The initiative aims to ensure every teacher owns and uses a laptop, by providing them with a monthly allowance which will cover the purchase costs as well as the costs of connectivity.
The ICT package will consist of appropriate hardware and software, internet connectivity, all with prescribed minimum specifications.
The initiative will be phased in from 1 July 2009, starting with the most senior teachers. Provincial Education Departments will implement the project and inform teachers about the venture.
Government plans to make sure that by 2012 every teacher has access to a laptop computer and the Internet, President Jacob Zuma said "I am sure that this will contribute immensely towards motivating our educators to improve the standard of learning and teaching in our schools."
Do you think these will bring changes in our education system and how?
Do teachers have the skills and knowledge on the use of ICT in education?
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Hi
ReplyDeletecomment on the resent commintment by department to give every teacher a laptop.
regards
Rudzaniedznd.blogspot.com
My comment are based on your profile and also your topic.
ReplyDeleteAbout the profile- what about if you can upload your edited photo as we are requested by our lecture?
About the topic- let me acknowledge that it is a good topic with everything that you said.Like I commented in one blog by our fellow student about the same topic , the government gazette seems to be silent about the use of projectors because in my opinion to use the laptop for teaching and learning you also need a projector.
Another thing about the specification of the laptop is the 9'LCD screen which I think they have specified a very small screen.
On answering the question whether this will bring change , let me reminds you about the introductions of cell phones in our country. We were not anticipating that the technology will advanced in the manner that it had advanced today. It can bring more change because even the learners will be independent to look for information. One area that I think the government must not make a mistake it is on the training of the educators on how to use this devices to benefit our learners. The transition of OBE , curriculum 2005 , the Revised National Curriculum Statement to the current NCS had been meant with many challenges. Some educators who does not want to change for their own reasons and lack of in service training are still resorting to the old style of teaching. I think the same will also happen with the issue of laptop unless a proper training and continuous workshops are done. To me there are many computer illiterate educators who need good training on the use of this devices.May be as an added advantage to teachers the package had Teachers development materials that includes Microsoft Digital Literacy.
About the skill and knowledge on the use of ICT I think if on their database ,the government have details of people like you who had the skill and knowledge they can make use of you to train other people to acquire the skills.
On the other hand the gazette on taecher laptop initiative give a provision for ICT Skills for Teachers. ( introduces new users to ICT skills in the context of their roles as teachers.
ICT Integration (webquest
Peer coaching
The government is trying to catch up with the technological change in the educational sector.The availability of the Laptops will make teachers to have they mobile administrative offices anywhere and at any time. Things like lesson plans,policy documents, schedules, et cetera will be stored in that movable machine ( the laptop) and they will be able to access information or research through the use of internet.
ReplyDeleteAnswering the your second question:
Educators are still unskilled in terms of using ICT resources but the government have taken a stand to develop their teachers in regard to that problem, that is why institutions like UJ,Wits and others are providing the service for ICT-skill development.