The name Khanya is derived from a Xhosa language word meaning "to let the light shine", "to brighten", or "to illuminate". The Khanya project was established in 2001 by the Western Cape Education Department in South Africa to provide computer technology to schools. The objective was to use the technology as an illumination tool during the curriculum delivery process.

I had the privilege of being involved in this project from the start. Over the years I had many illuminations regarding the potential benefits of ICT in education. In e-culture terms, I received many e-luminations. The purpose of this blog is to present my personal e-luminations to all who have an interest in education, technology, or both. You are invited to add your comments and insights.

Interactive whiteboards 
Wednesday, May 12, 2010, 12:01 PM
A whole series of articles (101 of them!) about interactive whiteboards can be found on my website e4Africa.

Learn all about how to use these devices, how to learn to use them, as well as the issues around their use.

Interactive whiteboards can transform your classroom into a modern place of learning.
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A bottom-up approach 
Friday, August 28, 2009, 05:40 PM
You may be surprized to learn about a new version of the bottom-up strategy.
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New series of blog postings on interactive whiteboards 
Saturday, August 22, 2009, 07:02 PM
A new series of articles on the use of interactive whiteboards is in progress on my blog e4africa.

I trust that the articles will be of value to you. As always, your comments and advice will be greatly appreciated.
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This blog is moving to a new site 
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 10:52 PM
This blog has been running for the past two and a half years, but the time has come for me to move it to another site. There are different reasons for doing this, but the foremost one is my need for a more flexible blog engine.

I have been running this blog and the new one (named e4africa) in parallel for about six months and over this period some of my regular readers have already started following the posts on e4africa and posting their comments there.

Click here to follow the posts on the new site, or use the URL: http://www.e4africa.co.za

If you have linked to this blog from your blog or website, please change the link to point to the new one.

Thank you for your support over the past years - I trust that you will continue to read e4africa and post your valuable comments.
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How should I clean my laptop's screen? 
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 03:37 PM
It is important to clean the screen of your laptop regularly – dust and dirt may cause scratches when the screen is touched.

Always use a dry, soft cloth to remove dust, fingerprints and smudges from the screen. If this does not completely remove the dirt, try a cloth slightly dampened with hot water. For persistent dirt spray cleaning fluid on the cloth (or use cleaning wipes) and gently wipe in one direction – left to right or top to bottom.

Special cleaning materials for computer screens are obtainable commercially. Often these materials are in the shape of anti-static, pre-moistened wipes. If these are not available, you can make your own cleaning solution by mixing one part water with one part isopropyl alcohol (also called rubbing alcohol). If you do not have isopropyl alcohol, you may use a small quantity of vinegar instead.

When you clean the screen, there are a number of things you must avoid.

• Don't use paper towels or tissues – even though they appear soft they could scratch the screen.
• Don't use an abrasive cloth that has the potential to cause scratches – for best results use a piece of cloth cut from an old T-shirt.
• Don't use household cleaning fluids with an ammonium base (look on the label of the cleaning fluid) – ammonium will dissolve part of the protective top layer of the screen, leaving a dull, smudged effect.
• Don't spray liquid directly onto the screen, as some of the spray may penetrate the machine.
• Don't apply too much pressure when cleaning the screen – it could be damaged in the process.

Follow two simple rules as preventative measures.

• Don't touch the screen with your fingers when using the laptop – this will save cleaning time.
• Don't leave the lid of the laptop open when it is not in use – this will prevent dust from gathering on the screen.

Sometimes you do not realize how dirty your laptop's screen is until you look at it from an angle. Make a habit of cleaning it regularly, thereby extending its life.
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