This post is based on an article written by Ayal Rosenberg revealing the story behind Richard Goldstone- the man and his  selfish, self-center motives casting serious doubts on the findings of his recent UN human rights investigation on Israel.

Cartoon history of web 2.0

I have started the journey of the World wide web 2 and social networking with this blog exactly last year with many questions and queries that cultivated as I explored more.

A diary to share my journey was the first step taken as a fresh virtual explorer “diary from the desk of a digital immigrant”.

The first lesson shared was my discoveries with cyber language and cyber socializing through Facebook and the potential it holds.

When it “strike” me at home with my daughter approaching her first year of grade 1 , I shared a lesson with teachers and what to expect from our learners as far as computer literacy goes. This case study reiterate that although the terms of digital natives and immigrants are well rooted amongst us, we must remember that there are many skills that we the digital immigrants have to ensure our natives acquire.

In my journey I also realize the negative that is associated with technology and pondering about cyber bullying led me to understand that we have to keep to the basics as far as keeping our teenagers safe . This post evoked most amazing responds from readers. As each have their own thinking regards the parents’ roles in the upbringing of our children.

When advocating to colleagues, teachers and friends the potential in using web 2.0 tools beyond the normal use of internet and emails it was not an “easy sell”. Frustrations were shared in the post if life gives you lemon – make lemon meringue

A year in the journey- it is becoming increasingly clear to me that the question we should ask ourselves as parents, teachers and professionals is that of the skills we need to ensure our children acquire to equip them to the world of the future.

Your comments are welcome, please add your twitter/ blog / other should you wish to carry on the communication in other platforms.

Cartoon history of Web 2.0

Cartoons by  the cartoonist Oliver Widder, see more cartoons  http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/erp/article.php/3693956

In the recent ICT Conference held in Durban organized by Schoolnet and sponsored by INTEL, prestigious speakers from around the world were invited to share how they perceive 21st century education.

The following words and phrases were reiterated by the speakers alongside technology: Collaboration, innovation, peer-coaching, pedagogy and teachers’ professional development.

What I really liked about the conference is that the focus wasn’t on the new technologies and hi-tech gadgets but rather on teachers and pedagogy.

As Bruce Dixon, (Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation, http://www.aalf.org/) described the transformation of learning environments from Print media (in the 14^th – 19^th Century) through to broadcast era, (20^th Century) he portrays the 21^st century as the Collaborative age. Therefore ttransforming education is essential where ICT is embedded in the curriculum (as opposed to having ICT as a separate and disconnected subject).

BUT again highlighting that it is NOT the technology that makes the difference but the pedagogy.

The guidelines for changes to take place are directed by Prof. Symour Papert quote:

“use of technology by children –
to do things they couldn’t do before
to do at level of complexity that was not done before”

Bruce, leaving us with yet another inspiring quote “laptop – an instrument whose music is ideas” reminding us that the evolution of innovation is by letting technology increase our pedagogical capacity to innovate.

What can technology innovation do to enhance education delivery?
(Think about the evolution from basic ICT skills to 1:1 laptop per learner)

1. address learner diversity
2. pedagogical innovation
3. technology effectiveness and personalization
4. effective means of assessment
5. re-imaging curriculum which is relevant for 21^st Century learning

Teachers who adopt technology will find that their teaching is leverage and powerful.

Ferruh Gurtis, Intel Turkey, reminded us that with all the efforts to achieve what is needed in 21^st century education we need to keep in mind that “Computers aren’t magic- teachers are”!

There is no doubt that technology can assist education but in that saying we have to ensure that it is provided to ALL, together with the support, training and maintenance required.

And for that, I”m afraid, we need the policy makers and the long term vision. Inspiring teachers, I think, may just turn to be the easy part.

Living in JHB you know that there are many horrid stories that can  keep your imagination working and fear subside. But in a recent visit to the Gautrain site I felt that there is a “light at the end of the Gautrain tunnel’ and real pride to have the privilege to witness this amazing project taking shape.

Gautrain started with intentions in 1998 with pre-feasibility study and now 11 years down the timeline- commitment, professionalism and passion turned drawing and vision into reality.

The rail connections consists of North –South between Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg and West -East between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton

The three anchor stations will be located at:

• OR Tambo International Airport;
• Tshwane; and
• Johannesburg.

The seven other stations will be located at:

• Rosebank;
• Sandton;
• Marlboro;
• Midrand;
• Centurion;
• Hatfield; and
• Rhodesfield (Kempton Park).

(Source: www.gautrain.co.za)

If you want to know the amount of soil that had to be shifted, steel to construct, sand for concrete, all this information and more interesting and not so relevant facts are posted on the Gautrain site that  already gained quite numbers of awards.

Photos converted to Video presentation CLICK FOR MOVIE SLIDE

Follow is a slideshare on the visit to the ICP Conference 2009 and reflections from schools’ visit

What can Singapore, an island city-state, the smallest nation in southern Asia with population of about 4.5 million people  teach the world about education?
Visits to schools, attending the principal’s conference and listening to the prime minister’s speech revealed to representatives from all over the world that this 700 sq km nation can teach us a great deal about education!

I believe that the key is in leadership; Leadership that has :

• proactive approach
• planning for the future (not tomorrow’s future but years to come)
• vision in tune to the current state of affairs and..
• leaders who “walk the talk”

In 1965 when Singapore attained independence, the state of education was described as very poor. Nowadays, 44 years later, Singapore is the leader in TIMSS results in Math and Science.

The ICP Principals conference in Singapore this July was attended by education leaders and principals from around the world. (Out of which South Africa had the greatest representation.)
In the conference Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described the actions taken by government to improve the state of education. Following are some notes from his speech.

The government of Singapore in a mission to recover the education system had started with understanding that “outcomes expected from education reform are not ONE mountain peak but a mountain range”.

Initial action was to strengthen the ministry of education by bringing in caliber people – “a generalist is not a specialist”.

Thereafter actions were taken to establish teachers’ careers as a meaningful one. The following actions were taken to do so:

• Teachers’ salaries was raised by 15% (principals by 1/3)
• Training teachers would receive salaries
• Benching teachers’ salaries to the private market
• Career development to create external paths for promotion by Leadership track, further training qualification opportunities.
• Performance evaluation. Promotion based on merits
• Bringing teachers’ unions on board (there are four teachers unions in Singapore)
• Providing autonomy to schools. Schools are free to innovate in methodology, enrichment activities and resources provided. Schools are provided each with budget.
• Initially class sizes were not reduced so as not to compromise on quality teachers (only recently has the DOE started looking at reduce class size from 40 to 30)
• By 2015 the aim is that ALL teachers to be graduated (by enhancing professional development)

The following statement by the prime minister has attracted applause from audience and acquired my admiration to this leader:

“Political leadership role is to shield the education system from politics”

Visiting schools, talking to principals and teachers, meeting with the Singapore teachers’ Union (STU) which is the largest teachers’ union in Singapore was proof that the “talk is being walked”!
Next post I will share the amazing people, sites and actions that we have had the privilege to meet and see.

(Special Thanks to ORT SA and JADE education.)

 Art dispaly of learners’ work at Huamin Primary school Singapore

The following slideshare was created inspired by Professor Drori talk at the World ORT Wingate seminar 2009.

I hope that this short presentation will give you a “taste” of Prof. Drori’s  inspirational  speech.

Technology, a subject that was introduced in the SA curriculum in the nineties, is designed to create awareness amongst students for the needs and challenges of society and the environment. The aims of this learning area are to develop knowledge, technological skills as well as thinking and problem solving skills.

ORT SA has for the past four year worked closely with the King David schools to assist teachers with the integration of the subject in the most relevant way and as close to policy as possible. In addition to ensuring that the subject of technology is being tackled, current world-wide educational trends in teaching methods and strategy have been incorporated in ORT SA’s work with the KD schools.

Trends such as project based learning, collaborative learning and web 2.0 based methods are part of students technology projects modeled in the recently introduced Diverse Culture days in King David Linksfield Primary school. These Diverse Culture days have been inspiring and motivating for teachers and students alike.

Grade 7 students received a case study of the socio-economic conditions in which the kids in Alexandra Township live. Alexandra Township which for some is only about five minutes away, is socially and economically worlds apart to what the KD students are exposed to.

Grade 7 students learnt from various sources about the common diseases affecting this township – they listened to a person who was affected by TB, heard about the conditions in Alexandra from teachers who work in schools in Alexandra and learnt about HIV/AIDS from a doctor who specializes in the disease as well as being involved in research to find immunization.
Realizing the importance of healthy nutrition which is hampered by a scarce supply of fruit and vegetables has been the case study for technology and the students designed and made greenhouse models. Kind David Linksfield school included plants to give away to schools in Alexandra.

Grade 6 students who took part in first aid awareness, made first aid kits to donate to schools in Alexandra.

Grade 6+ 7 KDL students  in Diverse Culture Days

A special ceremony is planned where KDL students will hand out the greenhouses and first aid kits they have made to their peers from Ithute Primary School in Alexandra.

The extraordinary thing is that although three subjects were integrated (Technology, Life Orientation and EMS) this required immense time for planning and logistics, and more effort in the execution– teachers LOVED it!

Case studies were real-world and relevant and required students to define the tasks ahead and plan appropriately. Students were required to construct their models at school from scratch (without help from parents) and collaborate with their peers. These days of building this Technology project were vibey with activities filled with passion and enthusiasm expressed by students. The students had FUN!

When I asked a student about this day, her response was “I will definitely remember this when I grow up!”

I would like to start my reflections on the mobile and wireless technology seminar  with some questions fellow teachers raised regards the implications of the use of mobile technologies in education.

As you can guess not many participants are convinced regards the importance of incorporating mobile and innovative technologies in education. Follow are some of the questions  often raised:

1. “Laptops make a good school better, but they don’t make a bad school good” (Fellow twitter-@dajbleshaw)
2. “In a class with perfect equipment and perfect teacher – will a perfect teaching and learning occurs? Are the pace, depth and outcomes achieved in this class satisfying?”Reeva, Israel
3. “What can a laptop/ other gadgets provide that a pen and pencil can not?”
4. The following movie from the Series South Park illustrate classroom situation when computers are used by students http://vimeo.com/4689743

Agree/ disagree? Please share your experience and thoughts.

On the 11^th May 2009 18 delegates from ten countries gathered in London at World ORT headquarters for a seminar on wireless and mobile technology in education.

World ORT, celebrating its 130 year since established, has designed and delivered a world class, cutting edge seminar presenting participants with new technologies in education which I am hoping to share in this blog in the future.

Reflecting on the seminar and on the amazing people whom I had the privileged to meet, makes me think about the story of a shoe owner factory,  He decides to sends his two sales people to a rural area in Latin America (let’s leave Africa for a change).  The sales people are tasked to check the area and return with recommendations as to whether there is a market for his shoe business in this rural place.

The one sales person returns despondent and reports back “Ah, don’t waste your time, people are walking bare feet, no business opportunity there”

The other sales person returns back all excited “ this is such a great opportunity! Everybody  is walking bare feet”

As each of us returns to our country we need to seek the opportunities that wireless and mobile technology has for the enhancement of education. We must not despair because of “ time, infrastructure, funds etc” and find ways to enable implementation of technologies that will bring us closer to 21^st century proficiency.

Please comment and share your experience with different technologies in your country.

If you are interested in collaborative projects drop me an email or comment in this space.

Thanking ORT SA for sending me to the seminar.