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DIGITAL BRIDGE
ICT for Global Education and e-inclusion

About Digital Bridge Project, Italy-Cameroon

The Fondazione Mondo Digitale (FMD) is a no profit organization that works for an inclusive knowledge society by blending innovation, education, inclusion and fundamental values.

Digital Bridge, Italy-Cameroon Project Team at work. Photo courtesy: Digital Bridge

The FMD coordinates the Italy-Cameroon project for scholastic twinning financed by the Lazio Region.

The project, which was launched in 2008, aims to implement satellite connectivity and create resource centers to improve the opportunities in south-western Cameroon (AERC: Area Enhancing Resource Centers) whilst promoting e-twinning and partnerships between schools in Rome and Fontem (Cameroon).

The operative program in favour of Fontem’s schools is realized on the territory by “Lebialem – Association for Twinned Schools” (LATS) in Cameroon and “Scuole in Rete” (SIR) a network of seven different kind of schools in Rome.

Digital Bridge Project - GBHS Fontem, Lebialem and twin Liceo Immanuel Kant Roma of Italy

Digital Bridge,GBHS Fontem & twin Liceo Immanuel kant Roma of Italy. Photo courtesy: Digital Bridge

Current Status of the Digital Bridge Project

Digital Bridge is in its second phase. The first one has been concentrated on the creation of connectivity and infrastructures.

Thanks to ESA (European Space Agency) four schools in the Lebialem region has already an internet connectivity which is used for research and to create a solid relationship with the respective twinned schools in Rome.

Moreover, twelve men have been trained in order to maintain the technical infrastructures and they’re now regularly working with LATS assisting the schools.

Actually, the second phase is going to hold over until September 2011. All the partners are working hard to guarantee the internet connection to the schools that already have it and to provide to connect to the satellite three new schools.

Digital Bridge - ICT Computer Learning Center in GBHS Fontem Lebialem

ICT Computer Learning Center In GHBS Fontem, Lebialem, Cameroon. Photo courtesy: Digital Bridge

Information and Communication Technology Aspects

During the time of technical improvement schools in both countries already work together using video-conference software so that many students can exchange their knowledge each other, working on the same subjects and comparing their point of views in didactical sessions during the school time. They’re producing a real remote session of lessons covering subjects like history (roman and cameroonian) and ecological education.

All the didactical material, that is going to be realized, will be translated in Italian and English (some schools are going to translate everything in French too) in order to be sent to the respective twinned schools and to be free shared on the project website following a perfect sharing knowledge behavior.

The Face of Digital Bridge. Photo courtesy: Digital Bridge

How Digital Bridge is Bridging Cameroon and Italy

The main object is to realize new fraternity relationships between peoples in a vision of independence and respective cultural, social, economical and spiritual enrichment. Specific objects are:

Making young people and students get closer with same age students of different areas of the world, in particular the project aims to create intercultural relationships between Roman and Cameroonian schools;
Educate the students to use new communication technologies in order to promote human rights, active citizenship and equal opportunities for women;
Create new job opportunities in the Lebialem region of Cameroon;
Enrich school didactical programs with intercultural modules;
Promote infrastructures, knowledge and tools to guarantee at the Cameroon local community to be autonomous in the use of ICT.

Core Action Lines of the Digital Bridge Bridging Project

The project is developed following four lines of action:

Technology – acquisition and installation of functioning infrastructures and instrument for satellite connections and the realization of local networks dedicated to develop collaborative use of these technologies;
Education and Didactics – realization of didactical programs for teachers, students and formation of technical workforce;
Information – realization of a participate website and development of a twinning program reaching a solid cultural and didactical exchange between Italian and Cameroonian schools
Management – project coordination and organization of didactical events connecting schools in Italy and Cameroon with video-conference software and organizing events in Rome to promote the Digital Bridge project for education in international cooperation.

Partner Organisations:

Digital Bridge project

 Fondazione Mondo Digitale (coordinator)

 Lebialem – Association for Twinned Schools - LATS, Cameroon

Sir - Scuole in Rete, Italy

 in collaboration with ESA the European Space Agency

Please direct all your questions and inquiries to:

Contacts

Project coordinator, Alessio Neri

 a.neri[AT]mondodigitale.org

Press Office, Elisa Amorelli 

e.amorelli[AT]mondogitale.org  