An Introduction

 

Jeff's Tanzanian Adventure

Several people asked me to keep a blog of our trip to Tanzania. 

So here goes. 

Feel free to send the link around. 

Since this blog is being shared with colleagues, friends, family and snoopy people, some of you may be wondering, "Why is Jeff going to Tanzania?

Why is Jeff going to Tanzania?

I am heading to Tanzania (with a colleague, Jeanne Ratzlaff) as part of a CI Can project - a partnership between Colleges and Institutes Canada and the Vocational Education and Training Authority of Tanzania. This project is part of a project called ISTEP - 13, Pre-technology Program Institutional Partnership (ISTEP stands for Improving Skills Training for Employment). In the project we hope to support Tanzanian Vocational Colleges as they: 1) develop remedial or introductory courses for new students, 2) challenge instructors develop and refine teaching competencies related to working with new students, and 3) explore issues related to gender equality and learning environment and examine their impact upon vocational programs and academic success.

This trip to Tanzania is the third trip for the ISTEP team. Last April several individuals from both NorQuest and Lakeland College went on an exploratory mission to meet with Tanzanian authorities and begin the process. In August of 2016, two faculty members from NorQuest conducted a situational analysis and modified some of the goals and expectations of the project. This trip is the third of six planned missions. Jeanne and I have been corresponding and working with a team of instructors from Mwanza College to develop the framework for a pilot curriculum. This is my first visit to Tanzania as part of this project and it is Jeanne's second - she went to Tanzania and was very involved in conducting the situational analysis.

What to expect?

I’m going to try and share some of the details of our trip through this blog. It will be a blend of project update, personal reflection and traveler’s wonder. It won’t be very formal. And I will try to update the blog with pictures along the way.

Jeanne and I leave for Tanzania on Friday, April 7^th.