INTRODUCTION

Project Environment Assessment

Malaysia is undertaking considerable efforts in the field of education. Such efforts have now been intensified by the creation of Smart Schools mooted by the Malaysian Government’s Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). This new dimension of education has promised to produce students who are more creative and innovative in their thinking, quick to adapt to technologies, and able to access and manage new information. At the same time, the current direction toward Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which Malaysia is taking, requires the creation of an educated and ICT savvy workforce, to fill the number of positions that will be supporting this direction.

There are currently about 7,000 primary and 1,500 secondary schools in Malaysia, most of which in rural areas. Rural schools, which hold the potential to yield ICT literate students, are a long way from affected by the Smart School concept. It may therefore be of critical importance to assess and collect data on the potential capacity in ICT of teachers and students in rural schools while, at the same time, offering short introductory workshops in the electronic classrooms on the use of the Internet and on general computing techniques.

Project Concept and Rationale
As information technology approaches the major centers in the region and affects social and commercial life in many countries, the education sector has been slow in the assimilation of new technologies. The reasons behind this are numerous: the cost of the equipment, the technical training and schools and teachers’ reluctance to enter a new and unknown domain. However, technology-mediated education has been proven effective in supplementing and enhancing standard schools curricula, and in exposing students to customs, traditions, literature, and science from other countries, while fostering their interest and understanding for Information Technology itself.

Today’s pen-pals correspond via email and chat rooms and meet their peers thousand of miles away in cyberspace. Computer animation presents complex information in an easy to understand format. The World Wide Web offers a plethora of information on environment, history, geography and many other study subjects, live information rarely captured in books and publications. Streaming video and news services help in keeping students informed and networked with each other.

To expose secondary schools teachers and students to these technologies, the Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) formulated an in-country project to build an electronic classroom to offer a flexible way to raise awareness and interest about electronic tools, in schools of remote areas, while collecting information on ICT-related potentiality. The Mobile Internet Unit (MIU) project was proposed and conceptualized from ground up. It was designed in a way so that it could be replicated in other similar projects in Malaysia and in other countries in the region, and elsewhere.
Scope of Focus Areas
The MIU project was conceptualized and implemented with the aim of becoming the digital bridge for the info-poor communities, in the remote areas and urban poor of Malaysia, providing equitable access to information for all Malaysians. The project focused on non-main stream schools in the country, that were deprived of access to information and opportunity to acquire ICT skills. These schools were not included in the government Smart Schools Programs, or any other similar ICT initiatives conducted by non-government agencies. The MIU facilitated ICT literacy training for 20 info-poor school communities. (20 form One teachers and 80 Form One students) in nine districts in Selangor.

School Selection Criteria

• Schools were selected from all nine districts in Selangor, Malaysia.
• Non-Computer In Education (CIE) schools.
• Non-Smart Schools.
• Schools without computing facilities were given preference.
• Support & commitment from State Education Department, school administration, staff & PTA (Parents Teachers Association)

Project Objectives

• Promote ICT (Information Communication Technology) awareness & literacy among the teachers and students in non-main stream schools.
• Assess and collect data on ICT potential / capacity of the teachers & students in these schools.
• Provide electronic classroom experiences for selected schools.
• Assess the impact of ICT on the teaching & learning processes in the new environment.

Pilot Project Tagline and Launch

The MIU was launched on 6 August 1999 by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi at Sek. Men. Seafield, Subang Jaya with its tagline, “reach out and touch”

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Introduction
The MIU is a self-contained, Internet ready multimedia knowledge center in the form of a bus, driven by a ‘smart’ driver and facilitated by a ‘smart facilitator’. The cyber coach consists of 20 local area networked computers, a content rich server, modems for internet access, ICT literacy training modules, well designed project evaluation packs, routers, LCD projectors, color television, compact disc player, cassette players, PA systems, digital cameras, Polaroid cameras, color laser printers, fax machines, scanners, courseware and reference books.

The cyber coach visits schools in the country to provide basic ICT literacy training and also to promote life long learning through electronic media to school communities (students, teachers and parents) free-of-charge.

Logistics
The MIU team is composed of a facilitator and a helper. The team travels to remote schools in a small vehicle. The scheduling of the workshops is prepared in conjunction with the appropriate Department of Education of each State/Province. Upon arrival on location, the team sets up a small computer network made of approximately 14 portable computers (laptops) and a small file and web server. The MIU staff then engages teachers in workshops explaining the use of the computers, and the concepts of software, hardware, word processing, the Internet, web and email tools. Students participate in sessions using the computer lab format, after learning the preliminary basics on the use of the equipment. The system contains the software necessary to support secondary grade curricula subjects. Anticipating the lack of Internet connectivity in rural areas, hundreds of appropriate World Wide Web sites are mirrored in the portable file server. A modem and dial-up account is set up to establish Internet connections from schools where phone lines are available.

Duration
The MIU works in co-operation with the district education authorities to schedule one-week ICT workshops in each school, in a pre-arranged series.

Deliverables
Assessment: The team records responses obtained in each workshop in a format designed to assess the capacity of each school, the rapidity of the learning curve. The team also records logistical problems, and any other important consideration to establish a record of workshop performance.

Workshops: Each workshop exposes the teachers to the capabilities of computer-mediated education, including the use of computers to create and conduct exams, questionnaires and demonstrate scientific laws. Students undertake a basic computer and Internet technology workshop and are introduced to the concept of electronic classrooms. The project also enables school administrators to evaluate their technology needs and to plan computer equipment acquisition with a firm understanding of the underlying issues, benefits and costs.

IMPLEMENTATION
Time Frame
The MIU took a total time frame of 32 months to complete. This included 10 months for preparation, 17 months to run the project and another 5 months for evaluation, review, documentation of the project and publication of the project findings.

Participants
A total of 400 teachers and 1600 students underwent basic ICT literacy courses in batches of 20 persons in each session. Each participant experienced a minimum of 8 one-hour sessions of instructions weekly during the school term. The MIU also provided 800 students who were not involved in the project to explore the Internet and to expand their talents.

The ICT Course
In each session, formal instruction was given in the first 20 minutes, followed by self-paced hands-on sessions where participants were allowed to progress and experiment at their own speed. The first module deals with basic computing and word processing skills. The participants started going online during the second module, learning to communicate via e-mail. The skills taught included sending, receiving and managing email. Finally, the participants were taught how to search for information as well as to publish their own information in the World Wide Web.

Project Review
In between the 8 lesson course, an internal project review and dialogue session for the target schools was carried out. The attendees included the MIU project manager and facilitator, state education officers, UNDP officials, project advisors from the University of Malaya , the headmasters and headmistresses, teacher co-coordinators, selected students, and PTA members of the project schools.

Project Evaluation
Pre-Test and Post Test
The Pre-test was conducted during the first visit to the project school before the start of the course and the Post test after the course. Questionnaires were administered to evaluate the ICT capabilities pf students and teachers and to provide a gauge of how many skills the participants had actually acquired within the given time frame.

Facilitators Evaluation
The facilitator evaluated the participants through observation/ performance test, attendance, and structured interviews.

Cost
The total cost for the one year pilot project was about USD421,000. This included the capital investment of USD 163,000 for the bus (which was in fact provided gratis by the manufacturer) and USD257,000 for hardware, software, and operational cost (including the recruitment and training of MIU team, traveling expenses, curriculum, content development, and other overheads).

Funding
The funding of the project was provided by the UNDP, the National ICT Council, Mimos Berhad and a leading Malaysian truck distributor, Automotive Corporation Malaysia.

Project Partners

• United Nations Development Programme
• Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme
• MIMOS
• Automotive Corporation Malaysia HICOM
• University of Malaya
• Ministry of Education
• Selangor State Education Department
• Selangor State Library

PROJECT OUTCOMES AND ACHIEVEMENT
Project Reach
During the first 12 months of the project, the MIU attracted the participation of 2000 ICT literate teachers and students in 20 rural schools. In addition, MIU’s participation in national ICT exhibitions and ICT awareness organized by local community leaders has led to the MIU being visited by more than 52,000 people (including parents, teachers and students). In addition, it has also provided literacy training to 6352 individuals and attracted more than 17,000 visitors (both foreigners and Malaysians).

Replicability Success Stories

• Kuala Lumpur State Library/ Kuala Lumpur City Council has built two smaller cyber-coaches to serve urban, marginalized school communities in Kuala Lumpur city.
• The Strategic Thrusts Implementation Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has announced the desire to roll out 20 MIU’s.
• The National Library of Malaysia has built 5 MIU for distribution to state libraries.
• Sabah State library has added a MIU to upgrade its library services.
• The Penang State government is proposing to spend RM300,000 to convert a minibus into a MIU.
• Several countries around the world (Cambodia. Mongolia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, etc) have made enquiries about implementing a similar project.

Catalytic Effect
While the MIU’s primary objective is to bring ICT education to rural schools in Malaysia, however it has now created ripple effects locally and globally, particularly through its community services, spin-offs and special projects.

Community Service Projects
Upon invitation, MIU participated in the ICT awareness campaigns organized by local community leaders, government or non-government organizations. On such occasions, the MIU team participated in seminars and talks as well as provided ICT familiarization and literacy courses for the urban poor.

Special Events
Special invitations were extended to MIU by the State and Federal Government as well as International organizations. Through these events, the MIU was introduced to many public figures (Malaysia and foreign dignitaries), Heads of State and Federal Government, thousands of Malaysian and foreign visitors. Exhibitions included regional and international ICT and technology events held in Malaysia, e.g. Infosoc, Asia Pacific Forum III, Global Knowledge Conference, Multimedia Asia, etc.

Spin off Projects
There were a stream of requests coming from all across Malaysia and elsewhere in the region, seeking assistance to implement similar projects in the community or to design and develop ICT initiatives customized to their needs. Some examples of projects are:

• Cybercomm SS3 – targeting senior citizens
• MIU@ tunjang – targeting family members via “ICT literacy for family”
• Ekuantan.net – targeting schools via “School as a Community Hub”
• Cyber Plant Conservation Project – targeting schools focusing on conservation of nature projects.
• Rural@Sarawak - targeting rural communities along the Rejang River.

International Recognition
The MIU gained international recognition when it was selected one of the finalists in the Stockholm Challenge Award 2000, as well as being the show case for the best practice in “Narrowing the gap between the information rich and the information poor: New technologies and the future of the school” at the 46th session of the International Conference on Education, organized by the UNESCO in Geneva, Switzerland from 5-8th September 2001.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT SNAPSHOT
ICT Modules

• Basic Computing Skills (files & folders management, word processing, spread sheet, and learning from a multimedia courseware or software).
• Basic Internet Skills (finding useful information, sending & receiving emails, designing & publishing own information)
• Basic Multimedia Production (simple computer graphics, video & audio incorporation)

ICT Equipment

• 20 multimedia Pentium personal computers
• 1 server (400 MHz DualP, 8.6 GB HD)+ back up systems 1
• 24 ports hub (10/100 Base T)
• 1 UPS
• 1 modem 
• 1 generator (compact portable AC/DC Diesel Generator 4,800 watts)
• 1 digital handsets
• 1 digital camera
• 1 digital video camera
• 1 colour portable camera
• 1 portable colour printer
• 1 laser printer
• 1 portable photocopiers LCD projector

Cyber Coach Description
Length : 12.09 meter
Width : 2.5 meter
Height : 3.65 meter
Weigh : 16 tons

Note: While the coach used in this project was particularly, and this was because it was donated free-of-charge by the manufacturer, smaller coaches can and have been used by others emulating this project (see paragraph 4.2.1).

CONCLUSION
Evaluation of the MIU project indicates that although the participants were exposed to only 8 hours of ICT literacy training and 2 hours of workshop sessions, they had managed to master the basic skills to use the computer and go online, and were quite comfortable interacting with computers and the Internet. Most important of all, they realized the value of ICT and are used it to enhance their learning, teaching, and life. The MIU demonstrated that it could provide ICT training to 140 clients per day or 51,100 clients per year.

The pilot project has demonstrated the viability, feasibility, and effectiveness of the MIU in bridging the digital gap. Hence, it would be logical to recommend that similar projects be rolled out at the national and global level to address the issues of equitable access to information and ICT for all people. However, to encourage replication of the MIU project by the private organizations and communities, it is recommended that several approaches are undertaken such as waiver of custom duties and tax, exemptions on purchases of hardware, vehicles, licensing of software, etc.