Kathryn Toure, Daouda Dougoumalé Cissé, Catherine Cherrier-Daffé,

2016

Toure, K., Cissé, D. D., Cherrier-Daffé, C. (2016). De l’Atlantique à l’océan Virtuel : expériences maliennes (itinéraires des enseignants à travers les TIC). Bamenda : Langaa.

Teachers, through their pedagogical appropriation of information and communication technology (ICT) are sometimes bewildered – as if in the middle of a new ocean. Behind them is all they have learned, and before them lies so much they do not know and that invites exploration. They accompany their students and invite others to join them in this journey. They do their best to learn, deepen their teaching, and perhaps also, through their example and their actions, encourage the revitalization of the school system. Internet is like a sea of knowledge, in a changing world, where one has to navigate with great enthusiasm, curiosity and skill, as well as patience, impatience and perseverance. Let the experiences of Malian teachers shared in this book inspire you.

Here is more on the concept of Ocean in relation to Mali and curiosity and exploration of the world:

Some of the teachers described the use of ICT at school in terms of travel, of crossing borders, between times and spaces. Getting to know something is an adventure (Bruner, 1996). Nafi, when she prepares her students for transatlantic learning and cultural encounters, reminded us of masa or king Abubakari II giving up his throne of power in the Mali Empire of the 14th century in a quest for knowledge. He prepared companions and a fleet of boats to traverse the Atlantic, in search of its other shore. “Ils partaient non pour la conquête de nouveaux territoires, mais à la rencontre de l’autre […] Avec Abubakari II, les explorations transocéaniques trouvent leur objet dans la curiosité de celui que veut changer d’horizon [They left not to conquer new territories, but to encounter the unknown […] Abubakari II embarked on a transatlantic exploration motivated by curiosity about life beyond the horizon [our translation]] (Diawara, 2010, pp. 15-16).

Praise for book

“The experiences of teachers with technology demonstrate their creativity in connecting school and everyday life. Educational systems in Africa and elsewhere can draw inspiration from this book: From the Atlantic to the Virtual Ocean.”

- Denis Dougnon, Professor of Education, Institute of higher learning and applied research (ISFRA), Bamako, and former Secretary General of the Ministry of Education, Mali

“Information and communication technology (ICT) offers a window on the world and access to an incredible amount of knowledge and sources of information for teachers and students. Moreover, sharing about encounters with ICT, in the midst of educational and social change, provides insight into culture, local dialogue, and learning in a community of practice. This sociocultural perspective is a unique contribution of this work.”

- Colette Gervais, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Andragogy, University of Montreal

“The twenty detailed cases of technology appropriation by Malian teachers is a powerful demonstration of the development of inquiry-based pedagogical approaches. The teachers’ narratives are followed by questions to encourage readers to deepen their reflections.”

- Nancy Hafkin, Internet Hall of Fame, retired from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Kathryn Touré, educator and researcher, in the context of her PhD in education, carried out interviews with teachers in Bamako, Mali, whose experiences with and perspectives about technology in education are portrayed and discussed in this book.

Daouda Dougoumalé Cissé, psychologist with a PhD in education, taught and promoted the use of technology in teaching and learning at the teacher training school (ENSup) of the University of Bamako, where he himself was a student. He participated in transnational studies on technology in education with the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) and in an international research group on personality disorders.

Catherine Cherrier-Daffé, based in Dakar, teaches French as a foreign language and edits manuscripts. She worked in research administration at the International Development Research Center.

Table des matières

Source for book’s cover image, pinasse passengers crossing the Niger river, by Ferdinand Reus: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crossing_the_Niger_in_Mali_2008.jpg