Early Learning Kiosk: KnowHow app

Peer-to-peer learning support

With the ChildSteps app and the Toolbox elements, the KnowHow app forms part of the Early Learning Kiosk, a tablet shared by preprimary teachers, allowing them to continuously build their capacity and improve their practical skills offline. While KnowHow is structured like a traditional course, the “magic” lies in the stimulation of peer-to-peer learning (see picture here or in the viewer at the bottom). Self-guided group learning over a long period has a much deeper effect on the teachers’ professional development than the typical workshop type of trainings where cost restrictions lead to the attempt to “throw” as much learning content as possible at the trainees in a very short time .

Pedagogical early learning skills

To stimulate self-guided group learning, the KnowHow app builds on discussion inputs, which often include a video (see picture here or in the viewer at the bottom). The main idea is that the learning group should agree on a joint answer and type it into the app – not because the answer itself matters so much, but to trigger the contribution of the wisdom every practicing educator usually can share. The “course” is aligned with the preprimary syllabus and uses many examples from there, but does not try to fully cover it. Instead, the “course” focuses on methodical aspects of early learning.

Early learning educator progress check

While the joint considerations within the learning groups are key, participants register individually in order to fill in quizzes and self-assessments (see picture here or in the viewer at the bottom). The pre- and post-course self-assessment includes 20 multiple-choice questions, which can be answered only once and allow the participant to check the achieved progress after finishing all 10 modules. The individual quizzes included in each module have two functions: One is to ensure that each participant covers all modules before being able to do the post-course self-assessment. The other function is to share the progress with programme facilitators: Each completed quiz results in a code which is to be sent to a central number via SMS, so that a management information system can reflect the level of activity.

Practical teaching material

Because storybooks are an important means to advance children's pre-reading skills, the KnowHow app references some examples to explain the respective teaching methods and to trigger discussions in this regard (see picture here or in the viewer at the bottom). While the Early Learning Kiosk is not meant to be used by the children, storybooks on tablets can actually be used for teaching by showing the tablet around in a group guided by the teacher. Therefore, 20 of the well-known African Storybooks have been included as extra material in the Knowhow app.