Could this graph, borrowed from another blog, be of any use? The blog entry, as well as its numerous associated comments, provides a lot of food for thought.
What could be done to prevent teachers following the the drop-out and amateur lines?
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The topic of teachers who are reluctant to embrace technology as a teaching tool is one of ongoing debate.
Why will a teacher not use a tool that is clearly beneficial to learners?
Where must the poor teacher get the time to learn to use computer technology?
It is like a pendulum: the argument goes forwards and backwards.
Have you ever viewed a teacher as a rock? Rocks? Yes, you know, those things that won't budge. Doesn't matter what you do, they remain as unmovable as the rock face of Table Mountain.
The blog posting "Caution: Falling rocks" certainly provides some food for thought.
What are we going to do with our rocks?
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In a number of schools, when computers are installed for curriculum delivery purposes, some form of technology may already be present. Perhaps there is an existing computer laboratory which had been used for computer literacy classes.
The person responsible for the old facility is often one of the greatest threats to the success of the new computer installation. (I must hasten to add that this is not a general rule: there are refreshing examples of ICT administrators who contributed considerably in making new technology facilities successful).
Why do computer teachers resent the establishment of a new computer facility? Do they fear that they may lose their jobs? Or lose their power? Or positions? Or could it be that they suffer from a-dog-in-the-manger syndrome?
The expression "a dog in the manger" originated in one of Aesop's fables.
A dog, wanting to take an afternoon nap, jumped into the manger of an ox and lay there cosily upon the straw. The ox, returning from its afternoon work, came up to the manger and wanted to eat some of the straw. The dog, in a rage, being awakened from its slumber, stood up and barked at the ox and attempted to bite it whenever it came near.
Could it be that some computer teachers are resentful of the fact that other teachers will now bring their learners into the computer facility in support of their specific learning areas? Perhaps the computer teachers can only teach computer principles; they cannot eat the curriculum straw, but they are not going to make it easy for other educators to use the technology. They may even make ICT access (and life in general) difficult for their colleagues.
The fable concludes:
At last the ox had to give up the hope of getting at the straw, and went away muttering: "Some people often begrudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves."
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Earlier this evening the cream of the South African public sector came together to celebrate innovation in the different tiers of government service.
Thirteen finalists were chosen from around the country and there were five categories in which awards were granted.
The Khanya project was the only Western Cape finalist and was the winner in the category: "Innovative Use of ICT for Effective Service Delivery". Khanya shared this honour with the Neuron Software Project of the City of Johannesburg – a computer system designed to address the issue of time taken by the city to respond to problem water pipes.
Some amazing projectsvwere showcased. A Free State project to eradicate buckets – yes in the Free State there are still more that 80 000 latrines that cannot flush and that are using buckets – won the top award in one of the categories.
Khanya is proud to be a winner of this prestigious award and acknowledges the huge contribution of its partners: the various directorates of the Western Cape Education Department, other provincial and state departments, as well as partners from the private sector.
The dedicated members of the Khanya team deserve a big applause for their innovative spirit.
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Every person on the planet must be prepared to make a contribution towards keeping the planet green. Many do not want to face the inconvenient truth that the earth is getting warmer and warmer – not by itself, but by the indiscreet way in which people are using natural resources.
Those who want to do their bit to fight global warming must be prepared to make personal sacrifices.
Do not let the tap run while you are brushing your teeth. Put a brick in the toilet cistern. Invest in other water saving devices.
Save as much electricity as you possibly can. Make use of alternative electricity supplies. Install solar panels on your roof if it is within your means.
Try to save our forests. Use paper sparingly. Recycle paper.
There are indeed many things we can do – even small things – that will make a difference.
What about saving on books?
Books? Yes, books are not only forest unfriendly; they also require a huge amount of energy to produce. Trees are chopped down by electricity driven saws; transported to plants in fuel guzzling trucks; mashed into pulp while consuming electricity and mega-liters of water, as well as expelling a lot of toxic wastes; the pulp is moved to other factories – again using fossil fuel – where it is transformed into paper, while more electricity is consumed. The printing process, book binding efforts, packaging (using ungreen plastic) and shipping to bookstores add to the inordinate consumption of energy.
Should one not consider getting rid of books in their current format? If one uses electronic readers, surely a great contribution will be made towards keeping the planet green.
A new device, named the Kindle , is now available; it combines the benefits of conventional books and computing devices. The article The Future of Reading explains more about this gadget.
Could the Kindle help to keep the planet green?
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