Williams Kuzuian and Juan Martin Chamikian (11), Uruguay

Incentive Plans

The greatest challenge, as confirmed in numerous reports and studies, is for teachers to find time to be trained and incorporate technology into what they do. Learning on their time off is almost impossible unless incentives are provided. Just computers are insufficient.

Incentives are required to motivate teachers to be trained, to incorporate the new methods in their teachings, and focus students on contributing to the program.

Also, they must be motivated to come out of their "shells" to publish on the net, rather than sit anonymously by their computers. Only by publishing can sharing and sustainable interaction be realized, and the program's advantages realized!

Incentive plans are also needed to ensure that KHouse staff is really serving the teachers. Local schools neither have time nor staff capacity to help teachers make use of the technology or the accompanying educational program.

For 2002

Objectives: We want to jumpstart teachers in Who-Am-I? to avoid delays due to fear of technology, and of being visible to peers and outsiders. By quickly building a substantial Yaathê language web presence and dialog , we hope to strengthen their culture and language, mediate respect for their culture, and make the Fulni-ôs more visible to the world. We hope the Yaathê language learning material resulting from their kids' work will contribute to continued use of Who-Am-I?

Proposed teacher incentives for works in Yaathê:

An award by Who-Am-I? module when the following criteria are met:

The teacher has
- introduced her/himself in Yaathê to the other teachers on Kidleader-Yaathê within seven days of the start of the module. The introduction must build on the format of Kidlink's four questions, and need only be done once for all modules.
- presented his/her plan for the work with the class in this module within seven days of the start of the module (use month name for southern hemisphere schedule in plan).
- sent a report of his/her module classroom experience to Kidleader-Yaathê within seven days of the end of the module.
Students in the teacher's class must have
- posted 4 web pages with relevant student contributions to Kidlink's Who-Am-I? web for the Yaathê language
- sent 20 public module related messages in Yaathê to Kidcafe-Yaathê, authored by at least 10 different students. To qualify, messages may contain either
  - reports from a student's work relating to the module activities or questions, or
  - summary reports of findings and positions from the class, or
  - module related questions and comments to students at other schools that lead to a reply from them in the mailing list

The first 20 teachers to pre-register for the award programme by module will be selected. If more than 20 register, teachers who have received the award in a previous module will get second priority. The award is proposed set at US$ 50 for each module.

Assuming that all eligible teachers achieve their bonuses for each of the six modules. Then, the net effect at the end of the first year would be:

480 web pages published by kids in Yaathê, in addition to those published by other participants.
at least 2,400 messages submitted in Yaathê to Kidcafe-Yaathee
at least 120 introductions/plans submitted to Kidleader-Yaathê
at least 120 reports of teachers experiences submitted to Kidleader-Yaathê

Proposed incentives for KHouse staff:

We want the KHouse staff collectively to make an extra effort to motivate teachers to use I have a dream in the critical first year of the program in the village: by invitations, training sessions, presentations, on-the-job support, etc. We want to appreciate results of such work by paying incentives in months when a KHouse reaches the following targets.

1H 2002 in months when 10 teachers qualify for an award

2H 2002 in months when 14 teachers qualify for an award

The planned award is $50 dollars payable to each staff member (Manager, Technology Facilitator, Fulni-ô culture/language consultant) for months in which the target is reached.

For 2003

Objectives: Jumpstart teachers in I have a dream so that Fulni-ô youth can

learn practical skills needed to start and run a business
work in with an international team of youth that might give contacts and inter-personal relations that might later generate virtual job opportunies allowing them to work from home

Notes: [1] Participation in this program will be in any language of the teacher's (and students') choice. Doing it only in Yaathê would limit the participants' opportunities. Translation into their local language is done to provide better understanding of its contents, allow the first module to be completed in their language, and let those who in spite of the limitation on opportunities still wants to do it with peers in Yaathê.
[2] A broad understanding of self (as provided by Who-Am-I?) is believed to enhance the participants' networked opportunities.

Proposed teacher incentives:

An award for class participation in I have a dream with as follows:

The teacher has
- introduced her/himself the other teachers and coaches on the desired list for coordinators. using the format of Kidlink's four questions. This introduction should be submitted within one week of the start of the first module.
- When work with the module ended, the teachers sent a report of his/her module classroom experience to the desired list for coordinators.
Students in the teacher's class must have
- At least 4 of the "dream" teams where the teacher's students are participating must have published their Dream Plans as specified in Lesson 3 of Module 3.
- At least 15 students from the teacher's class must have tasks assigned to them in one of these teams .
- at least 1 of these teams must have tasks assigned to participants from at least 4 countries with a different main language (i.e. participants from at least 4 language areas).

The first 5 teachers to pre-register for I have a dream incentives will be selected. The award is proposed set at US$ 150 for the full three month period.

Note: These proposed incentive plans are presented as a basis for discussion. They must be approved by the program's sponsors in order to be implemented.