EduMobile
The “Ombombo mobile classroom” (EduMobile) is the first of its kind in Southern Africa. With support from SODI e.V., UNDP SGP and EIF a six ton truck is equipped as a rolling classroom.
Its specific design and developed educative program is tailored to meet Namibia’s particular environmental issues, in the face of increasing environmental concerns such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The EduMobile project in consultation with the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) aims to supplement the Namibian educational
system with a hands-on learning approach on theoretical topics covered in the Namibian school curriculum.
Background & context
Since EduVentures inception in 2003, its main activities have been expeditions with learners and communities to Namibian remote areas to collect biological specimens for the National Museum of Namibia, National Botanical Research Institute and other scientific and education centres. Based on EduVentures experience of working with school children, the project realized that in order to broaden their services they should target Namibian rural schools and communities due to their lack of facilities and isolation of those areas. Thus an Environmental Education mobile project, referred to as the EduMobile was than developed.
Project outline
The Mobile Environmental Education Project also known as “Ombombo Mobile classroom (EduMobile) is the first of its kind in Southern Africa. The project uses a six-ton truck which is rolled into a classroom, it has 8 solar panels, 4 batteries, chairs and tables mounted onto the truck as well as a Smart board. The classroom is designed in such a way that it reaches even the remotest areas in Namibia. Under professional guidance, groups are able to participate in a five-day practical program involving SMART modules and fun activities to help them understand Namibia’s environmental concerns. The focus of the project is Upper Primary (Grades 5-7) and Secondary School (Grades 8-12): Natural and Social Sciences. In order to ensure minimal disruption of normal teaching time, the project conceive the project to be out-of-school/classroom program in which learners engage practical scientific activities in their immediate environment. The mobile classroom was launched in
2014, and since then, it has received several approaches for partnership. In 2016 the Hans Seidel Foundation in collaboration with EduVentures signed a memorandum of understanding for EduVentures to implement one of their objectives in Promoting Renewable Energies in rural areas of Namibia (PREN). The truck uses a wide range of multimedia and for this reason, the educators have integrated a blended learning system into their teachings. The PREN project is coming to its finalization end of 2019 and the partners have discussed possible continuation. EduVentures is donor dependent and for this reason the organization as planned to write proposals in order to sustain the continuation and implementation of the project.
Project approach
The EduMobile classroom can accommodate 20 learners who are able to participate in the program (see figure 1), the programme uses a multiplier effect by combining technology with environmental education and multimedia while using hands on experiential learning, through the week long program EduVentures will assist the school with establishing an environmental club to ensure the sustainability of the project, Under professional guidance groups are able to participate in a variety of practical and fun activities to help them understand Namibia’s environmental concerns and how they can help with the mitigation of this problems. Environmental education based on a specially equipped vehicle has given the chance of shifting the classroom into the open space, especially in Namibia’s rural areas.
Achievements
The EduMobile project has shown great impact to large amounts of learners all over Namibia. A total of 43 schools were visited with the mobile Classroom and over 4820 learners that received environmental education training. EduVentures uses blended learning approach by combining media with hands on experiential learning. Guided by “Learn Understand Act” the program has made it its top priority to give quality and informative EE to the rural learners. The EduMobile project has produced 10 SMART lessons that can be used at rural schools as teaching methods.
