Day's Diary

January 29, 2007 ~ Technology in Malawi

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On paper, technology in Malawi looks good. But in reality, it does not always function as intended or as expected. That may not be just in Malawi; it may be a characteristic of technology in general, but is highlighted here, I know. But even so, it is here and available, more or less, in a wide variety of forms from computers to cell phones to CD players.

For instance, Zomba Theological College has 26 computers in the computer lab. That is rather impressive, on paper. The reality is significantly different, as I found out today when I began to teach my computer classes. On the schedule, it says that students are to have computer in their first year, to equip them to do academic research and writing. That is as it should be for a college here. Now, in America, this is the case as early as kindergarten or first grade, when students begin on computers, but here, the college level is when computers are expected to be used, (although some secondary schools do have them, but in the cities only). Hence, the ZTC administration has acquired the computers and scheduled the class. But last year, the class was not taught, for whatever reason, I don’t know. Students who had some prior knowledge were free to use the computer lab. The rest waited for instruction. This year when I arrived with my computer in hand and ready to use it, as soon as my power cords arrived, the Dean of Studies realized that he had someone who could teach computer, so that became part of my assignment. Since last year’s students did not get instructions, I was given two sections of computer, one for the first year students and one for the second year students. The Dean said he would call the technical representative they use (the son of one of the staff members) and have him service the computers before we began. We had two weeks to have that done, since the classes are scheduled for Mondays and the first week we did not have classes and the second week we began on Tuesday because of a holiday. That should have been plenty of time to have them all up and running.

Well, my first sessions of computer met today, and we were anything but up and running. I felt as if I were in the midst of pure chaos. The first class has 20 students in it and I had 18 working computers. Now, it took about 15 minutes to figure out which computers were working and which were not. Of the 18 that were deemed working, one had no mouse. That was easily fixed by taking from one of the computers that was not working. One had several keys that were no working – like d, g, and t. This presents a challenge to any typist but imagine one who has never touched a computer keyboard before. So again, we took from one “not working.” One was so slow that it seemed not to be working. Add to this that all the computers are on tables against the walls around the room, so the students sit on plastic stools, facing the walls. There is no demonstration computer or overhead for “showing.” The students must all turn way from the computer to see me or hear what I am saying, since the room is so large, then turn back to the computer and try and figure out what I have just told them to do. This meant making “announcements” of what to do and then going around and trying to help or demonstrate to small groups. Many of the students had never even used a typewriter, so even the keyboard was entirely new to them. “Mouse” was a term of great amusement for some of them. Using it was even more amusing, at least for me to watch.

This would have been a challenge enough for a day, but the second class had 45 students in it. That meant 3 students per computer, under the same conditions as the first class. This is the second year class, which includes students who were here on campus last year and those from the Parallel Program, which was held on a campus across the road. Their classroom is crowded, but the computer lab is beyond crowded. The only saving grace for this class is that I discovered that 3 or 4 of the students had actually worked on computers before, at least enough to know how to turn them on, type and save. They immediately were elevated to “teaching assistants.” I gave instructions to the entire group and the new assistants worked with the groups closest to them. Of course for everyone to get time on the computer, each had to wait his or her turn, and hopefully learn as they watched others do or make mistakes. One blessing is that these are patient Malawians, willing to wait. This would never have worked in an American classroom at any grade level.

Now I won’t see them for these classes again until next Monday. They are one their own to try and find a free computer in the lab and “experiment” with what they have learned so far. I will go and check the computers regularly for irregularities in configuration caused by “experimentation.” This is not good teaching technique and it is certainly not effective learning for computer or anything else, but that is what we have to work with and so that is what we will do.

After lunch, I went back to the office and, while waiting for student appointments, thought I would send my diary entry from the office internet. I had about 20 minutes between appoints and that should have been plenty of time. I don’t usually use the school’s internet because it is so slow, and to use it, I must displace the secretary and use her computer. But it was raining torrents. The secretary was more than willing to relinquish her desk while I sent one email. But I couldn’t get on the internet. I kept getting error messages. I worked at it for 20 minutes and never got on. My next appointment was waiting, so I quit.

By the time I got home, I was tired and frustrated and decided I would go to the internet café to check my email and send a few emails and a diary entry. My internet is not yet hooked up: technology in Malawi at work again. What was to have been in place on Friday is now promised sometime this week, when I’m not certain. It depends on when they are able to get the equipment in place. It has to come from the central office in Blantyre. (The office here in Zomba is one person operation.) Actually, I’m think I’m realistic in hoping for at least next week. So, when the rain let up, off I went to the internet café with jump drive in hand. I got on the net with no difficulty and was in the process of reading and answering email to my heart’s delight – technology that was working – when everything stopped. The internet went down. The girl at the desk said to be patient; she would reboot it. We all sat in our respective booths and waited. And waited. After quite some time, she suggested that maybe we should all come back tomorrow, since it was nearing time to close anyway. I left, resigned to wait and thinking that this had not been my day for technology.

Once home, I busied myself preparing supper. As I stood at the kitchen sink peeling potatoes, I thought I heard music that I recognized. I listened more closely and was certain of it. It was Robin Mark, my favorite Christian musician, and one of his CDs that I love. The music was coming from my house help’s home, just behind my house. I went over to check this out. They have a radio/CD player in their little two room house. I have heard it before. This is one of their few luxuries in life – technology available and affordable, like their cell phone. Since I provide the electricity, why not? I asked Ephraim how he had come upon Robin Mark’s music here in Malawi. He said Diane, the Irish lady who lived in this house before me, had given it to him as a gift and it had become one of his favorite CDs. That made perfect sense. Ah, the technology. This was a different technology, but technology all the same. Music produced in Ireland and carried to Malawi; music loved in America and now being enjoyed in Malawi because of the technology of CDs and CD players. For all it frustrations, technology has its unexpected blessings. And hopefully tomorrow you will be able to read this, because the internet link will be back up and operational, and my students will find an empty computer and be able to practice the little bit they have learned so far, and look forward to learning more in the weeks ahead. Technology in Malawi may be frustrating, but it is available – most of the time, and it brings with it the unexpected – the challenge and the delight. It was nice to end the day hearing music that I love in a place I never expected it, because of technology in Malawi.