Resumen de Scientific Animations without Borders and Communities of Practice: Promotion and Pilot Deployment of Educational Materials for Low Literate Learners around Adama (Ethiopia) by Adama Science and Technology University

Julia Bello-Bravo, Gemechu Waktola Olana, Lemi Guta Enyadne, Barry Robert Pittendrigh

• Ensuring the success of deployment initiatives of specific programs in developing countries comes with the commitment of local, public and private institutions. Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO) creates educational content for low literate learners, in their own local languages that can be deployed on video capable devices by in country groups. In other words, SAWBO creates content, for local communities of practice to use in their educational programs. Although SAWBO creates and deploys this content virtually, it is the domain of local groups to develop strategies and approaches for local and meaningful impact. Establishing partnership between local stakeholders, public and private institutions bring new opportunities to the deployment of educational materials in developing nations. In regards to this statement, the consultative group on a project entitled “Promotion and Pilot Deployment of Educational Materials for Low Literate Learners around Adama” offers a case study in commitment between participants. This paper explains the opportunities for, and challenges to, creating a community of practice and making decisions between public and private institutions leading to the deployment of educational materials in a form of animated videos around Adama City in the region of Oromia, Ethiopia. This paper presents the willingness of local, public and private institutions to enter into partnership to participate in a specific deployment of a project perceived to be beneficial for low literate learners in their communities. The report of the consultative meeting suggests that while initiatives and perceptions may differ among the different groups involved in the deployment, common goals facilitate the decision making to move forward. This paper is part of an ongoing effort to develop community of practice models, for deployment of cross-culturally adaptable educational animations, with the intent of reproducing similar approaches in other regions of the world.