BLOSSOMS (Blended Learning Open Source Science Or Math Studies) is an initiative to develop a huge open and free resource of conceptual videos for high school math and science levels produced and gifted by volunteer faculty members initially from MIT and beneficiaries are the educators in Jordan and Pakistan. On the other side Pakistan has heterogeneous education systems and has various implementation issues. In this paper, issues like localization, language controversy, curriculum alignment, implementation, assessment and resources have highlighted. At the end, an implementation model has proposed for the better adoption of BLOSSOMS in Pakistan.

1. Implementation of BLOSSOMS
in Pakistan
M Kashif Farooq
From
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)

2. Abstract
• Background: Pakistan has heterogeneous education
systems (Local & International)
• Implementation issues:
– localization,
– language controversy,
– curriculum alignment,
– implementation,
– Assessment
– resources
• Proposed implementation model for BLOSSOMS in
Pakistan

3. Generally
• Teachers are interested in using blended
learning to attain a better professional profile,
• to take advantage of learning benefits offered
by Information Technology (IT) but always in
the context of the school culture otherwise
they strongly connected to the established
student examination system [1]
Ref [1]: Demetriadis, S., et al., "Cultures in negotiation": teachers' acceptance/resistance
attitudes considering the infusion of technology into schools.
Computers & Education, 2003. 41(1): p. 19-37

4. Survey of Academic Community
• More than 80 teachers from following various
institutions participated in the workshop
• LCWU, Kinnaird College, Punjab School, Sharif
Education Complex, Lahore Grammar, Beacon
house, Educators, Salamat Schools System etc.
• More than 20 teachers participated virtually
• Many BLOSSOMS video-modules presented
for the workshop audience

5. Conceptual Level
All the participants agreed 5
Rating Leval
on point 4
3
2
1
0 20 40 60 80 100
Frequency
•BLOSSOMS video modules are conceptual in nature
(More than 80% people agreed )
•Higher education needs conceptual students

6. 5
Rating Leval
Localization 4
3
In Pakistan, there are 2
two systems of
1
education
•O & A-Level 0 10 20 30 40 50
(international) Frequency
• Matric & FSc (local)
Need of Localization
• Stronger group believes that there is no need
of localization
• People belong to international system are used to foreign education
system while
• other people related to local system have their own apprehensions.

7. Language Barrier
Group1: Need Urdu Translation
(Having background of Urdu medium of instructions)
Deep learning or understanding
from these videos
need language comfort
Group2: Need No Urdu Translation
(Already providing education in English medium of instructions)
Level of Language Barrier

8. Language Barrier
BLOSSOMS videos may increase
the language comprehension
for further higher studies
Disagree
These conceptual videos should not be used for improving the
English language for higher studies
Improvement in English Listening Comprehension

9. Language Barrier
In favor of Urdu Translation
Against
Need of Urdu Translation

10. Alignment with curriculum
No Alignment Required in Video Topics with Curriculum
BLOSSOMS videos should fill the gap between high
school curricula and pre-requisition for higher education,
not to be aligned with high schools curricula
Required Alignment of Video Topics with Curriculum

11. Alignment with curriculum
Curricula of high school should be modified
as per topics of videos for better adoption
Required Alignment of Curricula with Video Topics

12. Implementation
• Faculty acceptance
• Improvement of teaching skills
• Enforcement
• Academic calendar

13. Implementation: Faculty acceptance
People wants change in their
•professional methodologies and
•accommodates innovation
for betterment
Conventional type of people does not want any change

14. Implementation: Improvement of
teaching skills
Broadminded people improve their skills by
consulting other experts of respective field
Conservative people criticize others skills and
do not want any change in their practices

15. Implementation: Enforcement
Enforced
Implementation
Voluntarily
Implementation

16. Implementation: Academic Calendar
Some people suggested that
after completing the high school education,
students have some time before joining the higher education
that can be used for improving their concepts by BLOSSOMS
Academic calendar of high school level is over burdening
No room for BLOSSOMS

17. Assessment: External Evaluation
Students must be evaluated on BLOSSOMS topics
from local or international examination boards

18. Assessment: Internal Evaluation
In house evaluation for BLOSSOMS has no impact

19. Resource Barrier for Institutes
5
Rating Level
4
3
2
1
0 20 40 60 80
Frequency
Telecommunication Infrastructure Index 2008 of BLOSSOMS Partner’s Countries
Country Internet PC Cellular Telephone Broadband Infrastructur
Index Index Index Lines Index e Index
Index
USA 0.778 0.844 0.509 0.593 0.609 0.6663
Jordon 0.154 0.069 0.489 0.109 0.026 0.1693
Pakistan 0.086 0.006 0.143 0.034 0.001 0.0540
Source: From e-Government to Connected Governance, in 2008 UNDESA: United Nations e-Government Survey

20. Resource Barrier for Home Users

21. Proposed Implementation
• It should be the part of entry test of higher
education like engineering, medical, IT, Computer
Science etc.
• Students already be evaluated as per their
curriculum by education boards while BLOSSOMS
topics will add more knowledge and will improve
their concepts
• Usually brilliant students appears in entry tests,
so they can easily understand these topics

22. Proposed Implementation
• Students and faculty has enough time to cover
these BLOSSOMS topics in the spare time slot
(after final exams and before joining the
higher education)
• A local portal should be developed to guide
the faculty about the adoption of BLOSSOMS
topic in existing curricula and academic
calendar.

23. Thank You