Introduction

Our team is currently in Kazakhstan, working to promote sustainability education through our innovative app. On the first day, we focused on expanding our network. We met with Ainar, Alma U’s Director of the Center for Sustainable Development and three students from Alma U who will be joining our team over the next two weeks. During this meeting, we defined our team goals and individual roles for the duration of our trip. Our primary objectives are to contact 30 schools, secure meetings with at least ten, and ultimately establish five schools willing to pilot our app in the upcoming semester.

We developed a comprehensive script for both messages and phone calls, aimed at explaining our mission, highlighting the value we offer to schools, and persuading decision-makers to take further interest. Additionally, we outlined a structured meeting plan for our discussions with school directors and teachers, which will last an hour and a half. This plan includes an introduction, an application demonstration, an explanation of the pilot program, and a series of discussion questions to gauge interest and identify potential challenges.

With a clear roadmap in place, we proceeded on the second day by making significant progress on various fronts. We advanced the development of our teacher interface for iOS, tested network connectivity, translated curriculum materials, and began contacting schools. We also had the opportunity to present our system to professors and students at Alma U, which helped us establish further valuable connections.

Currently, we have nine schools interested in our program and have scheduled a meeting with Haileybury University on Wednesday. Exciting developments are on the horizon over the next two weeks.

Value and Impact

By collaborating with local schools, we aim to ensure that our app provides significant educational value to students while also being user-friendly for teachers. An essential aspect of our work is determining the potential pricing for our app to ensure its sustainability and continued development. Today’s efforts are crucial in securing strong partnerships and obtaining valuable feedback from educators in Kazakhstan. This work will help us refine our app to better meet the needs of both students and teachers, fostering a more sustainable future through education.

Team Collaboration

Our success over the past 2 days was a direct result of our team’s strong collaboration and strategic division of tasks. While some team members concentrated on identifying schools and crafting introductory messages, others focused on refining the teacher interface and completing crucial software updates. Our software team has been working extremely hard on fixing bugs in the app, adding images in, and completing the teacher interface in preparation for our school meetings. The teacher interface is complex, and we do not expect it to be complete by the end of our time here in Kazakhstan, although we are making significant progress daily. We reconvened to devise a comprehensive plan for the week and to meet with our partner, Ainar. 

Key Takeaways from Our Collaborative Effort

1. Splitting Up Roles: Delegating specific roles and responsibilities ensured that we tackled multiple tasks efficiently and effectively.
2. Communication: Staying organized on Confluence and starting every day with a “stand-up” where each team member outlines the tasks they accomplished in the previous day, the tasks they plan to accomplish today, and any blockers that are preventing them from checking off a task.. 
3. Learning from Experience: Listening to insights from Malika and others who have previous fieldwork experience provided guidance and helped us avoid potential pitfalls.
4. Embracing New Ideas: Keeping an open mind to new suggestions and approaches fostered innovation and adaptability within our team.

Our collaborative approach not only streamlined our workflow but also strengthened our collective resolve to achieve our goals. This is vital as we continue our mission to enhance sustainability education in Kazakhstan.

Exploring Almaty 

Exploring the culture in Almaty, Kazakhstan, offers a vibrant and enriching experience, distinct from what one might encounter in the U.S. From the moment we arrived, we were immersed in the local cuisine, starting with a doner, a delicious pastry filled with meat and cheese that provided a perfect introduction to the region’s flavors. Meat is a staple here, and we’re particularly excited to try beshbarmak, a traditional dish made with horse meat and vegetables. Social customs around dressing are noticeably different; people tend to wear more modest clothing compared to the U.S. Women often wear skirts, dresses, and elegant jackets, while men frequently wear suits, though some opt for more casual attire. We are excited to explore the stunning mountains surrounding the city and experience more of the rich culture that Almaty has to offer.