Educational technology - Unitary schools

Final PES covers the period 6/77-10/78 and is based on interviews with and tests of students, teachers, and parents. The project has generally been a success, and the USS model has been praised by several international organizations. The project"s limited duration created communication and transportation problems which permitted the opening of only 224 of the projected 300 one-room schools in Boyaca, Cundinamarca, and Norte de Santander; nonetheless, 354 versus the targeted 300 teachers and 78 rather than the 70 planned supervisors were trained. In addition, a rural primary school curriculum was developed; language, math, social studies, and science texts and teachers" guides were prepared and distributed; 100-volume classroom reference libraries were organized; and a study of the USS model was completed. Use of a three-stage development process -- school and community motivation, gradual introduction of curriculum innovations, and implementation of the complete USS model -- proved effective. Also contributing to the project"s success were adequate funding (e.g., for curriculum development and teacher training); use of clear and easily replicable approaches (e.g., to teacher training and low-cost library development); flexible timing of inputs; decentralized administration; and the use of a contractor team and instructors who had a systematic conceptualization of the USS model. Nonetheless, despite the high caliber of the Colombian Government project personnel, a viable national administrative mechanism to implement the USS program was not institutionalized; assignment of teachers and selection of schools was politicized; many trained teachers moved to the cities; and insufficient time was allotted for adequate study of the USS model, thus precluding valid conclusions on long-term goals. In addition to nine suggestions made in a previous PES regarding replication of this project in another country, the evaluators advise incorporating the project into the regular primary school program, establishing criteria for school selection, and emphasizing medium- over short-range planning.