Based on our life experience, skills and interests – below is a description of a design process that is both uniquely ours and effective!

Growing up in a strict family, my siblings and I used to improvise and come up with plans to get what we wanted. Sleepovers at cousins place was something we loved doing but it was an instant “no” if we went straight with the proposal. We used to set up a 2 week plan.  My siblings and I first kept track of our parents mood and attentively did our household chores. We made sure we had good unseen exam results ready and waited for the right chance to ask them for permission. I realized that we used to follow a process of-

1. Identifying our goal
2. Researched on what would make them happy 
3. Did our best to keep their mood good for an extended period of time and improvised our tactic according to the situation.
4. Tried to show them why it’s good for everyone

The reason why the process worked was because it was really personalized. We made and discarded several plans and tweaked it till it was perfect.

The three most important stakeholders for Save Tuba and five UNIQUE attributes for each one of them

1. Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan- executive body concerned with implementing policies regarding what is taught to kids in grade school; attributes: modernized, willing to adapt new policies in environmental education, want to educate students to be conscientious citizens and aware of their surroundings, patriotic (want to see that their country is flourishing), interested in further incorporating technology into the Kazakh educational system
2. Teachers- have an “insider perspective” of grade-school students (the app’s primary demographic), college-educated (understand the importance of teaching kids about the environment and sustainability), readily collaborate with and assist the students in our venture, reside in an urban area (Almaty is the most polluted city in Kazakhstan, so they engage with sustainability initiatives more readily than residents of rural areas, per se), abundant (easy to access and gain their input on our venture)
3. Students- eager to learn, dependent on higher authorities in regards to the information they consume, easily influenced, use a great amount of technology on a daily basis

Three ways in which we will validate our Save Tuba concept, technology, usability, and business model

Validation is a continuous process that we are committed to carrying out to ensure that the Save Tuba game app for sustainable education is creating value! Information collected from the various validation activities will provide data to inform app upgrades.  Equally important, the validation information will offer guidance if and when we need to pivot to best ensure a successful project. The validation will tell us if what we are doing is destined to work and most important, make an impact.

Concept Validation for utilizing a game app to teach sustainable education:

1. Coordinate conversations (interviews) with 2-3 Kazakhstan teachers living in the US
2. In partnership with Alma U students, survey teachers/students in Kazakhstan to learn more about interest and willingness to use a game app to teach/learn sustainability and collect feedback on the content
3. In partnership with Alma U students, survey building and/or system administrators in Kazakhstan to learn about the feasibility of adopting the game app across their educational system

Technology Validation –

1. Determine that students have the necessary technology (phones and access to reliable and readily available broadband internet) via conversations with teachers and parents in small focus groups
2. Put the early alpha model in the hands of students, ask them to play with the app and then engage in a virtual conversation along with our Alma U partners to collect end-user feedback on design, special features, and ease to travel from one level to the other.  We will repeat this process after we update the app with survey, focus group and alpha testing feedback, giving the students an opportunity to again test the beta version of the app and provide us immediate feedback via a virtual discussion.
3. Test the game app’s ability to fully function with a small alpha set of teachers/students, followed by a beta testing of a slightly larger cohort of teachers/students before fully implementing the game app in nearly 20 schools with 7,500 students simultaneously using the app 

Usability Validation –

1. We will interview early adopters (teachers who helped test the alpha and beta versions) to learn about their user experience and ease with managing the app to help with their instruction
2. We will survey students to learn about their user experience and ease with using the app and navigating through the levels
3. We will coordinate with Alma U students to conduct a virtual parent focus group to collect feedback on the frequency and ease they observe their children when engaged with the app
4. Discuss with administrators anticipated challenges with providing tech-support and app expansion features
5. Engage early adopters from the teacher group who use the alpha and beta versions to assist with training teachers recruited for the MVP implementation

Business/Revenue Model Validation –

1. Identify and discuss funding partnership opportunities with Kazakhstan businesses and/or organizations; establish a sponsorship relationship that provides the organization with advertisement via the app
2. Engage in conversations with educational agencies to request funding for app maintenance, enhancements and support for student/family/teacher IT needs
3. Meet with Kazakhstan government officials to establish a funding partnership  
4. Utilize social media (Instagram/FB) to build relationships with potential sponsors and funding partners

Three examples of something very interesting I learned from a friend…that was a completely alien concept to me!

As naïve as it may sound, I had two separate but interesting lessons about culture from friends that circled around food. One was about wine – a liquid version of food! During high school, I learned a great deal about the Italian culture from my best friend. His parents were first generation migrants to the US from Italy. One of the traditions that they kept is making their own wine. It was via a visit to his home that I learned that the grapes they grew on their property were used to make their own wine…and they crushed the wines with their bare feet (continuing with traditional wine-making tradition).

The second interesting lesson was during my college experience. One day after class, I came home to one of my roommates (also Italian) making homemade tomato sauce from scratch!  In addition to the mesmerizing aroma, I learned about the pride his family took in their “secret sauce”.

Finally, I recently learned what it takes to build a deck. Although I have never built anything (like a deck) before, I worked along my brother to add a deck to my house. It was interesting to see engineering, design, and carpentry all come together to yield a great addition to the house. Although it would have been easier to pay a contractor, the experience forced me out of my comfort zone and learn a great deal about construction.

Top 20 questions the SAVE TUBA team needs to answer to advance the venture forward are:

1. Will this app actually make a long-term impact with environmental sustainability?
2. Will this project make an impact on needed behavior changes to increase recycling in Kazakhstan?
3. Will this app be more of a chore or something that the students will actually be interested in doing?
4. How much of the app (wireframe/design and coding) is actually done?
5. Is the app easily replicable for other regions?
6. Is the curriculum aligned to the age of the students?
7. Do teachers currently use instructional apps in Kazakhstan classrooms?
8. Would teachers beyond the project participants be interested in incorporating an instructional app?  If not, what are the challenges or resistance for using apps?
9. Will we create the app to serve the needs and interests of all students?
10. Will there be modifications for students with special needs? (i.e. hearing or visually impaired)
11. Will the content be offered in multiple languages (Russian, Kazakh, English)?
12. How involved have the Alma University students been in the prior phase? And, how could we strengthen their involvement moving forward?
13. What specific contributions have the Alma University students contributed to the project? And, what are they interested in contributing moving forward?
14. What has been done to secure support for the SAVE TUBA game app implementation with school administrators?
15. What are the incentives that we are envisioning for students that participate/use the app?
16. Have we collected input from our partners to best identify potential incentives?
17. What new features could we add to the app?
18. How do we ensure our efforts are sustainable?
19. How can we further grow our team to secure all the necessary skills for completing the MVP?
20. How will this venture benefit the communities in both Kazakhstan and Bethlehem?

SAVE TUBA’s 2021 Theory of Change!

SAVE TUBA’s 2021 Measurement and Evaluation Plan

Assumptions

• Teachers will want to incorporate the Save Tuba app in their lessons.
• Teachers will consider the Save Tuba app easy to use.
• Teachers will see value in using the Save Tuba app.
• Students will like using the app.
• Students will gain knowledge about environmental sustainability.
• Students will change their behaviors related to recycling.
• Students will influence the behavior of adults in their household related to recycling.
• Save Tuba app will lead to change in practices related to recycling in Almaty.

Short term success metrics

1. Finalized validation instruments by 2/28/21
2. At least 75 completed validation surveys from all groups by 3/12/21
3. 5 completed focus groups (for teachers) with validation questions, each with at least 5 participants
4. Design and coding for one new app enhancement is completed by 3/23/21
5. beta app version is completed  by 3/30/21
6. beta app version is tested with 25 Kazakhstan teachers and 75 students by 4/30/21
7. completed focus groups with beta app users by 5/31/21
   • 3 focus groups of 3-5 teachers in each group from population of teachers that used the beta version
   • 5 focus groups of 3-5 students in each group from population of students that used the beta version
8. Completed MVP by 6/11/21
9. Over 2,000 downloads of the app by 10/1/21
   1. 6 school x 5 teachers/school x 3 classrooms/teacher x 25 students/classrooms
10. Average time spent by the user in app
11. Average number of levels completed by users

Long term success metrics

1. Change in overall recycle rate
2. Number of partnered schools that adopt use of Save Tuba app
3. Teacher and student acceptance rate of sustainability education

Specific method to measure metrics

1. Validation questions for survey and focus groups will be designed jointly by Almaty and Lehigh teams.  
2. Validation surveys will be administered and focus groups conducted by the Almaty team.  Data will be collected and shared via Google Docs.
3. Questions for focus groups with beta participants will be designed jointly by Almaty and Lehigh teams.  
4. Focus groups conducted by the Almaty team.  Data will be collected and shared via Google Docs. Data will be collected and shared via Google Docs.
5. Records of participating schools, number of teachers, and number of students will be logged and shared between the Almaty and Lehigh teams via Google Docs.
6. Survey will be used to collect data related to acceptance rate, knowledge, and change behavior one-year post implementation.

Three compelling examples of how cultural issues affect the Save Tuba project

With the understanding that “culture is the lens through which you view the world”, there are various cultural issues that could play a role on how the Lehigh team perceives our efforts versus how the people in Kazakhstan interpret our actions with the Save Tuba project. As the team continues to move forward with creating a game system to help school-age students learn about the importance of recycling and the environment, cultural differences like language (English vs. Kazakh and Russian), how each group generally values time (equating time to money vs. having a more relax belief of time), or communication styles (direct/informal vs. reserved/formal) are some examples of how cultural difference, if not planned for, could have a negative effect on the project. For example, the Save Tuba team is drafting the academic content in English. Since most school-age children’s home language is Kazakh and Russian, careful attention must be paid to the translation of the content to ensure that the quality and desired meaning of the curriculum is delivered in the native language. Like the team’s efforts given to the design, wireframing, and development of the app, it is crucial to the success of the project to also carefully plan and account for the cultural differences.

Three situations that I have experienced highlighting cultural differences.

After my family moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland US, I was thrown into an almost daily occurrence of feeling lost or confused because needing to rely on poorly translated documents. Classwork, homework assignment, or written communication to my mother with poor quality translation often left us “lost in translation”. Although teachers had the best of intentions, a lack of knowledge of nuances in word choice or sentence structure due to cultural differences meant that I (and my family) had a poor experience. During my early years in the mainland US public educational experience, I relied on translated materials that unfortunately failed to provide accurate or easy to understand information.

Having been born and raised in Puerto Rico, I can attest for the cultural difference in the concept of time between folks from the Caribbean islands (specifically Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic) and mainland United State. As an adult that has become much more “Americanized” than my family and friends who still live and work in Puerto Rico or Dominican Republic, I have (strongly) adopted the American value that “time is money”. I admittedly have succumbed to the fast pace, time-centric way to manage my days. It is refreshing to travel to PR or DR and be reminded that the American norm of time is not the only effective way to manage your day.

American culture tends to be very direct when communicating. Additionally, eye contact is seen as a sign of respect even when having a contentious conversation. In my culture, however, direct eye contact during a contentious situation with a person of authority is disrespectful. As a classroom teacher, I have experienced students looking away or down to their feet when being corrected. Because of my background, I was OK with their reaction. I have helped colleagues who find themselves in power struggles with Latino students who refuse to look at them in the eye during a disciplinary conversation.  To them, the students are being disrespectful.  To the students, they are being the upmost respectful.

Three examples of cultural practices that can be leveraged to addressed community/market problems.

Word of mouth communication from a trusted elder or community leader, the practice of breaking bread together – using food to establish fellowship, and traditions related to holiday celebrations (ie, parrandas Navidenas or Three Kings Day) are a few examples of cultural practices that can be leveraged to help address community problems. Although these are not universal strategies for every culture, the strategies depend on trusting relationships – an effective technique that is universal with most cultures.

Why did I enroll in this course?

When researching local MBA programs in the area, I purposely looked for an experience that would offer more than a challenging classroom learning environment. After learning about the Global Social Impact Fellowship (GSIF), I was immediately sold on the idea that Lehigh offered exactly what I wanted. Although GSIF was not promised to be one of my courses due to the required application and selection process, I eagerly entered and pushed through my first year of MBA coursework, patiently waiting for the opportunity to apply and hopefully participate in this servant learning experience. GSIF’s model to apply what we are learning in the classroom to real-life social problems, the opportunity for me to make an (almost) immediate impact in the lives of people, and more specifically the option to be able to do so within the educational K-12 system makes GSIF and Save Tuba the keystone experience for my MBA program. GSIF/Save Tuba is aligned to who I am as person – someone who’s goal is to use my knowledge, skills, and resources to help others in need. I was recently interviewed by someone doing research for a project called “People that makes us pause” and her final question to me was, “What would my obituary say?”.  My response was that it would say – someone who served, especially children and worked everyday to make the world around him a better place.

How do I envision this course making you a better MBA student?

During my first year of MBA coursework, I often felt like the odd person in my classes due to my background and experience in K-12 education and the nonprofit world. I enrolled in GSIF hoping that my instinctive nature to serve, especially children, could be further developed by the program that promises to “prepare students to be dynamic leaders who are not only business savvy, but globally aware and economically and environmentally conscious.” GSIF/Save Tuba will make me a better MBA student by providing me a hands-on learning experience that combines business leadership theory with real-life application of the learnings in a project that has global implications.

Lack of proper eyeglasses severely impacts people and their livelihoods by decreasing their productivity at work, limiting or eliminating new opportunities, affecting their quality of life, deteriorating their general health and possibly leading to (preventable) blindness.

What solution do I propose to address this problem?

Vision for All. Lenses with Love.

I believe that there needs to be a coordinated, multi-nation response to address the worldwide need for eyeglasses. To expedite a response, I would recommend forging a collaboration with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and United Way Worldwide (UWW). Both organizations have established worldwide infrastructures that would facilitate providing an almost immediate response. Specifically, both organizations have processes for recruiting, onboarding, and managing a volunteer workforce – at an international level.  Additionally, both organizations have robust fundraising efforts that could be leveraged to raise targeted funds for this effort. Their track record with other parallel global initiatives will provide the needed evidence to demonstrate their capacity with this project and secure funding from both private and public sectors. The combination of the two organizations will provide access to individual, government, and business support for the needed finances and human capital.

One of MSF’s principles is to “provide medical aid where it’s needed the most – independent, neutral, impartial” – making the case for being a natural partner to address the worldwide eyeglass need defined by the Worldwide Health Organizations to be affecting over 1 billion people. MSF has various types of projects related to addressing health disparities such as improving access to healthcare. Although they provide services in over 70 countries to address 21 varying medical issues, eye care and access to eyeglasses is not on their current list of prioritized services.

UWW is the largest privately funded charitable organization in the world and serves over 40 countries and territories. They raise over $5 billion annually from donors that span the globe. Their organizational strength is based on their ability to raise individual and corporate dollars and build public will around select issues. Those two well refined skills make them a critical partner to address the need for eye care. Additionally, one of their three focus areas for impact is to address Health needs of the most vulnerable populations – another important reason for forging a partnership with UWW to address the eye care and eyeglass issue.

A partnership with both MSF and UWW would help expediate creating a global response to this critical issue. The proposed collective response would address two primary barriers: 1) lack of access to optometrist and 2) financial resources needed to underwrite the cost for eyeglasses. MSF would be able to provide an immediate pool of optometrist – the short-term solution to eliminate access. However, in partnership with UWW, the long-term solution will include developing educational programs to grow the pipeline of optometrist in countries like Kenya where the disparity would make it impossible for sustained impact. The latter strategy, a grow our own model, will take longer to accomplish but will help with issues beyond the immediate need for eye care and eyeglasses. The suggested response included launching both short and long-term solutions. UWW’s second priority area of Education makes this an even more appealing project since it further enhances alignment with their organizational efforts. Both organizations have established business models that can be leveraged to address the global eye health needs to create a win-win-win relationship for MSF, UWW, and global citizens in need of eye care and eyeglasses.