Summer 2010 - Bangladesh
iSTEP 2010 has launched! Follow the team's progress on the iSTEP 2010 website. There, you will find more information about iSTEP 2010 and daily blog updates. You can also follow the team's progress through their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr pages.
TechBridgeWorld would like to thank all of the students who applied to this year's iSTEP internship. The application deadline was Thursday, November 5, 2009. The paid internship program will last from late May through early August and preparation will take place throughout the spring semester, beginning in January with a mini course followed by logistical preparation sessions. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about this program or if you have questions which are not addressed on our website.
Partner
Our main partner for iSTEP in Summer 2010 is the Asian University for Women (AUW) located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. AUW is a leading institution of higher education based on the firm belief that education—especially higher education—provides a critical pathway to leadership development, economic progress, and social and political equality. AUW provides a world-class education to promising young women from diverse cultural, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds from across South and South East Asia and the Middle East.
One of the things that intrigued us the most about the AUW’s work is their commitment to providing a world-class university education to young women who would not have such an opportunity otherwise due to their socio-economic circumstances. The AUW has a large diversity of international staff and faculty and we are confident that our iSTEP interns will find the experience of working with AUW to be exciting, intellectually challenging, and personally rewarding.
Projects
Through our discussions with the AUW we jointly identified the following projects for our Summer 2010 program. Each of these projects is multi-faceted and will involve the collaboration of all team members to be successful.
- Creating and evaluating culturally-relevant educational technology and games for enhancing English literacy
Bangladesh has a relatively low rate of adult literacy at 52.5% and the government is looking to address this challenge through a new education policy. Students also enroll in AUW from around the Middle East and South Asia and must take classes in English which is often not their native language, so practice with literacy skills is also of benefit to these students. Computing technology has the potential to enhance efforts to address such needs. Our past work with literacy tools has been related to the needs of primary school students learning English using computer-based and phone-based educational tutors and games. Click here for details about past research with educational tutors and games through our Project Kane work. Information on this project’s work in Tanzania is explained in detail in the iSTEP 2009 final report. iSTEP 2010 interns will build on this past experience in building new tools or customizing existing technology to address literacy challenges in a Bangladeshi context. The iSTEP 2010 team will seek to develop programs that enhance literacy skills by playing games and/or accessing relevant materials and exercises on technological devices.
- Enhancing and evaluating a low-cost Braille Writing Tutor for visually-impaired students
The availability of trained teachers to educate visually impaired students in Bangladesh and many other parts of the world is limited. There is a great need for additional educational resources that enable these children to realize their potential. The idea of the Braille Writing Tutor was conceived through extensive discussions between TechBridgeWorld students and teachers from the Mathru School for the Blind in Bangalore, India. The project has since expanded to include several braille language and gaming capabilities. iSTEP 2010 interns will build on this past experience in customizing and enhancing the Braille Writing Tutor technology to address educational challenges in a Bangladeshi context. Click here for details about past work with the Braille Writing Tutor. Information on this project’s work in Tanzania is explained in detail in the iSTEP 2009 final report.
Team Roles
Please note that all members of the team, regardless of their specific role, will be required to participate in a variety of tasks as needed to ensure the overall success of the team. So be prepared to be called upon to pitch in and help in all tasks. The TechBridgeWorld team will pick an iSTEP 2010 team leader during the Spring semester with input from the selected team. Key criteria for success in all roles are the willingness to work together as a team, willingness to work hard and be totally dedicated to the success of the team, ability to adapt to unforeseen and challenging situations, and ability to persevere and work towards success despite many challenges in living and working conditions. Field work in developing communities, especially when it involves technology, can be frustrating, very difficult, and even overwhelming at times, but in the end, the work is extremely rewarding and teaches you many important skills that will be useful in your future professional life.
- Needs Assessment Lead (Work Location: Chittagong)
The needs assessment lead will be the lead researcher for creating and conducting surveys with community partners in coordination with other team members to identify needs and challenges related to the two project areas. The intern in this role will plan for and manage on-site relationships with partners as well as tasks such as explaining and obtaining consent forms from research participants and ensuring research compliance procedures are followed appropriately. Success in this role will require the intern to learn about the local community and understand how to navigate any issues that arise due to local culture and language.
- Technical Lead – Literacy Tools Project (Work Location: Chittagong)
The technical lead for the Literacy Tools Project will play the leading role in managing the design, implementation, and iterative enhancements to the technology solution for this project. Success in this role will require the intern to be significantly involved in the needs assessment relevant to this project, comprehensively explore relevant technologies that can benefit this project, and gain a good understanding of the technology infrastructure available in the community relevant to this project. In summary, the intern in this role will plan for and manage all technical aspects of the Literacy Tools Project, coordinate with other team members to ensure the success of this project, and take the lead in disseminating (written and oral) the outcomes of this project.
- Technical Lead – Braille Writing Tutor Project (Work Location: Chittagong)
The technical lead for the Braille Writing Tutor Project will play the leading role in managing the design, implementation, and iterative enhancements to the technology solution for this project. Success in this role will require the intern to be significantly involved in the needs assessment relevant to this project, comprehensively explore relevant technologies that can benefit this project, and gain a good understanding of the technology infrastructure available in the community relevant to this project. In summary, the intern in this role will plan for and manage all technical aspects of the Braille Writing Tutor Project, coordinate with other team members to ensure the success of this project, and take the lead in disseminating (written and oral) the outcomes of this project.
- Documentation Lead (Work Location: Chittagong)
The documentation lead will have the important responsibility of telling the story of the iSTEP 2010 team in a compelling manner to various audiences and through various media, and coordinating all dissemination efforts of the iSTEP team. The intern in this role will be the overall coordinator for formatting and compiling the team’s final report and presentation, the content for iSTEP 2010 website and the iSTEP 2010 blog, and content for any other opportunity for disseminating the team’s work. Success in this role will require the intern to effectively collaborate with all members of the team, capture the team’s experiences and stories through video, photos, and text in a creative and compelling manner, and format this content for distribution to diverse audiences.
- Technical Floater 1 (Work Location: Pittsburgh or Doha based on home campus of selected intern)
The first technical floater will be based in their home campus in Pittsburgh or Doha and will be the primary supporter for the team in a place where the technology infrastructure and access to resources is much higher. The intern in this role will do a lot of technology development (predominantly software development and troubleshooting) for both the Literacy Tools Project and the Braille Writing Tutor Project, and will work with the technology leads and the second technical floater to ensure the success of both projects. Additionally, the two technical floaters will be responsible for the technical aspects of designing, implementing, and maintaining the iSTEP 2010 website and blog, and any other tools such as databases that the team needs. Success in this role will require the intern to work well with all of the team members to ensure the team’s success in Chittagong, provide strong technical support to the team members in Chittagong, research relevant technologies, learn about new technologies quickly as needed, design and implement solutions in collaboration with the rest of the team, and assist in writing and disseminating the technical aspects of the team’s work.
- Technical Floater 2 (Work Location: Pittsburgh, Doha, or Chittagong based on outcomes of team selection)
The second technical floater will be based in either their home campus in Pittsburgh or Doha, or in Chittagong, based on the collective skills of the rest of the team. The intern in this role will do a lot of technology development (predominantly software development and troubleshooting) for both the Literacy Tools Project and the Braille Writing Tutor Project, and will work with the technology leads and the first technical floater to ensure the success of both projects. Additionally, the two technical floaters will be responsible for the technical aspects of designing, implementing, and maintaining the iSTEP 2010 website and blog, and any other tools such as databases that the team needs. Success in this role will require the intern to work well with all of the team members to ensure the team’s success in Chittagong, provide strong technical support to the team members in Chittagong, research relevant technologies, learn about new technologies quickly as needed, design and implement solutions in collaboration with the rest of the team, and assist in writing and disseminating the technical aspects of the team’s work.
Overseas Location
Details from the AUW website
The Asian University for Women is located in Chittagong, a coastal city in South East Bangladesh that has a heritage of Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions. Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh with a population of approximately 4.5 million. It is the country’s international port and as such, it has historically served as a principal center for cultural, social, and commercial exchange between this part of South Asia and the outside world. Chittagong lies 264 kilometers south east of the nation’s capital, Dhaka, to which it is well connected by air, road and rail. Chittagong has a far less dense urban environment than Dhaka, and offers a less chaotic urban experience – a unique and still largely unspoiled landscape of rolling hills, with a large lake and recreational area – all within the city limits.
Locating the university in Bangladesh affirms AUW’s dedication to the region. Bangladesh’s history of state and private sector commitment to advancing education, as well as its secular political culture and a number of notable NGOs involved in women’s empowerment, provides an excellent context for a school with the explicit mission to graduate women leaders and change agents.
Indeed, Bangladesh has immense potential to serve as an ideal host for the University. According to the 2005 UNDP Human Development Report, “since 1990 Bangladesh has recorded some of the developing world’s most rapid advances in basic human development indicators… Primary school enrollment rates have reached more than 90%, up from 72% in 1990, with close to gender parity, and enrollment in secondary education has been rising.”
The Government of Bangladesh has been highly receptive and strongly supportive of the AUW vision since its inception. It has granted 100+ acres of land, while also signing a far-reaching and empowering charter, ensuring academic freedom and institutional autonomy. AUW is deeply committed to serving populations of women who have been underserved by higher education in the past, and their relationship with Bangladesh serves to underscore this commitment.
Links
- Asian University for Women
- BBC News Country Profile – Bangladesh
- Economist Country Briefing – Bangladesh
- Wikipedia – Bangladesh
- Wikipedia – Chittagong
- Lonely Planet – Bangladesh
Logistics
Spring Preparation Sessions
We will offer a 6 unit course in the 1st mini of the spring semester entitled “iSTEP Technology Field Research in Developing Communities” (Course Number: 15-302A3) to assist students in preparing for their projects in collaboration with our contacts in Bangladesh. We will also have students conduct an independent study for credit during the 2nd spring mini to focus on their individual roles and the specific projects. Finally, we will conduct a series of meetings during spring semester to handle logistics related to travel, visas, etc. We will advise students on living and working in Bangladesh as well as how to work well with an international team.
We expect students to do their own research to prepare for the work they would be doing. We suggest that students conduct as much preparatory work as possible while on campus so that they can get started on project work in depth in the summer. We also work closely with various departments within the university concerning travel and safety issues, research clearance and partnership agreements.
Internship Salary
Each of the interns selected for the team will be paid a salary of US$3,000 for their participation with the program. This will be paid biweekly over the course of the summer through university payroll.
Overseas Travel Logistics
Students who travel to Bangladesh must have a valid passport (we cannot pay for students’ passport processing). Students must pay for any required immunizations and vaccinations prior to their travel. Students selected for the internship must assist with some paperwork involved in their participation with the program related to their travel booking, accounting, and the Office of International Education. Students also must make sure they have health insurance to cover them overseas.
Air travel to and from Bangladesh will be arranged and sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. If travel to other work sites within Bangladesh is needed, the partner, AUW, will cover it. We will process and pay for any required visas.
Accommodations and Local Transportation
For students traveling to Bangladesh, the AUW has agreed to arrange and pay for local accommodations and local transportation for work purposes. For students working at the Carnegie Mellon campus, they must make their own housing arrangements and will be eligible for an additional US$1,000 paid with their internship salary to help them cover living expenses and local transportation. We must have proof of local housing arrangements such as a letter from University housing or a signed contract with a landlord by May 1, 2010 in order to provide this additional funding.
Please know that the weather in Bangladesh in late May through early August is very hot with some periods of heavy rain. Interns’ housing will have fans but not air conditioning.
Meals and Personal Expenses
Students will pay for their own meals and personal expenses.
Interview Policy
[Please note this information below is a reference for future iSTEP program applicants and will be updated closer to the interview dates for iSTEP 2011 finalists.]
If an applicant is late on the day of the interview, the interviewers will call the phone number listed in the application and/or resume:
- If the applicant does not answer, he or she will no longer be considered for iSTEP 2010.
- If applicant does not show up at all during the designated interview time slot and has made no attempt to contact the interviewers, he or she will no longer be considered for iSTEP 2010.
- If tardiness is a mistake made by the applicant (e.g. sleeping in), he or she will be allowed to finish their interview during the remaining time of the designated timeslot. No extra time will given to the tardy applicant.
- In the event of an emergency or if the applicant has a valid reason for missing the interview (e.g. situation beyond their control), the applicant should contact the interviewers at their earliest convenience. We will do our best to reschedule the applicant's interview.
- If it is the interviewers' mistake, the applicant's interview will be rescheduled.