other

Fostering Connections with the National University of Lesotho and Lerotholi Polytechnic

[encouraging practical education through collaboration on small-scale research projects]

[Summary & Motivation] [Community] [Specifications] [Issues] [Contacts] [Pictures]

Summary & Motivation	Project Initiator: MIT-ATS Collaboration Start Date: August 2005 Projected Completion Date: Not applicable Current Status: Ideas stage Science technology and education is low in Lesotho, even at the university level, because of an emphasis on theoretical projects rather than practical ones. Students learn from textbooks rather than through experimentation and small-scale research projects. Such teaching methods prevent students from fully understanding concepts and applying their knowledge in everyday situations. Several of the projects on which ATS is working have small parts which could be researched and addressed by the local Basotho students if the projects could be well framed. In a fashion similar to that of the MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, students could be advised by engineers at ATS and faculty at their respective institutions. By encouraging organic growth, both ATS and the university students would benefit. Instead of looking outside of the country for engineering talent, ATS would now be able to search within Lesotho for the best and the brightest. [top]
Community	The projects would be open to Basotho students at Lesotho's national universities, and these students would be supervised by local faculty as well as ATS engineers. [top]
Specifications	Projects must be manageable by student researchers. Concepts covered must be good reflection of current material being covered. Projects must have a specified goal and guidelines. [top]
Issues	During Matt's summer visit to Lesotho, he had the privelege of leading discussions at both the National University and the Polytechnic. While the students and the staff seemed open to the idea of more practical projects, there is still much that needs to be done to make this a reality. Help is needed in the following areas: Designing projects which could involve the students. Increasing awareness about the importance of practical education. Determining best way for interaction between ATS and students to occur. [top]
Contacts	Project Leader: M. Zedler MIT Contact: M. Zedler <mzedler@MIT.edu> ATS Contact: D.S. Phakisi <phakisids@ats.org.ls> Website (If applicable):   [top]
Pictures	PICTURES Description (Name) [Date] Download National University of Lesotho Photo Album Few pictures from a recent visit to the relatively modern National University of Lesotho (M. Zedler) [9.13.05] *.html (Link) [top]

*.pdf - Portable Document File / *.doc - Document (Microsoft Word) / *.jpg - Joint Photographic Experts Group (Browser) / *.zip - WinZip Compressed File (WinZip)

[top]