The eTutor SA programme, from Cape Town-based IT Business Campus (ITBC), has seen 100% of the learners in the pilot phase pass Mathematics Literacy and Pure Mathematics.
eTutor SA is a teacher-mediated, curriculum-driven platform produced in multimedia format which encourages learners to learn the curriculum, study, monitor their performance and plan for exams.
According to ITBC, it's no secret that SA has severe challenges when it comes to delivering education equally to all learners across the country.
“Many of our schools are in rural areas, and are in need of infrastructure - both physical and technological - and resources, including suitably trained teachers, text books, and extra tuition.”
ITBC points out that 96 Grade 12 learners from disadvantaged areas were selected for the pilot phase and attended the ITBC lab in Claremont, Cape Town, adding that most of the learners did not have access to a computer lab, dedicated mathematics teacher or extra tuition. “Some were failing the subject but eager to learn,” it says.
Each student was given unlimited access to eTutor in the initial lab at Claremont and put on a learning schedule of three hours a week and accessed their learning, prepared for the exams and familiarised themselves with the examination environment and time requirements, says ITBC.
“The results have exceeded expectations and we now have a framework that we can build on,” says Toni Cavanagh, GM of ITBC. “The next two labs are already being set up with a 60 terminal lab at Groenvlei and another 60 terminal labs at Groenberg Hoorskool.”
ITBC says the costs of this programme are affordable for those parents who can manage to pay the R895 for full access for one year per child. Otherwise the Department of Education is providing subsidies for those who can't afford this sum so that all Grade 12s in the vicinity can have access, it adds.
“We want to move eTutor to be available all the way down from Grade 12 to Grade 7 for supplemental maths teaching, and eventually for numeracy and literacy from Grade 6 down,” says Cavanagh.
“We have to give all kids the same opportunities, and the fact that satellite technology allows us to deliver virtually anywhere in the country, especially in rural areas, means we'll be able to deliver on that promise no matter where these kids are.”
ITBC also explains that eTutor SA is built on the Moodle platform (open source learning) for its usability and intuitive interface, and it supports various automated personalised services that are easy for faculty and learners to access, create, deliver and present.
All satellite connectivity was provided by Vodacom and used to assist ITBC to deliver its eTutor Grade 12 Mathematics modules to the 32 terminals at the Claremont centre.
“We felt that Vodacom was the ideal provider for us due to their national coverage via different media and the strength of their business satellite solutions and mobile applications,” says Cavanagh.
“The relationship has grown as their public sector team has an excellent understanding of education's shortcomings and needs.”
Sean Victor, principal specialist - Converged Satellite, Vodacom Business Services, says: “Satellite technology inherently supports multicasting of information very efficiently. This makes it ideal for distance education solutions where quality of service and quality in delivery of the same content, at the same time, across the country (not only in rural areas) is a requirement.”
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