teaching math in rwanda spring semester 2007 werner horn, susan taylor, carol shubin, jennifer...
TRANSCRIPT
Teaching Math In RwandaSpring Semester 2007
Werner Horn, Susan Taylor, Carol Shubin, Jennifer Wright
People
Population: 9,907,509
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,082,474/female 2,065,251) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,748,189/female 2,765,767) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 98,796/female 147,032) (2007 est.)
Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.766% (2007 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.99 years male: 47.87 years female: 50.16 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.37 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
Note Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
:
Economy
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2006 est.) ; Per capita income $250
GDP - compositio
n by sector:
agriculture: 39.9% industry: 20.3% services: 39.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force - by
occupation
agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10%
Inflation rate :
8.8% (2006 est.)
Education Facts
Average years of schooling of adults 2.6 [88th of 100]
Duration of compulsory education 6 years [164th of 171]
Duration of education > Primary level 6 [124th of 181]
Duration of education > Secondary level 6 [132nd of 181]
Education spending (% of GDP) 2.8% [115th of 132]
Female enrollment share > Primary level 50% [5th of 176]
Female enrollment share > Secondary level 49.1% [90th of 170]
Grade 1 intake rate 64.9 [58th of 114]
Library books 1,197 [81st of 81]
Tertiary enrollment 1.7%
Kigali Institute of Science and Technology(KIST)
• Established 1997 to address the
acute shortage of technical personnel
• Offers degrees in Engineering, Applied Science, Technical Education and Entrepreneurship
Science 3 building
houses math dept
Curriculum
• Very high standards• KIST curriculum is much more ambitious than
CSUN’s math curriculum• Cohort structure• Little or no choice of classes• No dropping classes• Passing requires 50% - if a students fails they must
repeat the year• Students spend 30-40 hours a week in class• Almost all classes are taught in English• Grand vision – lack of faculty makes it hard to
implement
Kigali Institute of EducationMath component of Secondary
Teacher Education Program
One third of the program (Math component only)
YEAR 1SEMESTER 1• CODE COURSE TITLE• MAT 101 Elementary Mathematics• MAT 102 Calculus 1• MAT 103 Linear Algebra 1
SEMESTER 2• MAT 104 Linear Algebra II• MAT 105 Abstract Structures I• MAT 106 Analytical and Affine Geometry
YEAR 2SEMESTER 1• MAT 201 Calculus II• MAT 202 Introduction to Differential Equations (ODE and
PDE)• MAT 203 Probability and Statistics
SEMESTER 2• MAT 204 Complex Analysis• MAT 205 Representations of Finite Groups• MAT 206 Projective Geometry• MAT 207 Numerical Analysis I
YEAR 3SEMESTER 1• MAT 301 Differential Geometry• MAT 302 Probability and Statistics II• MAT 303 Fundamentals of Computers
SEMESTER 2• MAT 304 Functional Analysis• MAT 305 Lie Groups, Lie Algebras and their
Representations• MAT 306 Applied Differential Equations• MAT 307 History of Mathematics and Physics
YEAR 4SEMESTER 1• MAT 401 Advanced Complex Analysis• MAT 402 Geometry and Topology of Dynamical Systems• MAT 403 Probability and Statistics III• MAT 404 Introduction to Galois Theory• MAT 405 Measure Theory• MAT 406 Numerical Analysis II
SEMESTER 2• MAT 406 Arithmetic• MAT 407 Non-Euclidean Geometry and Its Applications• MAT 408 Mathematical Introduction to Computers• MAT 409 Research Project in Mathematics
Students• Students go through college in cohorts• Bright, motivated, and hard working• Most first year students are
francophones• Government supported students
(25,000FRW~$50 per month for room, board, supplies, and transportation)
• Privately supported students- Tuition cost per semester ~ $1200*
• Most students skip meals to get by• Student housing crisis • Few students have access to the internet• Most students have no books
RE Math skills:Students had good algebraic skills, but poor graphing skills
Faculty and Staff• Disparity in pay scale between Rwandans
and expats• Rwandans study abroad often don’t return• Math dept is under-staffed, only 2 PhDs in
math, majority of staff is expat• Poor communication within the department
and the university• Poor organization have to teach to a flexible
schedule; class and exams times may change with little notice
• Large classes and heavy teaching loads• Large classes 150+ students in cohorts• Little assistance for grading, etc.
Infrastructure
• Poor light or glare • One free standing blackboard, if any• Poor acoustics• Leaking ceiling• Inaccessible computer lab• No textbooks• Little photocopying • No sinks in student’s bathroom• Lack of organization and communication• Carrying blackboards and chairs from one class to
another
• Student dormitories were appalling –
Students pay $8 per month for the following accommodations 2 students per twin bed, 16 students per room, old mattresses with bugs, general insect infestation, no lights, no showers, students bath in outdoor sinks
for laundry, unclean water runoff, 2 toilets for 800 students, poor security, unsafe structure
Run by the Rwandan Red Cross $8*x12x800= $76,800 per year
Where does the money go?
Adminstration Direct control of the University by the President
Kagame (all classes were
cancelled for 5 weeks to prepare for an international Aids Conference)
The Senate approves the curriculum
Foreign aid from the UK, Netherlands, and Japan funds the university
The provosts are sent from UK Open University and appointed by the Senate
Incoming expat faculty have no idea what the structure of the university is – there is no directory or orientation
Frank and open communication is not
really tolerated; example – faculty were asked to take a pay cut to fund a genocide memorial. Resolution passed with no discussion.
Future
More online classes, expand the African Virtual University
Look for more partnerships in the East African Community and global partnerships
Increase Vocational Training and Teacher TrainingPrograms