Seward Incorporated

Seward Inc. has begun work on the Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support (TPDS) project, a USAID-funded project. The three-year project aims to assist the Malawian Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) in implementing teacher education support and systems management. The project will emphasize completing and reinforcing the introduction of the Primary Curriculum and Assessment Reform (PCAR). Under the reform, the new primary curriculum is a major paradigm shift within the Ministry of Education from objective-based curriculum to outcome-based education. 

This project will engage teachers and school administrators nationwide. Key components of the effort will focus on:

• Strengthening teacher management and support systems
• Enhancing teacher performance
• Improving early grade literacy and numeracy for school children
• Improving primary education-related monitoring and evaluation systems and quality 

Seward will be leading the teacher training and professional development effort. Seward has led other teacher training and leadership development efforts in the Sultanate of Oman, Egypt, and Malawi, as part of the Malawi Teacher Training Activity. 

Part of the work involves building on the highly valued Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA) in which Seward subcontracted to MIDEC partner Miske Witt and Associates for the design and development of an interactive training DVD on for use in pre-service teacher training. The work, completed in 2008, aimed to improve teacher professional skills and contribute to more effective schools through pre-service teacher training in Life Skills.

Seward Inc. has partnered with Creative Associates International, Inc. on the Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes (TILO) project in Egypt, funded by The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The TILO team is working closely with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the private sector, and communities across eleven governorates to develop and deliver a holistic integrated model for introducing technology into school-based reform activities. The goal is to benefit the larger community through increased student learning.

The TILO program is designed to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, and decentralized school management through the effective use of technology in schools. TILO schools go through two stages of participation:  

Seward will support the project with online learning materials and instructional design training. Seward will also consult about design and development of Moodle-based courses that are being repurposed from existing face-to-face training (http://moodle.org/).

On a recent trip, a Seward representative met with the new Technology Adviser to the Egyptian Minister of Education. The team presented Moodle as an option for improving teacher training across Egypt. Moodle allows for consistent training delivery and makes it easily. The shift to Moodle would cut training costs and improve training logistics.

About Seward Incorporated
Seward Incorporated is a leader in education technology solutions for corporate, academic, and government clients. Founded in 1990, Seward Inc. works nationally and internationally, developing custom eLearning solutions, consulting on building education systems, and training educators in the use of online tools. 

About Creative
Creative is a 32-year-old privately-owned non-governmental organization that addresses urgent challenges facing societies today. Whether they are shifts in demographics, the workplace, the classroom, technology, the political arena or the needs of stabilization in post-conflict environments, Creative views change as an opportunity to improve, transform and renew. We help our clients turn transitional environments into a positive force toward creating more empowered and effective communities, systems and institutions. For more information, visit www.caii.com.