MACHINERY AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Most RTCs cannot afford machinery and electronic equipment for teachers or students, but you should be aware of what exists in case you are able to get it.

Typewriters and duplicators

The most likely available equipment is a manual typewriter. This can be used to type handouts, as long as you also have access to a duplicator or photocopier.

For duplication, you type onto a stencil, a paper coated with wax. The typewriter makes holes in the wax the shape of the letters you type. You put the stencil on a duplicator, which is a round drum with ink inside. This is turned round by electricity or by hand. The stencil moves round with the drum and presses against the paper, which moves across underneath the drum. This presses ink onto the paper through the holes in the stencil made by the typewriter. Many copies can be printed in a few minutes.

A photocopier is easier and makes less mess with ink, but is much more expensive and needs a good, reliable electricity supply - generator or solar. It needs a lot of power. A small generator may not be enough.

Computers

Computers are becoming more common even in the Provinces. You will have access to them during this course.

Although computers are sometimes frustrating to use, modern computers are as simple as typewriters to use. In many parts of the world, computers are now used by Primary school students. Your typing appears on a screen, so you can quickly correct mistakes or make changes before you print something. It can even correct spelling. You can use the computer to draw diagrams. Computers also have pictures and diagrams stored on the ‘memory’ inside, which you can use to make very attractive handouts.

Computers are expensive and need a reliable electricity supply. The voltage of some generators may vary and spoil a computer so an expensive power stabiliser is also needed. There are now places overseas where good second-hand computers can be bought cheaply, as big companies like to replace them with the latest model every year. Lap top computers that run on solar power are also good.

People First Network who operate pipolfastaem.gov.sb provide an e-mail service by which typed messages can be sent through a two-way wireless/radio. Messages can be sent in a few seconds and costs less than $2 per sheet. A few RTC’s are looking at ways to set up email stations. Most provinces have at least one email station.

There is a new plan to connect every province to satellite Internet service. The Internet hooks a computer through the telephone and satellite to thousands of other computers all over the world. This acts like a huge library. You can type in any topic you want to find out about, press a button and information about it from all over the world will appear on the screen. At present this is expensive here but hopefully the price will become more affordable soon. There are several Internet Cafés in Honiara where research can be done.

Computers can also be used for self-study by students. You use “programmes”, which you put in the computer. The computer teaches you through information and questions stored in the computer, which automatically come onto the screen.

Overhead projectors

Overhead projectors can be used like a blackboard or wall chart. You draw a diagram, or write in normal writing, using a marking pen on a piece of transparent plastic. This is then put on the projector, which shines a bright light through. What you have drawn or written appears on a screen or a white wall behind you, in a size which can be seen by the whole class.

Advantages:

• You can draw complicated diagrams easily.

• You can prepare notes in advance.

• You only use normal size writing.

• You can write or draw while you teach as on a blackboard, but you face the students and the writing appears on the wall behind you.

• You can point to something on the diagram and your pointer appears on the screen.

Disadvantages:

• Expensive and needs electricity.

Video

Most villages, and many RTCs, already have videos, but these are often used to show violent movies which spoil rather than improve the education of our students. Such movies can undo many of the attitudes we try to teach in RTCs.

There are many educational cassettes, both in Solomon Islands and overseas, which put the video to much better use. Wan smol bag theatre company of Vanuatu have made many drama cassettes useful for health, home economics, environmental and political teaching. Contact SIDT about these. Kukum campus library, SICHE, has a collection of educational cassettes.

It is not usually educational just to watch a cassette. Give students a series of questions to answer as they watch, or hold group discussions after watching.

Advantages

• Can be used to show moving processes and the real world.

• Can tell stories to make learning more interesting.

Disadvantages

• Expensive.

• Needs electricity (but works with generator).

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