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Making Technology Teacher-Friendly – Constantiaberg Bulletin, 20 August 2009

Karen Watkins

Teachers need to move beyond the digital divide and embrace technological inclusion.  This view was expressed by Kobus van Wyk, Programme Manager of the Western Cape Education Department’s Khanya Project.

“The digital divide is a negative concept, with the emphasis on not having – the term is outdated,” said Mr van Wyk at the Transforming Education for the 21st Century seminar, held at Bergvliet High School and organised by Smart Technologies and VastraTech.

Bergvliet High School is one of the first schools in South Africa to install interactive whiteboards in its classrooms, and they have trained more than 500 teachers in how to use them.

“Many teachers are still teaching in 19th century classrooms.  They need to move to digital inclusion and look at new ways of delivering lessons, using all kinds of educational technology, right through to text messages,”  he told the 300 teachers, principals and bursars.

“Children are already using them,” said Tanya Lemke, Smart Technologies’ education consultant.

“At this moment, 23 million cell phones are being used, one million emails are en route, 230 000 people are using Twitter and 26% of you have no idea what Twitter is,” she said bringing laughs from the audience.  Mr van Wyk said Khanya explores the application of technology in improving the quality of education.

“The promise of technology has been made too many times and not delivered in South Africa, and around the world,” he said.

“Radio, movies, television and computers, none of them have ‘tipped’ education,” said Mr van Wyk, quoting Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “The Tipping Point”.

Mr van Wyk believes we have reached a tipping point now, with interactive whiteboards.

“Using the touch-sensitive screen of an interactive whiteboard, which works with a computer and data projector, is a ground-breaking experience.

“And positive results have been achieved in a number of schools,”  he added.

He listed three possible weak links when it comes to educational technology in schools:  principals, teachers and technical support.

“Teachers need to buy in to the concept and get over the fear that students may know more about technology than they do.  You can’t just install technology.  Teachers must update their skills.  They need continuous learning,”  he said.
Khanya aims to equip schools in the Western Cape with one board for each teacher over the next five years.  However, Mr van Wyk urged schools to be proactive, to obtain funding and to source their own boards, because it will take Khanya 10 years to reach its goal.

“And we don’t have that amount of time,” he said advising schools to introduce technology on a step-by-step basis, forming partnerships with the private sector.

Ms Lemke encouraged teachers to change the way they teach – and learn – by using multi-media and social networking tools in collaborative learning and problem-solving.

She said most children are bored at school.

“They say it’s not Attention Deficit Disorder;  they’re just not learning,” she said of a study done in England.

She argued that learners become engaged when they feel empowered, valued, have a sense of control, set their own goals, make their own decisions and establish their own identity.

“Students must be taught to question, analyse and verify what they see,”  she said.

After the seminar, Education Development Consultant, Scott Giles of VastraTech, the distributor for Smart Technologies, told the Bulletin he has already started the Smart Exchange for South Africa.

“This is where teachers can come and share ideas, good practices, ask questions and share lessons and lesson activities.  We’ll also be setting up content creation seminars throughout the country.”

“These will be events where teachers come together and create content, be it lessons or simple activities to make up lessons.

Therefore, a teacher will make five or six items and walk away with 80 to 100, thus making activities available to all Smart users.  In the near future, we’ll have Smart Bug (Board User Groups), where teachers can meet fact to face and discuss Smart,” said Mr Giles.

In a lucky draw during the seminar, Kenmore Primary School won a Smart Interactive Whiteboard, installation and training.