Home   Programs- Accomplishments- Participants

  1.  Community Services Program-                                                                 Updated March 13, 2006

                    500+ computers refurbished and installed into 40+ Computer labs for public schools

                    11,497 Participants signed-in for informal training on internet and games

                    Maintain computer labs serving 40 communities and over 10,000 participants

 2.   Secondary School Collaboration Program

                    6 years out of a 6-year program completed (Design and teach secondary school

                    technology program)

 3.  Adult Education Certificate Courses

                    Graduate certificates awarded 2146 including 128 public school teachers in collaboration

                    with Intel’s “Education for the future program”

     1. Community Services Program

Program Description

The community services program provides support to 47 schools and 18 social service organizations working in the Limon region. This includes the installation and maintenance of 40 public school computer labs. OA’s support is categorized as the following:

·         Computer Installation and Maintenance

·         Application Support and Document Design

·         Technology training and Consultation

Computer Installation and Maintenance is a task where we primarily focus on placing computer labs into public schools where children do not have access to computers or computer education. We also place and maintain computer for community organizations including Indigenous groups, women’s groups, environmental groups and others.

Application Support and Document Design is primarily focused on assisting public school teachers and administrators with specific computer based education material and converting administrative paper work into electronic form. A majority of the teachers we work with have received certificate courses at our training center.

Technology training and Consultation includes the detailed requirements to receive computers and computer training, including electrical work, Internet and other logistical information to get computers installed and working to meet client needs.

An additional aspect of the community services program is to encourage community members to engage in computer activities. Our computer center is open to the public 7 days a week and every Tuesday evening OA provides free Internet usage for community members. Staff assists new users to open email accounts and to research information on the Internet for homework, and general information of interest. Every Friday evening OA provides free computer games for the children and teens.

Accomplishments    Table 1a          Internet and games Years 2001-2005

Public school Computer labs including number of students            

Participants

All age groups participate in and benefit from the community services program. A heavy emphasis is placed on enhancing the public education and improving the future of low-income children. We also assist social services agencies, which serve all community members thus having a broad impact on long-term community development. 

Future direction

Our primary goal is maintain the computer labs we install so the children can continue to receive a computer education. We are actively seeking support to match with each school with a sponsor and we will continue to ship donated computers to sustain the program. We would like to improve the quality of technology and education the children receive by providing 4 hours of computer education for each student each week. To achieve this we will need to continue to train teachers through our Intel “teach for the future program”, expand our internship program with the University of Costa Rica, and lobby to have the ministry of public education (MEP) to provide computer teachers. We will improve educational materials including Internet access. We plan to expand our outreach and add ten public school computer labs each year. We would like to extend internet night and games night to additional communities in the region.

2.    Secondary School Collaboration Program

Program Description

    In a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Public Education Costa Rica, the Opportunity Access staff has designed a computer curriculum for the Cahuita high school students. Each week students receive two hours of school-time practice at the Cahuita Computer Center. Students are evaluated based on attendance, 3 quizzes, 3 home works, a final project and a final exam. The three year curriculum is based on the following five concepts:

1. Computer logic and programming

2. Research information using the Internet and electronic encyclopedias

3. Computer applications including word, excel, PowerPoint, FrontPage, access, explorer, paint, and multimedia players

4. Data communication concepts including the world wide web, Local area networking, Internet servers, Internet protocol, and digital communications theory.

5. Computer operations including software and hardware.

Lessons are designed based on student interest such as art, fashion, chat rooms, email, music, games, sports and pictures. OA provides the computer classroom, teachers, books, diskettes, and other necessary materials for the class.  

Participants

The local high school students range in age from 12 to 20 and are and even mix of boys and girls. Most of these students will represent the first generation to graduate high school. 

Accomplishments    Table 2              Secondary School Collaboration Program

Future direction

Our ultimate goal for this program is to present a comprehensive computer and technology training program to implement nationally for all “telsecundaria” high schools in Costa Rica. The training provided is designed to prepare HS graduates to continue their studies at the University level and also to prepare them for the work force. Another future initiative is to provide a plan to transition the telesecundaria HS from video tape based learning to computer based training. This would include a comprehensive digital library for students and teachers to research information and internet where access is available.

    3. Adult Students

Program Description

The computer certificate course will expose students to basic computer application skills and offer more advance courses in computer repair, programming and networking. Course are accredited by the Ministry of Public education and include the following: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Word XP, Microsoft Excel XP, Microsoft PowerPoint XP, Microsoft Front page, introduction to the Internet, computer repair, computer networking and programming.  All application classes are eight hours per week with four hours of class and four hours of practice, and each class is five weeks (40 hours).  One teacher and one teacher’s assistant will be assigned for approximately every 20 students.  

Our computer repair series is a one-year program with 6 months of class/lab work and 6 months of apprenticeship work in the field. Computer networking and programming are 10-week courses with intensive hands on training. In 2004 we also provided an instructor led high school exam preparation course using multimedia computer based training. One instructor was designated to mathematics and the other instructor taught the remaining preparation courses (Spanish, Biology, Social Studies, English). This new program is designed to address the low HS graduation rate of 15% for this region (krooger 2001).

Participants

Our adult students represent an even mix of community member that range in age from 13 to 65 with significantly more female participants in the application series and more male students in the repair, programming and networking courses. Participants enroll in computer courses to increase their potential to obtain sustainable employment, improve their careers and to continue their education. Many graduates obtain employment as a direct result of their training and most of our students use their computer skills to continue their formal education. HS seniors participated in the HS exam preparation course.

Accomplishments     Table 3              Adult Education Certificate Courses

Accomplishments     Table 3B         Adult Graduate employment by year

Note: No formal employment program has been funded. OA provides resume assistance, certificates, and letters of recommendation.

Future direction

Expand program to offer more advanced certificate courses, which are recognized globally including Cisco certifications, Microsoft MCSE, Comptia A++, web design and Programming. We are also seeking funds to implement a job placement service for our graduates. While we consider our HS exam preparation course successful we plan to expand our enrollment and improve students percentages of exams passed.

Updated March 13, 2006