My Skool Media Journey: Hilary Ikuni Ebinum
Hilary is the Technical Officer of the Skool Media office at Queens’ College, Yaba, the pioneer secondary school in Nigeria to complement technology for improved education. Hilary tells us about his background, his job, the challenges and the joys.
Academic Background
My name is Hilary. I attended Laura school now Laura International School in Festac and Command Day Secondary School, Ojoo. I have a BSc. in Agricultural Science from Delta State University, Asaba Campus. I served in Ebonyi State with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Abakaliki in 2013.
When did your love for computers start?
My love for computer started early as an observer. I will see someone press something on the computer and I would ask: how did you do it? How did that work? Show me this, show me that..
When I finished my SS3, I could not browse; I could not surf the net because I was afraid if I go on the internet, I may not even know what to do. It was not until university that I realised my love for computers. I started learning by looking, then I started learning. It was in fact my knowledge of computers that helped me through university. I was using it to make money by registering courses for my mates. I will get some of them to write out their courses for me and pay for night browsing when the internet was faster. I got as much as 15,000 naira for these jobs. I even typed assignments for them.
My Head of Department also found out that I did a lot of research online, so started assisting them with research for their journals. I had my name as their research assistant on two journals.
So how did you then renew that love with Skool Media?
I applied to the organisation to work as a CISCO Instructor in November, 2014. I was later called that I was not qualified because the job states that you must have basic knowledge of computer. It was not enough to know, you must be able to teach. I later went for the second interview and I got the job. I was posted to Queens College, Yaba Lagos. So I started taking classes. After a term, we did a training for teachers which involved guiding teachers on the usage of system operating software like Microsoft Office. During the training, we had a problem with the sound coordination, so I told my colleagues, handle the teaching aspect and let me handle the technical aspect. That was how I realised that I was a better as a technical person. So, when Skool Media started, it involved more technical functions, like the installation of projectors in classrooms and tablet-related issues. So, I was extracted from the team on ground to become Skool Media staff. I have been part of the entire Skool Media story from day one.
Do you think technology makes students more independent?
Yes, but that also depends on how the students handle this. Some students read ahead, some students tend to take their time. They can read one topic more than once depending on their state of assimilation. So they tend to learn good things that most of us did not have in those good old days. The students know how to carry out more research on their work. This skill comes in handy when they have assignments. Sometimes, they are even take-home assignments during the holidays, which they mail to their teachers. So instead of writing it in a book and submitting it, with the teachers going through the stacked up notes, they just download and read.
So tell me about the teachers’ training. I will like to know how teachers who were used to blackboards, chalk turned to tab-wielding, projector-using teachers?
Okay, let me clarify this. We have not eliminated the actual writing on the board. The projector is set in such a way that it divides the board into two, so yes, the teacher can still write. So, maybe you are teaching biology and looking at the heart. Now, you have a picture of heart labelled on your computer, we now project it, so they are seeing the labelled diagram. If it is graphics, we can have a video graphical representation of the heart pumping, so if you show the video to the students, there is a way it boosts their understanding of the topic instead of explaining it, the video just does it all within minutes. The teacher can decide to play it many times and then give the students the video, in that case watching their video on their own alongside explanations given to them also helps them learn. It simplifies the work of the teacher while enhancing the student’s learning process as well.
So tell me what is your typical day like here Skool Media?
I interact with students, staff and administrators. Maybe someone just got a new laptop that requires software installation and because they don’t have knowledge of that, I will have to do it for them. For the students, you always have a problem of “my tab broke”, or “it is not coming on”. Many of them use it all the time, and tend to exhaust the battery to like 1%, so by the time they plug it, they expect it to come on at once without knowing they have to exercise patience. The students also come for their notes; I give to them as given to me following the instructions by the school. If you are using the tab for the first time, I guide you on how to use it. For the administrators, the school has some technical things that they may not have someone around to help them install, they call on me and I help them.
What are the challenges of your work?
Some students tend to abuse the tab. You know the joy that they now have a tab gets into their head. They want put everything “watchable” on it just to feel among but with time, through constant advice that we give to them, they tend to understand its appropriate use.
The second one is the issue of damage because it may not be the person that owns it that damages it. Some keep it in their bags and then place the bag on the chair, someone may come and just sit on it and then it gets broken. We also cater for them to help fix such damages. There is also the challenge of broken tabs; malfunctioning softwares maybe they put in a software that is not compatible with the tab, the tab will freeze, they bring it to us and we help them fix. We already put measures in place by encouraging them to use pouches which are strong enough to cushion the effects of possible damages.
Do the tabs come with a warranty?
Yes, they do. A year plus most times 13 months.
How do you think your work is changing the world?
How I wish I had the opportunity that they now have, there is no way I won’t have finished with a first class, even if there is anything higher than a first class. The access that they have to technology not only improves their grades but makes them world class students. It also makes them prepared for their world in the future for there is nothing that you can do without technology.