JWOC has teamed up with the SHARE Institute to provide Digital Literacy classes to the local community. The partnership looks to provide quality learning opportunities for the poorest in the community to learn the basics of digital literacy. This will in turn improve student’s employability, 21st Century skills and broader studies. The project also looks to ensure access to digital infrastructure to all within the community, so all have basic access to computer software and the internet.
Many youth in Cambodia do not have access to technology or the opportunity to develop their digital literacy skills, because of this lack of access many are left working in low skilled, low paid and high risk employment, hitting a glass ceiling with regards to their employment prospects. Through SHARE’s donation, JWOC was able to design and pilot a new basic digital literacy for young learners. Taught by JWOC’s head IT teacher Sitham and scholarship student Check, two classes of 23 students attended class for 4 hours per week for 2 months. The course content includes beginner IT functions including the parts of computers, typing effectively, how to research online, download images, and use various Microsoft software.
On top of this, students also continue to be exposed to tablets in their English classes through educational apps and digital Khmer language. This tablet exposure as well as the Digital Literacy course not only allows them to become comfortable around technology, but also improves their English language skills as teachers Sitham and Chek pushed them to use English throughout the course.
This course is integral to the development of JWOC's younger students and will give them the basic skills they need to use IT in school and later on when they are entering the job market. By becoming more digitally literate at an earlier age, they will have a comparative advantage to those who only start learning when they are adults. The course ended successfully with an 86% pass rate and students developing their proficiency, JWOC will now incorporate this class each term. After students successfully complete the Young Learners class, they are encouraged to move on to more advanced IT classes where they will build upon and deepen their understanding.
Case Study
Thida is 12 years old and has just completed the Young Learners Digital Literacy. Thida is spirited student who dreams of becoming a doctor and attends JWOC every day during the week to learn English and IT. Of the Digital Literacy course he said, ‘JWOC helps me achieve my future goals because I’m learning English and computer skills so now I can type in Khmer and English. I also know about how computers work, the different parts, how to use typing.com and Microsoft Word!’
JWOC would like to thank the SHARE Institute for enabling JWOC's Free Classes to provide such meaningful opportunities to the local community here in Siem Reap!
