Pearlshore Academy (Nursery and Primary)

Vision Statement:

To produce to the world, a TOTAL Child, a Child that is: Morally, Ethically, Spiritually and Academically Sound.

Mission Statement:

We are committed to nurturing the innate potential in every child using innovative learning methods, driven by state-of-the-art technology, to produce learners that will lead their world.

CORE VALUES:

Morality, Spirituality, Academics, Leadership, Creativity.

The team lead currently functions as one of the Directors of the institution and seats on the board of trustees. In this role he influences the vision, mission, and core values of the school directly.

The team lead charts the strategic vision of the organisation, participate in auditing and evaluating performance.

He will be responsible for providing resources where required.

Setting up weekly meetings with the project fellows

Primary source of interaction between the school and MIT fellows

Provide required support and information to the fellow

Delegate responsibilities to team members

Will be the focal point of the organisation

As the director the Team lead influences the school’s strategic vision hence can easily drive the recommended changes and action items.

Drive the implementation of the recommended actions

Show visible commitment to the project, hence prompting similar behaviour from team members.

Cooperate with and support efforts of the research fellow

Maintain open communication channel and network against future research opportunities and projects.

Team Lead – Director is available to provide full management support

Mrs Olabode: Head of Primary section and supervises the teachers

Mrs Bello: Has a masters in Environmental Management and committed to the infusion of sustainability into education curriculum.

Mrs Abiodun Oyinboade: The Head Mistress will provide required support whenever called upon.

Miss Ife Falodun: STEAM and Digital Literacy coordinator. Will provide required support regarding her role which is central to the school's program.

The team lead and head mistress comprise of the Executive Leadership Team of the organisation.

While the team members are functional heads with influence within the organisation.

The functions of the team lead have been highlighted above. The functions of the Team members during the project will include.

Address assigned action items from the team lead

Support research effort

Attend scheduled meetings with he fellow whenever required

Will be paid incentives for the extra tasks.

Assist in collating required data

Assist in cascading information to other members of staff

Provide student’s academic data where required

Accelerating Digital Literacy and STEAM education in underserved communities.

Nigeria is the most populous black nation on Earth, with a youth population of 70% below the age of 35 and 43.29% of its population between the ages of 0 to 14. (Aaron O., 2023) About 28.1million of the school age children are enrolled in both private and Government elementary and secondary schools (Doris D. Sep 2022)

Focus of government agencies and NGOs have been on the number of out of school children, which stands at an alarming 10million. (Vanguard, 2023). However, much focus has not been placed on the ‘in-school’ children and the quality of education including digital literacy they are getting despite evidences of severe shortfalls.

Nigerian schools (private and Government) have focused on the traditional mode of learning, the curriculum lags, the textbooks and their contents have not changed much over the years, digital literacy is almost non existent in many underserved communities. 

Despite ambitious goals by the government, the country grapples with achieving Digital Literacy in its schools. According to a recent article in the Punch Newspaper, Nigeria has an aspiration to attain 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030. However, this journey is not devoid of hurdles which need to be addressed for the vision to be realised. The hurdles include shortage of Resources (Manpower and equipment) to promote digital literacy in schools among others.

As of 2021, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) reported that over 60% of teachers in Nigeria's public primary schools lack digital literacy. This alarming deficit raises concerns about who will impart digital literacy to students. (Medium, 2023)

A study of primary schools in a Nigerian city revealed that the use of digital devices were not readily available and accessible as 52.7% of the teachers taught in schools that did not currently have a computer lab with 60.7% not having access to the lab. Where available, 69.4% of the teachers indicated that most of the computers where outdated and not functional. Findings also showed that – lack of / insufficient number of computers, poor internet connectivity and epileptic power supply were the major drawbacks in the use of digital literacy in the primary schools. Germaine O.J, 2021

The result has been high failure rate, drop outs, unemployement and under employment. Many school graduates not only lack the skills necessary to thrive in a 21st century workplace, but are also not entrepreneurial minded and lack the ability to set up viable businesses. Public polls suggests that most employers in Nigeria believe the average Nigerian Graduate is unemployable and there is still wide use of expatriates for skilled jobs.

Learning out comes correlate with life outcomes – including employment and wages and propensity of teenage pregnancy, addiction, and / or incarceration (Danon et al., 2022; Das et al., 2022., hence it is not surptising that many adolescents are heavily involved in crime including cybercrimes. This is majorly learnt through peer influence. Nigeria is ranked first in Africa and third globally in cybercrime. (Olusola A; Olugbenga P. Nov 2019)

Our solution is a Creative School with an emphasis on STEAM education and Digital Literacy. 

PearlShore is deploying its model with young children. According to Bau et al., 2021, Early years learning outcomes are sticky’’: low learning levels become harder to remedy later in a child’s schooling trajectory.

Studies conducted by Martinez et al. 2013 found that in Low and Middle Income Countries like Nigeria, only schools run by non-profits or private providers (like Pearlshore) have improved learning outcomes.

CURRICULUM

The school curriculum was designed by infusing the STEM, ICT curriculum with the national curriculum.

STEM: The STEM approach to education fosters creativity and divergent thinking alongside fundamental disciplines. It motivates and inspires young people to generate new technologies and ideas. 

Our curriculum includes Engineering, Design and Technology, Information and Communication Technology subjects.We have explored and adapted learning resources from varios platforms like: Raspberry Pi, STEM.org.UK., Microsoft education. 

TEACHER COMPETENCE: We secured partnership with a Community Innovation Hub, Local STEAM and Digital literacy consultancies to train our teachers on regular basis. Our teachers are exposed to online learning platforms for their continous professional development. 

RESOURCES: The classrooms and ICT labs were equipped with digital tools like laptops, desktops, VR/AR Immersive Learning Headsets, Tablets and LCDs. Accessibility is granted to children and teachers.

GOAL SETTING: Considering that our primary target are children in underserved communities, each child’s need is uniquely addressed in a termly SMART goals sheet. We regularly review goals and celebrate student improvement. This has helped to remove teacher’s bias about the ability of children from disadvantaged background to improve significantly. This correlates with research by Walton& Yeager 2020.

PBL: Project-based learning approach has been adopted for many subjects. The core of PBL is in curiosity, and problem solving mindset which equips learners to respond to real-world challenges.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

1st TERM:

• 1)IPC entry and exit point days
• 2)Literacy Week
• 3)School Maths Championship
• 4)PBL field trips
• 5)SDG and Social Responsibility (CSR) Day

2nd TERM:

• 1)Participate in International Sustainability Challenges.
• 2)Sports and Team Building day
• 3)Participate in international Young Coders club.
• 4)PBL field trips
• 5)Participate in International Maths Championship
• 6)School’s Spelling bee competition

3rd TERM:

• 1) Participate in international Digital Literacy challenge such as the Microsoft Imagine Cup.
• 2) Atinuda: (see below)
• 3) Culture/ Leadership/ Social values week
• 4) Attend external Spelling Bee competition
• 5) Participate and showcase products at National STEAMfests

ATINUDA (CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION DAY)

Atinuda (Meaning to create from within) is a platform for the demonstration of creativity and exhibition of their God-given potentials! The children are supported to apply their digital skills to create solutions that will be pitched to Judges, parents and invited guests.

Usual line-up of activities include:

• Science fair
• Digital Literacy: Artificial Intelligence, App development, Robotics, Coding, Programming, Animation challenges etc.
• Entertainment and Culture: Talent hunt and cultural display
• Entrepreneurial Contest: Product development and pitching to ''investors''.

ADVOCACY: Advocate for STEAM education and digital literacy by demonstrating our solution and results on media platforms and at education stakeholders forum.

We commenced operation in 2020 and started with pupils from Primary 3 and below. we graduated our first set of pupils in 2023. We conducted a survey with our parents, where we asked for rating of the school performance on our core value which includes: Academics, Morality, Spirituality, Leadership and Creativity. The parents scored us very high on all core values but scored us highest on promoting creativity.

We also had a survey with the graduating pupils (attached above)

On Learner centered classrooms. We explored  the professors Sugata Mitra challenge (the hole in the wall experiment) by issuing our Primary 3 and 4 pupils economics and physics questions taking from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Senior School Leaving Certificate and found that using the method majority of the pupils in Basic 4 were able to research and solve those questions with the help of access to google. Following a review with the teacher and a lapse of 2 weeks, the same questions were set as part of their Mid Term examination.

While more than half of the pupils in Basic 3 scored below 50% of the set questions, more than 50% of the pupils in Basic 4 scored higher than 50% with two scoring as high 85%.

The result was shared on our social media handle. Facebook:: PearlshoreAcademy.

FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY AND INTERACTING WITH THE PUPILS

STRENGTH

Parents value our solution and demonstrated their support by promoting the school through word of mouth, this contributed to the almost doubling of our population in 2 successive years.

Pupils value the overall educational experience and are very happy to have attended the school. Currently feedback from the innovation hub and other bodies with access to schools within the local government we serve, indicate that Pearlshore is the most STEAM education oriented school and one of the most digitally literate school within the Local government and state at large, despite operating from a low income, underserved, peri-urban commuity.

WEAKNESS

Pupils do not feel their learning variability is adequately considered.

OPPORTUNITIES

While parents indicate they desire more emphasis on regular academics, the pupils indicated their desire for more creativity opportunity and digital learning aids in the classroom (i.e multimedia, STEM kits etc,

Lastly, our successes at various national and international STEAM oriented competitions has validated the success of our approach. We have in less than 4 years of existence achieved: 
- 1st place in the Trust for Sustainable Living International Essay Competition
- Best debating Team, Trust for Sustainable Living International Essay Competition.
- Finalist (overall 4th place) national STEAM fest competition
- Currently contesting at the Microsoft Imagine Cup - ''Tech for Good'' challenge. amongst others.

By exposure to various national and international programs, pupil confidence level is high and the school will continue to boost their confidence through more exposure opportunities.

We commenced operation in 2020 (Post COVID lock down) and In the first two and a half years of our operation we have experienced significant successes with our approach to learning including but not limited to

Winner of the Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL-UK) International Essay and Debate competition (Best Essay, Best Debate Team) 2022

6 Honourable mention and 1 finalist contending for the top position in the TSL international Essay and Debate competition holding in June 2023.

Our innovation got media attention and was featured on Pioneer STEM TV show on Satellite TV DSTV channel 252 on May 20, 2023.

Finalist, National STEAMFest 2023.(Solution on Smart Waste Bin)

Good showing at the Nigeria Spelling Bee, narrowly missing out of the states final.

A girl with learning difficulties won one of the school’s spelling bee for her category.

We have currently developed a pupil led Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution to promote accessibility among school children especially the ones with disabilities. This has been submitted for the Microsoft Imagine Cup, Tech for Good Challenge.

As word of mouth of these results spread we saw our population double in one year, reaching almost full capacity as at today.

While we are convinced that our approach to learning works and we have seen early results, we seek scientific validation of our solution through independent review by 3rd party experts such as the LEAP challenge program offers.

We seek answers to burning questions like:

How do we better address the variability of the pupils?

How do we accelerate and scale our STEAM and Digital literacy impact especially at a time we plan to scale our operations significantly (planned expansion to nearby communities) within the next 12months. Can we sustain or improve on its current effectiveness?

How can Digital Literacy be deployed more effectively in our school program considering cost of tools, training and skilled manpower.

How can we fast track promotion of digital literacy in an environment where children have little access to internet, computers outside the school premises. Also considering paucity of social infrastructure like electricity etc?

How do we know we are on track to addressing learning variability and nurturing creative children?

How do you strike a balance between addressing pupil’s learning variability, our quest for creativity and the demands of traditional assessment in a way that can be validated before regulators and stakeholders?

Can the same solution deployed among age 2-11 years old children work with middle to high school age children by the time we commence operation in that area?

Since our focus is also on the future outcome of our solution i.e. demonstration of creativity and entrepreneurial traits by our alumni, how can our learning method and early evidence help us predict children’s behaviour in the future as they grow into a rapidly changing world. 

Effectively deploying and scaling our Digital Literacy and STEAM infused curriculum across several underserved communities. 

Effectively accelerating digital literacy in a Low Income, underserved communities where children have limited access to infrastructures like internet, personal computers, stable electricity supply, outside the school premises. 

Embracing innovative method of learning while satisfying national curriculum, regulators and stakeholders requirement whose primary focus is on the traditional method of learning and assessment. We aim to win the support of the regulators and stakeholders in the interim with the aim of influencing the overdue national curriculum review

Our target population are children drawn from heterogenous backgrounds and face similar challenges such as paucity of social infrastructure, lack of technology, poverty.

Our operational area is a Low to Middle income populated. Some parents are highly literate, some are barely literate.

Heterogeneity in students’ preparation makes teaching more challenging-especially in contexts of low teacher capacity (Araujo et al 2016; Bietenbeck et al.’ 2018; Bold et al., 2017; Gainimian et al., 2022a; Metzler & Woessmann, 2012; Santibanez, 2006; World bank, 2016)

Heterogeneity affects a large share of school-goers: almost 9 out of 10 school-aged children and youths live in a low or middle income country, like Nigeria (UNESCO, 2021)

Part of what we hope to Learn/ achieve from the LEAP project is how to improve our effectiveness in addressing the learning variaibility among pupils and addressing foundation gaps as we keep getting new enrollees who have been pulled out of former schools due to poor performance. Addressing variability Improves foundational gaps in students’ skills;. Gain subject- Understand pedagogical knowledge to explain concepts in multiple ways and address student errors (Araujo et al 2016)

We require:

A scientific validation of our approach

Identify weaknesses and actions to implement to close identified gaps especially with addressing learning variability among heterogenous pupils.

Move into the next phase of our growth with a standard curriculum. We desire evidenced based and sustainable curriculum/learning model as we scale in the next phase of our solution expansion projects.

Continuous support and networking with community of advisors and mentors

Understand how to influence stakeholders such as parents and government regulators to shift focus beyond the traditional method of learning. Our result, partnership and research with MIT has the ability to make this influence happen.

We also seek some level of assurance that the creativity and executive function nurtured in the pupils will be sustained overtime.. Executive functions (EFs) represent a set of higher-order cognitive processes that support lifelong acquisition of knowledge and formation of positive relationships through self-regulation and engagement in goal-directed behavior (Diamond, 2013).   

Scaling: Our plan is to scale digital literacy effectively. We aspire to have reached 500 students in the K12 category within the next 12 months and about 1,000 students both directly and indirectly within the next 3 years as we are fostering a partnership with a local innovation hub to run free STEM programs and coding clubs every weekends on our premises for children within the community who may not be able to attend our school directly.

As an active member of the Nigerian Private School Association and stakeholder within the Nigerian Educational Sector, we will share outcomes with learning communities e.g. other educators and regulators to drive curricular review and promote policies and education systems that embrace variability-based education innovations.

We will also provide support, training to other educators who may want to drive STEAM education and Digital Literacy in similar underserved communities but who have been unable to do so.

Curriculum Review: The outcome of the Leap project will be utilised in reviewing the current curriculum for better effectiveness in delivering Digital Literacy and STEAM education within the communities we currently operate from and plan to operate from.

We aim to deploy measurable outcomes for digital literacy and creativity against a benchmark or standard.

We will test and validate the recommendations from the expert’s solution through experimentation and practice.

More workshop and interactive programs and sessions with parents and stakeholder

Better understanding and embracing learning variability in children by acquiring or having access to more digital educational tools, robust body of knowledge on learning variability.

Management of Change process as we move from our current mode of learning to recommended options with minimal disruption to learning process or teacher’s workload

Deploy all agreed action items to improve learning outcome

Our Desired Long Term Outcomes include:

Improved curriculum to effectively drive digital literacy and STEAM education in the inderserved communities we serve.

Accelerated and improvement in learning outcome. Ability of target student populace to productively utilize digital tools among increasing number of pupils.

Display of Digital skills, soft skills and creativity during assessments, internal and external STEAM contests.

Ability of target population to independently use age appropriate digital tools required for learning.

Ability of our teachers and co-educators to effectively deploy 21st century digital tools in the classroom to improve learning outcomes.

Percentage who eventually finish K12 with good grades and gain admission into paths for future career either through universities, polytechnics or technical institutes.

Number of children who eventually study STEAM courses in the university and take up STEAM related careers in future.

Understanding of how we can better scale our impact to reach more communities either directly through the regular school system or indirectly through free lessons, creation of an innovation hub where children can come to learn digital skills for free or highly subsidized rates either on weekends, evenings and during holidays.

Achieving Digital literate teachers and co educators that will serve as change agents both within our school and in training other schools were their skills may be required.

Better satisfaction and job fulfilment for teachers as they adopt a growth mindseet to learn and deploy new skills in classrooms and to a growing body of students.

Percentage of children actively engaged in product development while in high school and university and exhibiting entrepreneural tendencies.

Graduation of their identified passion to life's purpose.

Percentage of students in target communities who eventually become entrepreneurs creating businesses rather than depending on availability of paid employment

Continous partnership with MIT solve to promote digital literacy and STEAM education in other underserved communities by providing local man power who have passed through the MIT program.

Concurrent and continous improvement in academic performance during internal and external assessments from elementary to middle and high schools.

Our success will further draw attention of government, other educatoors and regulators, this will drive the ongoing call for curriculum review to a more robust, 21st century.