The classroom has undergone considerable changes in the technological age, but many South African students still lack access to the tools that will rule their future.
One technology making waves in the educational sphere is the interactive electronic whiteboard, which enables teachers and students to engage with content in a more hands-on way. A standard interactive whiteboard consists of a touch-sensitive screen connected to a computer and projector, with the teacher manually controlling programs with a pen or finger on the screen.
The capabilities of advanced learning technologies were demonstrated in a recent presentation at Jeppe High School for Boys, in Johannesburg. VastraTech, a regional distributor of Smart Technologies' series of whiteboards and educational software, highlighted the ways these boards can boost learning, as students attended a class with the technology installed.
During a geography lesson on cyclones, for example, students can get up and mark areas on a projected world map, or view news footage of real-life hurricanes if the board is Web-connected.
VastraTech CEO Gary Bekker said that for children to get the exposure necessary to participate in the knowledge economy, they need technology in every classroom, rather than a computer in every school.
Yet, in a country riddled with education challenges, from a shortage of teachers to numerous infrastructure needs, just getting access to a textbook can be a struggle. Last year, government allocated an additional R3 billion to the Department of Basic Education to address backlogs in school facilities. But as Bekker noted, “the digital divide increases daily, weekly, and yearly between independent schools and underprivileged schools”.
However, new technologies are extending teaching resources beyond physical bounds. An initiative at Ermelo's Ligbron Academy of Technology, for example, sees children from surrounding rural schools share maths and science classes, via interactive boards and a form of video conferencing software.
Learners and teachers take part in live lessons and can ask the head teacher questions. “This means students are not just a passive audience but actively engaged in learning,” said Bekker.
He explained that whiteboard technology provides opportunities for teachers to create more stimulating lessons which cater to a variety of needs. “It touches on every learning style by providing a visual environment, an audio environment, as well as a kinaesthetic environment.”
“The last thing you want is for it to become like a TV which plays babysitter.”
Tony Marshall, principal, Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology
Con Purchase, deputy principal of Jeppe High School for Boys, said the interactive Smart Boards have enabled him to teach two classes at one time, and deal with different ability levels. “Weaker students get the confidence to come up, work on the board and ask questions, so collaborative learning happens spontaneously.”
To equip a classroom with a Smart Board, a computer and a data projector, costs approximately R30 000. Jeppe, a government-funded school, raised the money from school fees and an alumni contribution programme, said Purchase. The school has 13 Smart Boards and he hopes to have 10 more installed by the end of next year.
“It gives me support to do what I want to do, how I want to do it,” said Purchase, adding that the instant feedback feature allows him to see whether students understand what is taught. “Preparation times are much faster compared to the old blackboard - it keeps students' interest a lot longer.”
But he added that a hi-tech whiteboard itself is not enough - it's up to the teacher to make the best use of the technology. “Staff members are warming up to the idea but it's a big paradigm shift. It takes a while to get used to the boards, although the same thing happened with overhead projectors 50 years ago.”
Ultimately, it's always the person in front of the board transferring knowledge and helping the students, Purchase pointed out. “The boards will never replace teachers; they merely serve as an effective tool.”
Cutting-edge classroom
The need for technology-savvy and globally conscious learners is becoming all the more pressing in a digitally connected society, said education consultant, Nestus Bosman. He pointed out that modern learning has been fundamentally shaped by trends in industry and globalisation, and that students will continue being trained in the skills most valued by prevailing economic drivers.
When the knowledge economy emerged, for example, it brought a focus on logical thinking skills. “From 2000 onwards, the Internet and PC became key drivers, putting learning and information at your fingertips,” said Bosman.
“Now, the focus is on collaboration, creativity, and interpersonal skills. 'Classroom 3.0' came about in a conceptual age where industry is fuelled by innovation and big-picture thinkers, such as Steve Jobs and Richard Branson,” he added. “The focus on entrepreneurship calls for skills not relied on in the past.”
It's not only what is taught that has changed, but the way it's taught. According to Bosman, the 20th Century classroom was teacher-centred, subject-based, and textbook-driven with an emphasis on passive learning, while the 21st Century class is student-centred and project-based, with a focus on active learning.
A critical requirement for 21st Century education, said Bosman, is integrated and interdisciplinary skills that enable collaborative work using multiple sources in a global context.
Virtual classmates
The practice of shared learning and collaboration is increasingly taking place not only between neighbourhoods, but across continents, as initiatives work to create global citizens.
One such project sees Smart Technologies, World Link and NetGeneration of Youth partnering with three US and African high schools for a virtual and physical exchange programme. Teachers and students will use Smart interactive whiteboards and desktop collaboration software to engage via Skype and a dedicated social networking site.
In SA, Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology in Cape Town has been paired with the Foshay Learning Centre, in Los Angeles. The two other African schools participating are located in Uganda and Zambia.
The initiative aims to involve students in issues related to media literacy, cultural diversity and globalisation by interacting with learners from different backgrounds. There's also a focus on technology proficiency and helping learners become not only critical consumers of media, but creative producers of it as well.
Peter Claxton, market development manager for education advocacy, Smart EMEA, says while the 20th Century classroom consisted of only the teacher and students, today's instant access technology provides the ability to interact with students and transfer knowledge on a wider scale.
“With projects like this, we see the development of a truly global citizen. Students are much more engaged in, and responsible for, learning. Cultural awareness, collaboration, and the ability to respond critically are vital 21st Century skills.”
One teacher and two students from each school will also visit their partner school in a three-week face-to-face reciprocal exchange programme, with experiences captured through journals and photo-essays, and shared on the project Web site.
Oude Molen principal, Tony Marshall, says connectivity is the biggest problem in conducting these kinds of virtual exchanges. He adds that part of the project funding, which is being supported by the US State Department, will go towards assisting the schools with bandwidth.
Measured approach
Oude Molen, which specialises in science, technology, engineering and maths, has 19 interactive whiteboards which Marshall says are extensively used. “It's absolutely rejuvenated things for teachers who've been around for a long time. In our school there's been a lot of interest and it's improved the relationship between students and teachers.”
Claxton adds that teachers' confidence and drive to succeed is crucial for educational technology investments to bear fruit, as is having the necessary infrastructure in place.
“You need schools to buy into the project. Think not only about using the product but about the different ways teachers can utilise it to make a difference to students.”
Claxton stresses that schools need to understand where they are, where they want to go, and the solutions they need to progress. “Don't just rush in. Too often schools go and buy technology without really thinking how it fits in with the bigger picture.
“A big challenge is providing training and technical support for teachers to make sure the money is well spent.”
Marshall agrees, saying teachers need to be wary of falling into a comfort zone with custom programs. “The last thing you want is for it to become like a TV which plays babysitter.”
Piet Boshoff, head of the information and communication technology department at Oude Molen, says media has developed to such a degree over the past 20 years that it's impossible to try and control it. The only viable option is to teach learners how to engage with it critically and creatively, so this behaviour can be extended outside the classroom. This is why the focus on media literacy and cultural awareness is core to the US exchange programme.
“Respecting differences in knowledge, and understanding that experiences may differ from our own allows one to make allowance for the rights of others,” he says.
“The most wonderful thing about global citizenship is that it involves national and personal pride on the one hand, and humility and acceptance of differences on the other.
“It's a balance of being proud of what you've got, but knowing you don't have a monopoly on what's right. And for SA learners, that attitude is one of the most marketable assets to the rest of the world.”
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