Last month, Claflin University was recognized for work with its Mobile Learning Initiative by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Context Partner. As one of the first nine institutions to be funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to transform student success in higher education, Claflin's goal is to implement mobile learning to reengineer the first-year experience and infuse technology into teaching and learning. 

 

T hrough the initiative, Claflin University has been able to: 

According to Dr. Denver Malcom Key , project director for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant at Claflin University,  implementation of the Mobile Learning Initiative will prepare the institution for the shift in learning patterns among the new generation of students who enroll each year. "Our goal is for all first year courses to be taught using the mobile learning platform," said Key. "As we continue to work towards reaching this goal, faculty members are writing and developing multi-touch textbooks for first year courses, participating in professional development, and creating new strategies for flipping the classroom that will improve students' learning experience, engagement, retention, and completion rates," she said.

Twenty Panamanian high school graduates completed Claflin's 16-week Intensive English Language Program (IELP) and were awarded certificates during a ceremony held on Friday, July 14 in Ministers' Hall. The students began classes on March 27 during the residential program that provided students with training and instruction in the English language.

The program assisted students with developing their English language, as well as people and leadership skills through daily interaction and conversations with English speakers. The students experienced college life while living on campus in residence halls with Claflin students and interacting through student life activities. Students also experienced American culture through various field trips to Charleston, Columbia, Charlotte, the South Carolina State House, the South Carolina State Museum, and Riverbanks Zoo. The program has partnerships with area school districts which allowed the Panamanian students the opportunity to observe American high school classrooms and interact with students academically and socially. 

Nataly Elizabeth Fuentes Saucedo was nervous and apprehensive about traveling outside of her country for the first time. "I never dreamed that I would be able to travel outside of my country. This experience has allowed me the opportunity to gain a family outside of those in my country," shared Saucedo who aspires to work in the engineering or hospitality and tourism industry. While in the program she implemented what she learned in the classroom and developed her English speaking skills by singing her favorite songs in English and interacting with her peers.

 

Claflin previously hosted 20 elementary school teachers from Panama for an eight-week session that ended in February 2016. The teachers received intensive coursework in English and in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Dr. Eunjeong Lee, director and assistant professor of Claflin's Intensive English Languages Program, developed an English Conversation Partners program to match American students with Panamanian students, so that they can practice their English with American students and learn American cultures, lifestyles, and the college environment.

 

"The students received intensive coursework in English to improve their pronunciation, listening, grammar, speaking, reading, vocabulary, and writing skills," Lee said. "Our data and statics show a substantial improvement in the pre-test and post-test scores of each student in the program."

 

Richard Caballero, enjoyed his experience at Claflin. "I am appreciative that everyone took time out of their busy schedules to share with me their Claflin experience and the school's history," he said. Caballero aspires to continue his education in the United States.

 

Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez, president of the Republic of Panama, officially launched the Panama Bilingual program in July 2014 and it will continue until 2019. The program's purpose is to strengthen the study of the English language in the Panamanian educational system and provide a solution to the huge need to prepare the population with English, so all Panamanians can be more competitive in the globalized workforce. The Ministry of Education seeks to train at least 2,000 teachers per year in bilingual education and prepare 20,000 high school students and 30,000 elementary students. The program includes three parts: Teacher Training, After School Program and Kids.