Teaching Math In Rwanda Spring Semester 2007

1. Teaching Math In RwandaSpring Semester 2007 Werner Horn, Susan Taylor, Carol Shubin, Jennifer Wright

5. Education Facts

6. Established 1997 to address the acute shortage of technical personnel Offers degrees in Engineering, Applied Science, Technical Education and Entrepreneurship Science 3 building houses math dept Kigali Institute of Science and Technology(KIST)

7. Curriculum • Very high standards • KIST curriculum is much more ambitious than CSUN’s math curriculum • Cohort structure • Little or no choice of classes • No dropping classes • Passing requires 50% - if a students fails they must repeat the year • Students spend 30-40 hours a week in class • Almost all classes are taught in English • Grand vision – lack of faculty makes it hard to implement

8. One third of the program (Math component only) YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1 CODE COURSE TITLE MAT 101 Elementary Mathematics MAT 102 Calculus 1 MAT 103 Linear Algebra 1 SEMESTER 2 MAT 104 Linear Algebra II MAT 105 Abstract Structures I MAT 106 Analytical and Affine Geometry YEAR 2 SEMESTER 1 MAT 201 Calculus II MAT 202 Introduction to Differential Equations (ODE and PDE) MAT 203 Probability and Statistics SEMESTER 2 MAT 204 Complex Analysis MAT 205 Representations of Finite Groups MAT 206 Projective Geometry MAT 207 Numerical Analysis I YEAR 3 SEMESTER 1 MAT 301 Differential Geometry MAT 302 Probability and Statistics II MAT 303 Fundamentals of Computers SEMESTER 2 MAT 304 Functional Analysis MAT 305 Lie Groups, Lie Algebras and their Representations MAT 306 Applied Differential Equations MAT 307 History of Mathematics and Physics YEAR 4 SEMESTER 1 MAT 401 Advanced Complex Analysis MAT 402 Geometry and Topology of Dynamical Systems MAT 403 Probability and Statistics III MAT 404 Introduction to Galois Theory MAT 405 Measure Theory MAT 406 Numerical Analysis II SEMESTER 2 MAT 406 Arithmetic MAT 407 Non-Euclidean Geometry and Its Applications MAT 408 Mathematical Introduction to Computers MAT 409 Research Project in Mathematics Kigali Institute of EducationMath component of Secondary Teacher Education Program

9. Students • Students go through college in cohorts • Bright, motivated, and hard working • Most first year students are francophones • Government supported students (25,000FRW~$50 per month for room, board, supplies, and transportation) • Privately supported students - Tuition cost per semester ~ $1200* • Most students skip meals to get by • Student housing crisis • Few students have access to the internet • Most students have no books RE Math skills: Students had good algebraic skills, but poor graphing skills

10. Faculty and Staff • Disparity in pay scale between Rwandans and expats • Rwandans study abroad often don’t return • Math dept is under-staffed, only 2 PhDs in math, majority of staff is expat • Poor communication within the department and the university • Poor organization have to teach to a flexible schedule; class and exams times may change with little notice • Large classes and heavy teaching loads • Large classes 150+ students in cohorts • Little assistance for grading, etc.

11. Infrastructure • Poor light or glare • One free standing blackboard, if any • Poor acoustics • Leaking ceiling • Inaccessible computer lab • No textbooks • Little photocopying • No sinks in student’s bathroom • Lack of organization and communication • Carrying blackboards and chairs from one class to another • Student dormitories were appalling – Students pay $8 per month for the following accommodations 2 students per twin bed, 16 students per room, old mattresses with bugs, general insect infestation, no lights, no showers, students bath in outdoor sinks for laundry, unclean water runoff, 2 toilets for 800 students, poor security, unsafe structure Run by the Rwandan Red Cross $8*x12x800= $76,800 per year Where does the money go?

13. Adminstration Direct control of the University by the President Kagame (all classes were cancelled for 5 weeks to prepare for an international Aids Conference) The Senate approves the curriculum Foreign aid from the UK, Netherlands, and Japan funds the university The provosts are sent from UK Open University and appointed by the Senate Incoming expat faculty have no idea what the structure of the university is – there is no directory or orientation Frank and open communication is not really tolerated; example – faculty were asked to take a pay cut to fund a genocide memorial. Resolution passed with no discussion.

14. Future More online classes, expand the African Virtual University Look for more partnerships in the East African Community and global partnerships Increase Vocational Training and Teacher TrainingPrograms