Building on the successes of last year's Millennium Minds conference, the topic of education in the Internet age will again attain prominence at this year's Africa Connects Conference. The conference is expected to attract thousands involved in using information and communication technologies in education to Cape Town, from 10 to 13 July.
Organiser SchoolNet SA, the Western Cape Schools Network, and the international teachers' network I*EARN, expect about 1 600 delegates, teachers, students and exhibitors to converge on various venues at the University of Cape Town.
According to Stephen Marquard, SchoolNet SA programme director, "attendance is a must for anyone involved in education", a fact underscored by the variety and relevance of the conference schedule.
"Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are fundamentally changing the way teaching and learning take place today," he adds.
"With only a few weeks to go, attendees should register now, on our Web site, http://ac.wcape.school.za, or contact us for a registration form." Registration carries a fee of R200. Meals, on-campus accommodation, gala evening attendance and airport transfers are optional extras.
Lynne Moss, conference organiser, says the conference is also an excellent opportunity for teachers new to computers to get hands-on experience, with two days of skills training on PCs and the Internet on Monday, 9 July and Tuesday, 10 July.
She says the conference covers a comprehensive range of topics. One topic under the spotlight is the digital divide, a term coined to draw attention to the opportunity gap between those who can afford ICT infrastructure and connectivity, and those who cannot, whether in developing countries or poor communities in first-world countries.
Education Minister Kader Asmal will open the conference on Tuesday with a plenary address. Minister Asmal praised the conference for "making the education fraternity aware of the importance of educational IT", noting that educational technology is "a key issue to be addressed in the formal school curriculum". Western Cape MEC Helen Zille, who is spearheading the province's Khanya Technology in Education project, will also address the conference.
The conference is being sponsored by the Telkom Foundation, which is also supporting the participation of over 120 teachers countrywide. "As a technology company, Telkom believes IT is an essential building block for education in SA," says Telkom Foundation Senior Manager Lulu Letlape. "Telkom is proud to support events such as Africa Connects which empower teachers to use technology to the benefit of learners."
Other sponsors include M-Web, Microsoft, NewDeal and Uniforum SA.
Running for the most part concurrently with Africa Connects will be the eighth annual global I*EARN Teacher's Conference, also in Cape Town, from 8 to 14 July. Delegates will join this educational resource group from around the world, sharing an agenda with Africa Connects.
Africa Connects will also host an exciting youth programme, combining an I*EARN Youth delegation with South African learners. The youth programme includes an exciting initiative to launch Future CITI, the youth wing of the Cape IT Initiative, and involve youth in developing a computer game and Web site on the theme of waste management and the environment.
The conference is furthermore accompanied by a major exhibition, where most of the market leaders providing IT equipment, services and software to schools showcase their offerings. The exhibition will open with an evening function on Tuesday, 10 July, and run through to 13 July.
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SchoolNet SA is an organisation that seeks to promote and implement Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in schools. It co-ordinates and facilitates the implementation of ICTs, as well as the training and human resource development in South African schools on a national scale.
To accomplish its aims, it forges partnerships in the areas of Internet connectivity and relevant technology, content and curriculum development, human resource development and capacity building with various people and organisations that share a common vision.
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