program designers’ reflections

Program 4. Designers’ Reflections

EDU Africa’s program designers are at the heart of curating our transformative learning journeys. They are situated across the continent in our various offices but operate very much as a continental team.

Our program design team experienced immense growth this year. In South Africa, we said goodbye to David Fisher, a long-standing treasured member of the EDU Africa team, who left to pursue a personal business project. We also said goodbye to Lorna Juma, a member of our East Africa team, who is pursuing academic work with the Mandela Rhodes Foundation. Excitingly, we welcomed several new program designers on board - Jacqueline Irimu in Kenya, Candice Soupen and Levina Wentzel in South Africa, and Esther Banda in Zimbabwe. They joined our seasoned program designers, Desiree Haakenson, Nicole Mostert, and Roseanne Kinyua in completing our team. Reflections on programming in 2022 (from the seasoned designers) and on joining the field (from the new team additions) are included below.

We asked our seasoned Program Designers:

• What were your notable learnings with regards to program design in 2022? • What challenged you? • Excited you? • Kept you going?

Nicole Mostert

Program design in 2022 felt like a new season. The world was opening up for in-country travel again and yet Virtual Programiing (VE) is still an important form of engagement for many institutions.

With in-country programming, the challenge was to maintain the quality of interactions while being aware of the COVID-19 protocols. For virtual programming, the challenge was using resources in the most effective way. It was a great asset to have 60,000 hours of VE programming at EDU Africa, a vast amount of experience among our team, and a database of resources to choose from. This gave us the ability to adapt our programming to the particular needs, interests, and learning styles of the students. Sometimes, these learning styles could only be fully known as interaction with the students began, following which adaptations could then be made.

The most exciting part of programming for me this year was the transformation that we saw. Our programming is focused on student transformation and it is a privilege to hear a student reflect on how they changed because of their experiences. In addition to student transformation, I was inspired by the transformation that was witnessed among local contributors. Many of our local contributors do remarkable work in their fields and impact their communities immensely. However, our programs are sometimes the first time they have the opportunity to share their work with a larger international audience. I have heard several contributors comment on the impact of EDU Africa’s programming in their transformation. They say they have grown in confidence, realized the application of their work at a global level, and recognized new contexts in which their work can be used. Seeing the transformation of students and contributors in each program we designed was my motivation. The joy of being a part of such a powerful experience inspired me to continue designing programs that enable transformation.

Roseanne Kinyua

This year was both challenging and exciting -- with study abroad returning, I was challenged to not just repeat what we’ve always done, but to keep programs fresh and new (be innovative). I was constantly on the lookout for alternative activity options, and ways that I could make programs unique, even if programming for a repeat client. I approached this differently for each program -- for example, for some, I sought out to find different partners for practical work; for others, I sought alternative experiences and locations. The landscape in Kenya changed quite dramatically post-COVID-19 because some places had closed down as a result of the pandemic. This further necessitated the need to source new accessibilities without compromising learning outcomes.

I was lucky enough to join some student programs on the ground this year, which I found very enriching. It was exciting to see first-hand how students ‘take it all in’ during the programs we design. Interacting with students, seeing them take concepts in, and viewing things through their eyes, was very inspiring. Additionally, having direct contact with students and receiving their feedback while a program was ongoing was helpful for me as I will be able to integrate these experiences into my programming for 2023/2024.

Desiree Haakonsen

Designing programs for 2022 was emotionally and mentally challenging because COVID-19 took such a heavy toll on the industry. It was hard to stay positive after so many canceled and postponed programs. When designing programs for this year, it was a challenge to stay motivated and creative due to not knowing if anything would materialize, which suppliers would still be around, how COVID-19 protocols would affect the in-person experience, if everything would be canceled after all the effort was made to get plans in place, etc. Everything was last minute and the stress to deliver what was on paper was high, especially with a limited team, no program coordination support in South Africa, facilitators going through new training on reflections, working in a new region (Zimbabwe’s Saint Petersburg College program), and the inclusion of many first-time experiences with people/organizations that I had never worked with in-country before.

What kept me going was seeing people face-to-face again, the way our facilitators took on their roles, and every bit of positive feedback from students and faculty on the ground. Hearing JB Gammon’s comments on how well the Central Piedmont Community College program was designed was a huge encouragement. He noticed the way in which their journey was carefully curated so that students could learn the history, challenges, successes, and modern lived experiences of people from different cultures and backgrounds in South Africa step-by-step. This was very motivating as it showed the value of all the design strategies that we have learned and practiced over the last few years - thank you, Heidi!

The University of Pittsburgh faculty shared how their program with us was their best-run program in South Africa yet, and how much they valued all the engagements we included - not only the company visits, but the very deep and authentic conversations with the likes of Barry at Ubuhle Bakhe Ubuhle, and the meaningful connections with the students from the University of Johannesburg and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology who participated in their program. 8.

• What drew you to this field this year? • What challenged you in your previous educational roles this past year? • What are you most excited about with regard to international education

Jacqueline Irimu

Joined May 2022

Looking back, I have always been engaged in educational forums or learning platforms. I have engaged with young children and enriched their lives through formal teaching and applicable art and craft activities. This is a passion that I invested in through my tertiary education. At university, I took part in the ‘Trainer of Trainees’ program and I was tasked with educating people from low socioeconomic backgrounds on financial literacy, good health and well-being, and privacy in the household. I can not recall a time in my life when I was not involved in education or learning.

I was drawn to the field of education because it was an opportunity to establish new connections with different people from different backgrounds and meet new people who share similar interests, passions, and desires to mine. The field of international education has broadened my perspective on how each country across the world has something to learn from. I derived much value from learning the difference between Faculty-led programs, Individual Study Abroad programs, etc. Through my work in program design, I have come to understand that education should support and strive for the creation of equal opportunities, strike a balance between faculty requests and what is feasible in the destination country, and honor underrepresented groups. I feel that I have found a place of belonging within international education, and EDU Africa specifically.

When I started my role in international education at EDU Africa it was a turning point for me because together with program leaders, I was to be responsible for providing and creating appropriate international academic endeavors within students’ fields of study. I received ample training and continuous motivation and mentorship from my colleagues. This was truly inspiring and different from what I had experienced in my previous employment spaces.

The moment I began writing proposals and becoming proficient in our transformational goals, I became more excited to come to work, to be a part of the journey, and to be part of the EDU Africa family. What excites me most in this role is the fact that I am making a positive contribution to the global society and when at work I never stop learning. I am also thrilled that my role encourages all participants who undertake our programs to experience a transformative learning experience during their time in Africa. Recently, I was able to meet with faculty who were thrilled with our proposals and they portrayed such sincere gratitude for the work we put together; this made me truly happy to be a program designer.

Candice Soupen

Joined August 2022

What drew me to this role was the fact that I would be designing study material. I really enjoy reading and putting together learning resources. I also enjoy traveling and I wholly believe that study abroad programs provide amazing learning platforms for people. When I saw this opportunity I was excited because it meant that I could follow both my passions.

In my previous educational role, I sometimes found it challenging to build curricula and programs on topics that I had never studied before (such as building a cybersecurity program for Ph.D. students). I found this challenging because I had to learn, in-depth, about this topic while also building a course for students. Another challenge I had in my previous role as a school leader was that I was in charge of our school’s isiXhosa curriculum, which at the time was non-existent. As a result, I also had to learn isiXhosa so that I could start building a curriculum for our scholars. Although I did enjoy learning in both of the above-mentioned situations, I did feel immense pressure from time to time due to the extremely fast pace that I was required to digest the learning materials.

What excites me about international education is the opportunity to learn from different cultures around the world. I am also very happy that we get to showcase our beautiful country and our cultures to others around the world. I truly believe that South Africa holds a wealth of knowledge and this should be shared with those around us. I am also thrilled to see how universities around the world operate and hope to learn from them too.

Esther Banda

Joined September 2022

I joined EDU Africa this year as I wanted to get away from the physical/active type of learning I was doing in the corporate training field and focus more on intellectual growth and academic learning. I was also interested in challenging myself by spending more time creating learning experiences for others, rather than being on the delivery end. In my role, many different approaches are used to address teaching subjects. I am excited to learn through researching and crafting programs based on the different needs and desired outcomes given to me, as well as be a part of the process of sharing those methods by creating opportunities for international teachers and learners to share ideas and learn from others.

Levina Wentzel

Joined September 2022

I have traveled to various countries and always enjoyed planning and setting out the itineraries for those trips. Having practiced as a teacher for more than nine years, when I saw the vacancy post for the position of Schools Program Designer, I thought it was the perfect combination of two things I love - travel and education. In my previous role as a teacher, I felt that the greatest challenge was the lack of support from the senior management team to help teachers manage their intense workloads. We were told not to expect a good work-life balance and that was left as that. However, in my new role, I am very excited about planning meaningful and life-altering learning experiences for international students.

most transformative program

George Brown College Virtual Community Worker Internship

-Nicole Mostert

The most educationally enriching and transformative program I ran this year was the George Brown College Virtual Community Worker Internship. It ran for 14 weeks and each week included three hours of synchronous programming and seven hours of asynchronous programming. The 20 George Brown College Community Worker students were all based in Toronto, Canada, but many had moved to Canada from different countries of origin which made for a very interesting cross-cultural experience and rich discussions. Some of their home countries included: Barbados, Mexico, Italy, India, Nigeria, Uganda, Morocco, Pakistan, Iraq, and Jamaica.

The students were placed with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Athlone, Cape Town, and tasked with working with the Community Workers to share knowledge and help develop the new YJustice program at the center. The YJustice program works with youth in the Athlone area who have been in trouble with the law or have been identified as being vulnerable and lacking support structures.

“Throughout my life, I have struggled to communicate and socialize with others, but this program has made it easier, and I believe I have not only overcome these obstacles, but also used them to grow as a person. So far, this journey has transformed me. EDU Africa has made me a better person by teaching me to be more responsible when it comes to getting things done, being respectful, kind, unique, and understanding, and aspiring to grow and empower others. A vibrant environment, such as EDU Africa, is dedicated to bringing out the best in you and making decisions that will aid in the greatest affirmation of your incredible journey.”

- Namitha Subhash

They spent an hour and a half each week with the YMCA Community Workers and another one and a half hours engaging with a South African professional working in the community field. In their engagement with the YMCA they researched global youth programs, worked on developing the YJustice program, developed social entrepreneurship proposals for the YMCA, and presented workshops to the youth on key issues such as diversity and stress management.

The weekly professional engagements were created to assist the interns to understand the context in which they were working in Athlone. The professional would talk about their area of expertise and then the interns would have an opportunity to break into small groups to discuss the concepts and how they would apply to their own context in Canada. Every second week, the students participated in a reflection session where they were asked questions about the internship experience and what they were learning about themselves, their professions, and the world. Their seven hours of asynchronous work were focused on individual research or group projects to support their engagement with the YMCA the following week.

By way of orientation, the students participated in our EDU Africa ethical community engagement and intercultural competence sessions. They internalized the perspectives and skills taught in these sessions and the effect of this could be seen in their weekly engagements. They were ready to learn and ask questions before offering advice and they honored the work of the YMCA and local professionals in each interaction. Their curiosity and respect were commented on by several contributors. The highest transformation scores were 10.7 for Intercultural Competence and 10.9 for Professional Development. The students’ feedback at the end of the program showed that the internship was a turning point in many of their lives.

The transformation didn’t end there. When speaking to the YMCA Youth Development Programmes Manager, he had tears in his eyes as he talked about the impact of the program on him personally and the YMCA as a whole. He said that through this program, he had developed confidence in using his skills with people outside of the South African context and realized that he had a lot to share with the international realm. The program had opened his eyes to new possibilities in his own life. The YMCA applied many of the suggestions made by the students during the internship and the YJustice program is stronger as a result. It was such a privilege to be part of a program that impacted a community in Cape Town and transformed lives around the world!

“EDU Africa is key to my development as a person and community worker. To learn about South Africa, its issues, its solutions, and approach is a great learning experience, and a chance to see we are similar and different at the same time. The passion of those doing this sort of work in South Africa will always resonate with me. I will not forget the experiences, interactions, and learnings EDU Africa has afforded me. It has helped my growth and I think it is the best experience I could have had for my placement. The variety and degrees of learning paired with the dynamic style of teaching - such a rich learning experience.” - Aj Kamalanathan