DiData teams with Wits Tech for e-learning future

Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) sees technology-based tuition as the education model of the future and is investing in the framework for this.

TWR is boosting its educational prowess through a technology infrastructure that allows it to provide what it believes to be the most comprehensive learning skills available in SA.

The Technikon places much emphasis on moving away from traditional "talk and chalk classroom teaching" to embracing technology-based tuition which includes video based courses and video conference-based education. This theory, which allows students to learn at their own pace and often at their own place, has the full backing of Fred Schleicher, Dean of the Faculty of Business Management.

Commenting on TWR`s strategy, Susanne Taylor, head of the School of IT: Faculty of Business Management, says: "The network is key to this education model of the future. We recognised at the outset that we needed an infrastructure to host the various technologies. Working together with Dimension Data Network Services, we invested in a technology framework to allow us to offer comprehensive learning skills.

"Without the network we cannot implement technologies that give us the competitive edge and allows us to continue offering the best IT courses at technikons in this country," says Taylor, who sits on the executive of the Technikon Computer Lecturers Association (TECLA). Taylor added that TWR recently won a Golden Arrow Award for the best IT and Computer Systems Engineering courses out of 15 technikons in SA.

Passionate about maintaining a leadership position, Taylor and her team at the TWR convinced management that investing in a networking infrastructure was crucial to the continued success of the Technikon. This led to a tender being awarded to Dimension Data for the upgrade of the existing network.

"Overall we have invested about R2.2 million in the upgrade project which we regard as money well spent, allowing for stability and a well-planned scalable growth path for future technology implementation. The project included the network, up to date hardware and network software, network management systems and the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system," says Taylor.

The infrastructure expansion was also in part motivated by the relocation of the Technikon`s Food Service Management Department to the Auckland Park campus. With its now more than 6 000 students, the Faculty of Business Management requires a state-of-the-art network to run its 12 computer laboratories.

Taylor says Dimension Data won the tender largely because the TWR has an existing good working relationship with the company. Dimension Data`s strong reputation, high level of service and commitment to the education process were additional deciding factors.

"With our now sound infrastructure we believe we will maintain our competitive edge. It also underlines and strengthens our commitment to providing the most up-to-date technology based learning in the country," she concludes.