The Living Earth Institute (LEI) is seeking a grant to assist the Ecology Vocational College, in Chisinau Moldova, developing educational capacity. The grant would fund a project to provide computers and equipment needed to provide coursework from the Ecology Vocational College over the internet. The Moldovan Ministry of Education founded the Ecology Vocational College in 1998. The Ministry of Education has recently revised the College’s mission in order expanded the goal of the College to include training in computer sciences. The proposed project will allow the College to pilot a "distance learning approach" program that will integrate their existing coursework into a web based accessible format.
Because of the desperate economic situation in Moldova, the government cannot provide much funding for existing educational institutions. Due to this lack of funding, it has become impossible for many educational institutions to function effectively. The recent directive from the Moldovan Ministry of Education to include training in computer sciences has not been adequately funded. In addition, an assessment conducted in 1996 by USAID has shown the need to improve infrastructure in environmental monitoring. USAID recommends greatly enhancing training to provide environmental analytical capabilities and to procure laboratory equipment for environmental monitoring. This project will provide support the Ecology Vocational College to develop new on-line curriculum and obtain analytical equipment to train professionals with skills needed to protect their environment. The project focus on water quality monitoring and assessment was influenced by the USAID Environmental Policy and Technology Project recommends greatly enhancing training to provide environmental analytical capabilities (Report PN-ACB-143) and to procure laboratory equipment for environmental monitoring (Report PN-ACB-144).
LEI is hoping to raise the necessary funds to begin the project starting in the next academic year when the Ecology Vocational College will introduce new courses for a degree in "Computers and System Administration". The proposed project will allow the Ecology Vocational College to pilot a "distance learning approach" program that will integrate their existing coursework into a web-based accessible. To achieve this integration, a new course will be developed focused on the theme of "Water Quality Assessment and Management" that will tie together other disciplines taught at the Ecology Vocational College. With funding, computer equipment and laboratory equipment will be purchased and set up at the Ecology Vocational College. Information on water quality will be collected for calibrating the model to be used in the curriculum. The curriculum will be offered on-line in English, Romanian, and Russian. Many students will access the coursework with the newly purchased computers. The coursework will finish with a weeklong workshop conducting analysis on water quality samples with the new laboratory equipment and learning computer modeling with the new computers.
Details can be found in the project proposal and business plan.
Steve Butkus
LEI Project Manager
info@living-earth.org