise. We will build an environment that would challenge
learners’ curiosity and fantasy. Moreover, from the first second they step into African Village,
we will give each learner the power to take control over where they go, what they practice and
when they move on when they they have gained what they need.
Our design is also being guided by Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory that emphasizes building an
environment in which learners can become involved in the activities that attract them so much
that they are willing to do it for its own sake. In this case, the learners are motivated, knowing
that this opportunity is a critical one before being in Niger in order to gain and practice skills
that are unlikely to be available elsewhere prior to in-country training. The idea that flow is a
balance between anxiety and skill can be demonstrated in this simulation in the learning
activity of the gestures that will be gained and learned (described in detail in the play-by-play).
The learners will be provided with a variety of gestures, both appropriate and inappropriate.
The learning is straighforward, however the culminating assessment with the chief provides an
opportunity to be able to act on the knowledge gained, and possibly choose the wrong
gestures, representing failure in the assessment. This activity demonstrates Csikszentmihalyi’s
explanation of flow as a "merging of action and awareness" as an exciting, although potentially
stressful act.
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Using Roger Caillois’ scheme, the game falls in Mimicry class where alternative realities are
created to make learners feel as though they are more than what they actually are through
fantasy, pretense, and disguise. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990)
Avatars and Roles
The avatars will be acting as themselves and will be wearing their own clothes. They will have
the point of view of a freshly arrived volunteer who will be spending an extended period of time
in a rural Niger village.
The learners will acquire scripts in order to practice and learn local gestures, and will have the
opportunity to utilize voice chat, will gather notecards and can listen to scripted objects which
will pronounce words in the local language, Zarma.
Objects and Locations
This simulation requires that the learner is in Second Life and is teleported to the Village Life in
Rural Niger location. The area is dry, with sparse grass and basic huts. This simulation will
require a headset and sound capability as well as chat. Objects that the learners will interact
with and see are:
• Welcome sign-When first arriving in the village, the learner will be able to click on the
sign to collect the first notecard listing the objectives and goal of the simulation.
• School House and cutout of teacher -Here the learner will interact with teacher,
represented by a scripted "flat avatar" who will respond with a greeting and offer a
notecard with information on local village life and facts on Niger.
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• School House Chalk Board and Sound Objects-This chalk board lists key words and
greetings in the local language Zarma. By clicking on the scripted objects next to the
board, the learner can hear the proper pronunciation of these words.
• Cutout of school children-This image provides a folder with gestures that can be
saved. Additionally, there is a notecard in it explaining the gestures and their
appropriate or inappropriate use.
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• Cutout of Village women-The learner can click on the cutout of village women to
collect a notecard that explains food preparation and meal sharing traditions.
• Mortar and Pestle-The learner should click on this object to learn more about
preparing millet, a staple in the Nigerien diet.
• Photo wall-Behind the well, the learner can observe a series of photos that loop
repeatedly illustrating various elements of village life.
• Photo wall-a second photo wall highlights animals of the region. The learner can click
on the object for more information. Additionally, a notecard can be collected here with
further detail on local wildlife.
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• Concession door-The learner should collect the notecard from the door of the
concession before procedding to the final activity of interacting with the chief.
Additionally, the learners will interact with a live avatar representing the village chief. The chief
will interact with the learners and assess their learning with a very basic rubric.
Goal
The goal of this simulation is simply to provide the learners with the basic knowledge of
customs, norms, gestures and words that allow a visitor to be well received in the village. The
learners need to go to each simulation area to gather all of the information that they need to
meet with the village chief to demonstrate some of their new knowledge and skills.
Play by Play
The simulation should last approximately 30 minutes. The learners will teleport to the entry of
the village. They will first come across a sign welcoming them to the village of Gao Kou Kou
Seigi in rural Niger. The sign is scripted to provide learners with the first notecard listing the
objectives and goal of the simulation.
• Additionally, learners can click to see a map of Niger.
• Next to the sign is a board. The learners should click on this board to see a rotating
photo display of village scenes.
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The notecard will provide the following information:
1. Welcome
2. The objectives for participants in this simulation
3. A description of what is to take place
Notecard Detail:
Welcome to the village of Gao Kou Kou Seigi in rural Niger. Gao Kou Kou Seigi
(translated as the Tall Gao Tree Over the Hill) is on the edge of the Sahara desert,
approximately 100 km north of Niamey, the Capital city. The only access to
technology in the village is a radio. There is no electricity, no running water, very
little use of money and hardly any wild life. It is a very harsh existence, yet it is a
vibrant village, filled with people who in spite of their many hardships and constant
struggle with subsistance living, are warm, happy, generous and friendly.
As a newly arrived visitor in Gao Kou Kou Seigi, it is important to understand the
local context, some of the cultural traditions, including gestures, commonly used
phrases and societal mores in order to be well received in the village and to begin to
establish a relationship of mutual respect. Respect for tradition, local custom and
civil behavior are all valued.
Objectives:
At the end of this simulation you will:
1. be able to state 3-5 facts about village life in Niger
2. be able to interact with local inhabitants using a few common greetings and other key
words.
3. be able to demonstrate your understanding of traditions around sharing meals with
Nigeriens.
4. be able to identify and demonstrate gestures both appropriate and inappropriate in this
society.
Simulation Activities:
You will be asked to complete 3 activities that will support you in learning about in this
simulation. Once these are complete you will be meeting with the village chief. You need to
complete all of the activities and gather the information in each area in order to be prepared to
meet with the village chief.
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The activities are in the following 3 areas:
1. Meeting the School Teacher
2. Interacting with Local Children
3. Learning about Meals with the village women
In each case you will collect informative notecards from the cutout figures at each of these
activity areas. Additionally, you should click on objects around you to learn more about life in
the village. Once you have completed the activities in all of the interaction areas, you will go to
meet with the village chief to demonstrate your skills and understanding in these areas.
To begin the 3 learning activities-proceed to the school teacher at the school, the school
children inside the school or to the women preparing meals. The learners can complete the
three simulation activities in any order, but all three must be completed before meeting with the
village chief.
ACTIVITY 1: Meeting the School Teacher - Life in the Village and Learning a Few
Key Words
• The learner will proceed to the School House. The local school house is always a good
place to visit first for several reasons. Often the local teacher will be a French or
English speaker who has studied in the capital and has been exposed to people from
other cultures and may therefore be a good first point of contact.
• The school teacher is scripted to welcome the learner with the following message
"Hello, I am the village school teacher. Welcome to our school."
• The teacher also offers a notecard with background on Niger and rural village life.
• While at the school, the learner should click on the board to a listing of a few important
words, their english translation and their phonetic pronunciation.
• The learner should click on the object next to each phrase. The object is scripted to
provide an audio pronunciation of the word.
Notecard Details:
1. Background on Niger and on rural village life.
• The main ethnic groups are the Hausa, the Kanuri, the Songhai or Zarma, the Fulani ,
and the Taureg.
• The majority of the population is rural and lives in the southern regions.
• There is a significant migration of seasonal labor to Ghana, Nigeria, and Chad.
o This migration is referred to there as "exode".
• About 80% of the population is Muslim; most of the rest practice animism, or traditional
religious beliefs.
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o There is a small Christian minority in the cities and larger towns.
• The country's official language is French, but several indigenous languages, as well as
Arabic, are spoken.
o Most of the population speaks at least 2 languages fluently.
.
ACTIVITY 2: Interacting with local children - learning appropriate and
inappropriate gestures
• The learner will proceed inside the School House where local children would be.
• The learner clicks on the cutout of local schoolchildren and gets a folder that can be
saved which includes several gestures. Additionally, the folder includes a notecard
explaining the appropriate and inappropriate use of the gestures. The learner should
keep the notecard and add the gestures to their inventory. The learner should click on
each of the new gestures in order to practice and be familiar with them.
Notecard Details:
There are several important gestures and hand movements that visitors to Niger
should be familiar with prior to arriving in the country.
1. Only the right hand is used to greet, shake hands and eat food. It is considered
impolite to use the left hand for any of these gestures. The left hand is used for
sanitation purposes.
2. When shaking hands with Nigeriens, it is customary to touch your right hand to
your chest after shaking hands.
• If you are a male, do not be offended if the women do not shake your hand, and do not
press for them to do so. In most villages, women will not touch someone she does not
know very well, especially a male.
3. Greetings are very important in this culture so be prepared for a long greeting.
The more important the person you are greeting, the longer the greeting should be.
• A typical greeting may include:
o Mate Ni Go? (Matay Nee Go) How are you?
Appropriate response - A ga Boori gumo (Ah ga boaree goomo) very
well
o Mate Ni Baani? (Matay Nee Banee) How is your health?
Appropriate response - Baani Samay Wala (Banee suumeye walla) the
body is good
o Mate Ni Almayalo Kulu? (Matay Nee Almiyalo Kulu) How is your whole family?
Appropriate response - A ga Boori gumo (Ah ga boaree goomo) very
well
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o Mate Ni Gabi? (Matay Nee Gabee) How is your strength?
Gabi go no(Gabee go no) the strength is there
4. When counting to five, the hand should not extend all 5 fingers-this is considered
to be a very vulgar gesture. Instead, when indicating the number 5, all five fingers
should be touching and bunched together.
ACTIVITY 3: Meeting the Village Women - Meal Customs
• The learner will go to the well area where the women are preparing to food.
• In this area, the learner will see images of the village women using pounding millet
seeds into flour using a mortar and pestle.
• The learner should click on the cutout of the women to collect a note card with
• The learner should click on the mortar to collect a notecard with more detailed
information about preparing millet, a staple in the Nigerien diet.
Notecard Details:
Meals are an important part of Nigerien society. Typically, men and women are
segregated during meal times with the men eating together in a communal area and
the women and children eating behind the walls of a family concession wall. Women
spend most of their day preparing the meals. The women rise early and begin
preparing the first meal of the day ad are working on it until it is ready at mid day.
Very shortly after, the women begin to prepare for the evening meal.
Mortar and pestle notecard details:
The staple food of Niger is millet. There are miles of fields surrounding each village
where the families grow their crops during the rainy season which is generally from
June to September. If the rains are good, the villagers will sometimes grow peanuts
as well. The women will sometimes collect leaves from wild plants to make sauce
to go with the millet.
Millet is prepared by pounding the seeds into flour, combining it with water and
boiling it. The end product is something like mashed pototoes, but thicker.
FINAL ACTIVITY : Meeting the chief and testing your skills
• Now that the learner has gathered information in all of the simulation areas, the learner
should proceed to meeting with the chief. The chief is almost always located at the
biggest family concession (walled group of huts) because he often has the most wives
and the largest family.
• Because this is a training situation for incoming volunteers for this program, skills will be
informally assessed here prior to the learners going to in-country trainings and posting.
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• This interaction and assessment will be handled by the chief, who is a live avatar,
prepared to take each of the learners through this final step.
• Learners should click on the concession door to collect the notecard prior to engaging
the village chief.
Concession Door Notecard Detail:
Congratulations on going through all of the simulation activities. You are now
prepared to meet the village chief. You are asked to do the following:
1. Greet the chief in Zarma
2. Give the appropriate hand gesture
3. Sit down and eat with the chief (the villagers will always ask you to eat and you
should always say yes as it is considered rude to decline).
The Chief will be using a simple rubric for assessing the skills-see below:
3 2 1
Questions about All questions were All questions were
All questions were
village life- answered not answered
answered but with
including meal completely with completed or
little detail.
sharing good detail. correctly.
All areas of the
gestures were At least one area of At least two areas
of the gestures
addressed and the gestures was
Gestures handled with a high were not
not addressed or addressed or were
degree of was incorrect.
sophistication. incorrect.
All of the words Most of the words Few of the words
Key words-
were correctly were correctly were correctly
comprehension
translated. translated. translated.
All of the words Most of the words Few of the words
Key words-
were pronounced were pronounced were pronounced
Pronunciation
well. well. well.
References
v3 Image (Firm). (2007). A beginner's guide to second life. Las Vegas, Nev:
Archebooks.
Thompson, J., Berbank-Green, B., & Cusworth, N. (2007). Game design course
principles, practice, and techniques--the ultimate guide for the aspiring game
designer. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
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