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Socio-Technical Systems Analysis of Edfa App e-EdFA AppEdfa- App is an educational mobile phone and tablet application that seeks to address the lack of or the limited availability of educational materials in schools and colleges in poor countries in Africa. The mobile application seek to solve the above problem that has perpetually contributed to low standards of education in developing countries in Africa. e-Edfa App seeks to organized free online education materials and curate it to fit the academic needs of schools and colleges. As a mobile phone application, Edfa – App will make available curated notes, materials and other resources to satisfy the syllabi requirements of courses offered by colleges and secondary schools and generally, other formal learning institutions in low income countries. With Sierra Leone being a case study. The purpose of providing these learning resources is to abate the difficulty young people experience in accessing formal education materials and resources while in such institutions. And overall to help students have a readily available platform where they can access academic resources that will positively impact and enhance their career goals, for their personal growth and the corresponding growth of their communities.Hardware e-Edfa app will be built on an android platform. E-Edfa is designed to be used as a platform to boost low standard of education in low income countries in Africa. Since most of Africa’s technology adaptation is through the use of smart phone especially android smart phones, it will be proper to use this platform to launch the mobile application. In 2020 it is expected that 750 million Africans will adapt the use of smart phones. This statistics is compelling to validate the use of android platform to develop the application for African colleges. A major challenge that will be faced with hardware component of Edfa app will be mostly tied memory capacity of android phones used. Indeed there is high adaption of android smart phones in Africa, however the extended features of most of those phones are limited. In a survey conducted in January with colleges, most students use a mobile phone that has a Radom Access Memory (RAM ) capacity between 512 megabytes – 2 gigabytes and an external memory source(cards) of between 2gigabytes to 8 gigabytes. These values are okay for most android applications used. However there is a legitimate concern on the amount of memory space needed for Edfa application. If the application based on the amount of educational content it will host appears to be large and coupled with many other social apps installed on typical student’s mobile devices, the memory space of the phone may be compromised. Which means that some aspect of the application may not be functional or it may even cause the uninstallation of the app or other software rash issues. The reason why most students cannot afford mobile devices of extended and advanced features is due to their limited earning power as most of them bootstrap to buy their devices or request it from their parents. In order to go over this possible challenge of low memory space that may affect the functionality of the Edfa mobile application, the following actions will be taken. First Edfa will include in its marketing strategies to students, to download the app only if they have a memory space in their phone that is greater than 8 gigabytes. Otherwise, EdFA is planning on having a customized tablet that comes with pre-installed EdFA app and other related apps that will give students access to educational resources. A customized tablets will make it easier for a user interface that will support an experience that is similar to that of students reading from notes and text books. Since there are many phones models used by student with different resolution and screen sizes, a uniform and effective experience will not be necessarily guaranteed. Hence the need of a standardized customized tablet that will give students a great reading and interactive experience. Software The software for this system will be develop using android platform. The programing language used will be Java for android. The software named e-Edfa, meaning electronic education for all will be both an online and offline platform that provides students and teachers/lecturers a platform to share and exchange academic resources respectively. The main purpose will be to fill the perpetual void of lack of learning resources for students in schools and colleges. This is further intended to revamp the education sector in low income countries through access to free learning materials that teachers/lecturers can use to prepare lesson notes and students can use to do research. e-EdFA app will also introduce a publishing platform which will be used by teachers to use free online materials and develop curated notes. The advantage of this publishing platform will also engender the development of intellectual materials by professional teachers which will be available for purchase by students at lower and affordable cost. This aspect of the software reduces the cost of paperbacks copy that are normally sold in schools but wear out faster; due to poor publishing. Students usually have to buy more copies or photocopy several times the same paperback copies of notes or pamphlets they had once owned. A digitized notes or text will always remain available for students and easier to update or review by teachers/professors. The software will also be used by teachers/ lecturers to post supplementary lesson notes that they could not finish during class time. Students may then do follow up reading on them and get to understand the material better. Furthermore teachers and professors will also post assignments on the tab so students can see them and do them and deliver them either through using the e-Edfa platform or other means as required by the teachers. Apart from revenue creation for teachers and professors and lowering the cost of accessing learning materials for students, perhaps the most important value of e-Edfa app is the increase in access to universal education. This will be achieved by giving opportunities to young people to go through school curriculum and college curriculum without necessarily being present in physical class rooms. Every years across Africa, many students are refused entrance in to universities even with the right requirement due to lack of space for students. E-Edfa can seamlessly solve this problem by distributing customized mobile tablets with the software to young people in remote places, who then will access education through a mobile platform and be able to put that knowledge to profitable use in their various communities. Another possible problem that will affect the execution of this platform in the manner described above will be based on the slow and expensive internets available in low income countries. This problem will pose major inhibitors to updates the e-EdFA platform with new notes, assignments and other needed resources. This will affect the seamless and responsive flow of information among the network of students and teachers/lecturers. Being aware of this imminent problem, e-EdFA will have a resource center located in the township of every college so students are able to update their systems offline. The resources centers will also work with university campus to have kiosks that can assist in the prompt update of the mobile tablets or mobile phones for students and teachers/professors alike. We will work with colleges and universities to develop a plan to follow in updating the software with recent notes or other needed materials for students. Physical surroundings School environments have school buildings and with benches and tables and desks and chairs for the most part. However, in countries like Sierra Leone, there is always an inadequate provision of these furniture for students to use in public schools. Thereby making it hard for them to write or place their books in a comfortable position for maximum concentration. A general problem with not enough furniture in bigger colleges and schools is wide spread. As a result of this, there have been incidents in Low Income country like Sierra Leone where students stand in class to take lessons. However, a problem like this gives the need for the implementation of an e-EdFA app that will be hosted on mobile phones and customized tablets. This supports the maximum comfort for students to sit, stand and be an able to touch type their notes while in class rooms. The adaptation of the use of this is expected to be effective as most young people in colleges and schools are used to touch typing using their smart phones. However most school terrains are not cemented or paved. Due to this rough terrain or surfaces, most times students easily crack their phone screens when their phones fall. A customized mobile tablet will be most ideal in this situation. This customized tablet with a pre-installed e-EdFA app will be created with incorporating a durability factor in it. Wherein the tablet will have features that will protect it from shock or possible easy cracks in the eventuality that it has direct impact with the school floors through falling. PeopleStudents: School system is based on a model called 6-3-4-4 system of education. In this system children go to school at age between age five(5) to six(6) and spend six years in elementary school, three years in junior high school, four years in senior high and four years in higher education institution. Elementary/Primary school: is free of tuition and children normally have access to learning materials and depend on school notes. Even though this is largely the case, there is a form of supplementary classes to back children’s primary school education. Most times parents will have to buy text books as there is inadequate text books available for students in schools. Junior High School: In junior secondary schools students get admitted to form-one after they have passed their National Primary School Examination (NPSE). This new level of education exposes student to basic education that is designed to empower their middle person level powers. The main purpose of this level of education in Sierra Leone, is to empower young people to be able to basically do skills training jobs in the event wherein they are not able to go to college for further studies. Students normally take eight classes for three years and take another national examination; Basic Education Certificate Exams (BECE). This exams usher students into their final years of secondary school examination where they spend four years to complete the requirements before ideally going to college. The system of education has teachers who have lower qualifications normally with certificates qualification rather than degree or maters qualification. The availability of learning material is scarce and education is not free. Students will have to pay tuition fees and also buy text books and take extra paid-for lessons to supplement their education. Senior High/Secondary School: After students pass their BECE, they then spend another four years in preparing to enter college. Students also take between eight to nine classes during their final four years in secondary schools. Students normally are underprepared to take their university entrance exams as indicated by the poor performance in their entrance exams to college. The exam which is international, is called West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The exams is conducted by the West African Exams Council in five West African countries. That is, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria. Students in this last year of their senior secondary school are underequipped with teachers, textbooks and no comfortable classrooms. This subsequently has contributed to the gross poor performance of Sierra Leonean Students in the international exams. College/University Students: Students at this stage of education spend four years in college. They chose their majors immediately through applications after they receive their WASSCE results. The then spend another four years in a trimester calendar. Students in colleges and universities are the most aggrieved of all students in the education sector in Sierra Leone. They hardly have enough money to pay their tuition fees even when it is heavily substituted by government. Their school libraries are not equipped with latest books in their areas of studies. Lecturers in colleges do not have access to prepare quality lecture notes. So students normally go through college with using old notes that have been in the system for so many years. These notes called “legacies” are maintained by lecturers who cannot find any other alternative means to curate or upgrade their notes. At the top level of youth education in Low Income countries like Sierra Leone, students do not benefit much both intellectually and academically. The general problem with all levels of education for is easy, affordable access to school materials that are comprehensive and enable students to better prepare for their qualifying and entrance exams. A platform such as e-EdFA will make it easier for students to have access and be able to collaborate with their teachers to understand the materials. Parents and siblings at home can also help students go through these materials. It will not be much difficult for students to adapt these digital and electronic platform to their studies; as young people are very tech savvy.TeachersPrimary School: Teachers normally teach from kindergarten through class six of primary school education. The condition of service for teachers at this level is not pleasant and conducive. They hold mostly certificates qualifications from teachers training colleges. What this imply is a low salary pay scale and less conducive condition of services. This status of primary school teachers sets the stage for education to become more money centered most prevalently in public primary schools and also widely spread practices in even private schools. Teachers solicit money from pupils in the forms of enlisting them under extra charges even when primary school in Sierra Leone technically free. The name of money solicitation is called “practicals”. Pupils from a very young stage in public schools get to be orientated to the notion of putting money first before education. Hence they are faced with a brutal reality of knowing that they get to pass their exams not out of merit but out of paying “practicals” to teachers. This as expected heavily impacts the motivation to learn and the quality of education for pupils in most public primary schools and also generally in private schools. Secondary Schools: At this level of schooling teachers are required to have a higher qualification than those in primary school education. Teachers depending on different qualifications and experience can teach through level seven of secondary school education. Normal standards are that most teachers who have higher qualifications teach in the senior secondary school levels and those with lower qualification teach in the junior secondary school levels. Similar to primary school teachers, teachers at this level make little salary and therefore are also involved in requesting money from students. However, apart from asking for “practicals”, teachers at this level also in addition call various supplementary classes outside the regular school hours. These extra classes can be either school approved or private but most times students will have to do both. Teachers try to complete syllabus during the extra class hours. However these classed do not necessarily translate into good public exams grades for students. One reason for this is because of the heavy focus on money by teachers than teaching. Colleges/Universities: Teachers at this level are called lecturers. Lecturers are the most qualified teachers in the 6-3-4-4 system of education in Sierra Leone. Their starting qualification is usually from master’s degree levels to Phd levels. They make the most up the salary scale and have higher condition of service than primary and secondary school teachers. However, due to inadequate salary and conditions of service for lecturers at this level, lecturers are popular for strike actions, a way of pressurizing government to meet their demands. Students in colleges are inevitably victims of such actions. Due to low condition of service for lecturers and no availability of school learning materials for both lecturers and students, education standard is low and often marred by a culture of bribery. Bribery is most often in the form of money or the pressure on female students by male lecturers to exchange sexual favors for grades. Government Ministry of Education: The ministry of education is responsible for overseeing all educational activities and programs in the country. This include primary schools, Secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The activities of the ministry of education is not only limited to these areas but goes beyond to cover any educational programs in the country. However, they work with schools administrations to support schools through provision of the needed logistics and skills sets to teachers and administrations. The ministry is also responsible for paying of salaries in all public academic institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary institutions). They also work with partners who are involved in implementing different educational activities and programs in Sierra Leone. Parents: Parents are very instrumental in the support of education in Sierra Leone. Being a low income country, most parents are hard pressed in providing quality education to their children. In primary school the government of Sierra Leone through the ministry of education pays for free basic primary education. Parents are required to pay from secondary schools onwards to university. In university government of Sierra Leone helps make tuition fees available for parents by subsidizing tuition at certain percentage. However, most parents still find it very difficult to afford paying college fees for their children. If college fee is such a hassle, it is quite the case that the buying of text books is even more difficult.Understanding the overall Problem Space affecting the education sector in Sierra LeoneStatus of Education: Educational standards in Sierra Leone is currently appalling. This may be attributed to the former civil war and the sidekick of war, poverty. The current educational curriculum follows a 6-3-3-4 structure. That is, children spend six (6) years in primary school; they then go to junior secondary school for three( 3) years and followed by senior secondary school for another three (3) years; before the spend four(4) years pursuing their undergraduate degree in university. In my research conducted over interim in Sierra Leone, the following were noted about the means of accessing and circulating of educational materials or related resources in one secondary school and university. In one school surveyed, students in junior secondary schools take notes from their teachers but lack text books to study or supplements their school work.Students in senior secondary school experience more difficulty in having access to comprehensive lesson notes from their teachers and more difficulty in accessing text books to study.In one college surveyed, students in colleges have understocked libraries with outdated test books. This problem extends to their professors/lecturers as well. Students depend on “legacy” notes from former students of the college to study concepts learned in class. Professors give assignments without referring students to any research platforms. Students are left to find a way on their own to do assignment or research given to them by professors/lecturersStudents normally use mobile phones to access unorganized and non-curated notes from Google. Which subsequently lead them to not do their assignments.Most professors in the college are aware of this problem and take advantage of it to extort money from students.Students correspondingly are aware of this status quo and have develop a sub-culture of paying money for everything required of them to do in their curriculum.Students Problem with Accessing Notes online: Most students from Secondary school to college levels showed the willingness to do their own research and homework if they had the means of accessing a library to do their research or studies. Even though most students use their phone to Google to find materials to do their homework, or study, it is not efficient because of the following reasons. Internet services is very expensive and most students cannot afford to stay online beyond 30 minutes. Students find it very difficult to go through thousands of search engine results in the space of 30 minutes.Furthermore internet service is usually slow due to poor telecommunication network services.Students also run out of power due to unstable power supply. Teachers and Professors/lecturers reasons for soliciting money from students:Most teachers interviewed stated that, they had families to take care of and government does not pay their salaries regularly. Furthermore their salaries are low and is always not enough to cater to the needs of their families. As a result the normally default to soliciting money from students. ................
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