MCL in action
Mentorship experiences
Mentors are a cornerstone for a successful MCL challenge campaign, guiding students through a responsive, dynamic learning environment tailored to evolving needs. Mentor selection is crucial, requiring an understanding of the local context, experience in collaboration projects, and expertise in the challenge area and learning process.
Mentors can be students who have previously participated in MCL, staff members, or experts from stakeholder organisations. Mentors are working closely with the student teams to provide assistance and support throughout the challenge.
In the MCL campaigns that took place in five Tanzanian universities in 2023, some of the mentors were MCL alumni students while some were not. This page summarises their insights and tips that stem from their mentorship experiences.
First things first, all mentors were trained by experts, and they had a Mentors' manual, acessed via Digicampus learning platform, as their guide. The manual ended up to be a very useful tool:
“I think the manual that was prepared to guide this MCL was very narrative and it guides very well.” - MCL mentor 2023
At least two of the mentors were university lecturers and thus they had a chance to attend different trainings and be part of projects like GeoICT and Resilience Academy, which also influenced their mentorship skills. They spent the most time with the students, and created close relationships that made it easy for the students to ask questions.
In the beginning most students were shy and had no confidence but later they were fine and integrated well into the program. For mentors who were MCL alumni, it was a lot easier to facilitate chemistry among students. The main task was to coach the students on how to integrate different tools and approaches in their work to come up with the solution.
Venues matter! If there is a chance to utilise a space that differs from a traditional classroom, take it. State University of Zanzibar mentors recognised a positive change in group dynamics when the MCL campaign meetings were transferred to an innovation space, instead of a classroom with integrated non-movable furniture.
The site visits were a great learning experience that created close connections among students and also between students and stakeholders. They were a great networking opportunity. According to some mentors the approach was interesting and also fun, it created employment opportunities, students gained new skills for example critical thinking, how to interact with different professions and confidence. This program stimulates the mind, one learns many things, very fast. The approach brought about multidisciplinarity-interdependence among students as they try to solve challenges. MCL alumni have been so open minded and more keen to take extra-curricular activities.
Site visits where the MCL students can meet stakeholders from relevant organisations and communities are very important. Many of the mentors mention that the visits and interaction with communities create a good reputation for the universities, as well as the MCL campaigns. People appreciate that students collaborate with them, while they are invited to share their insights and expertice.
Extracurricula activities hosted by MCL mentors can be a great added resource for learning, both for the MCL students, as well as for the mentor. In State University of Zanzibar, one of the mentors who had attended MCL campaign the previous year, organised a self-confidence enhancing seminar for the students. Great initiative which was warmly welcomed by the students!
Some of the recommendations from mentors were to integrate soft skills into the curriculum as it will be very profitable for the current and future generations. Also, teachers who know the importance of MCL can start by changing the way they teach their students. MCL could be a learning approach, clustering students by profession, the challenge could be the “research”.
According to some mentors, some students are proposing further training, they want to be involved further. Some started mappers groups and some even want to start their own geospatial-ICT related businesses.
”MCL is the best approach. As an entrepreneur I can testify that what I learnt in class is not what I am using at the moment, I am more confident, my presentation skills are really good. MCL alumni are different, they have good skills which help them.” - MCL mentor 2023
“As a mentor, this was a great opportunity, I got new skills of teaching. We have so many students getting involved in this challenge. I was able to know how to use the little teaching time at least to make the students know how to approach the problems, and make their learning more impactful to the society." - MCL mentor 2023
“Some students want to even repeat the challenge. Normally they only attend the training, listen, learn and do their own projects. MCL gives you skills you will not get in the classroom. It teaches you how to use your knowledge to employ yourself. Many are interested and still working on their solution.” - MCL mentor 2023