The Access STEM Project aimed to revolutionize STEM education in Ghana by creating a digital learning environment for teachers. By leveraging the connectivity and local cloud services provided by BlueTown, alongside the Open Educational Resources (OER) from Siemens Stiftung, Kabod Group played a vital role in compiling these resources into a tailored curriculum that positively impacted four educational institutions in the country.

Contributions

• Media Portal Package Creation: Kabod Group meticulously curated and adapted media portal packages, screening and uploading over 3,000 resources from Siemens’ media portal to the local cloud. Content selection was strategically aligned with the needs of the Ghanaian education system, catering to both teacher training colleges and secondary technical schools.
• Organization of Materials: Resources were systematically categorized into relevant sections, including Science, Technical, Experiments, and Teaching and Learning Resources, ensuring easy access and usability for educators.
• Pedagogical Training Workshops: We conducted workshops designed to enhance STEM teachers’ subject matter knowledge, emphasizing effective teaching methods and the integration of digital resources into their lessons.
• Introduction of AccessSTEM Clubs: A cost-effective and scalable model for continuous teacher development was implemented through the introduction of AccessSTEM Clubs, fostering peer learning and collaboration among educators.
• Establishment of Communities of Practice: We created four WhatsApp groups with 223 members to facilitate communication and knowledge sharing among teachers, strengthening their professional networks.

Impact

The Access STEM Project significantly improved communication among Ghanaian STEM teachers and enhanced their subject matter expertise through targeted pedagogical training and access to Open Educational Resources. The initiative facilitated connectivity for 4,000 to 5,000 teachers via BlueTown’s solar-powered infrastructure, providing them with diverse digital learning materials on the local cloud. Notably, teachers reported improved teaching methods, particularly in vocational education, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.