/ 26 May 2016

Walter Sisulu University rolls out R5,2 mln tablet initiative to students

The 2006 forensic report prepared for Zuma's trial that never saw the light of day ... now made available in the public interest.
The outcome of the ANC’s long-awaited KwaZulu-Natal conference was a win for the Thuma Mina crowd. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (ANA) – The Walter Sisulu University on Thursday said more than 1,000 of its students across their four campuses were given tablets through a multi-million rand initiative to improve teaching and learning in the institutions’ extended curricular programmes (ECP).

ECP Institutional Coordinator Thabile Loqo said: “The funds used in the initiative are from external ring-fenced funding from DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training) aimed at developing teaching and learning in our Extended Programmes”.

Loqo added: “The tablets act as tools to provide electronic copies of student support notes, electronic research papers, and electronic versions of textbooks (e-books)”.

At least 1,375 first year ECP students studying, at 25 other extended programmes – including engineering, IT, analytical chemistry and Public Relations – received Samsung tablets valued at R5,2 million in May. The tablets were made available through the Department of Higher Education Training’s Foundation Provision Grant.

Loqo said the provision of the devices would help mitigate the under-provision of computer laboratories and Internet access to student at the University by enabling students to gain access to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

She said the students would be able to enhance their own learning by engaging more with IT and research in the English language medium, which was critical in the performance of first year students in the extended programmes (EP).

First year EP electrical engineering student, Khwezi Mthelekiso, praised the University’s innovative endeavours to enhance teaching and learning amongst EP students.

“Though it’s only been about a month since receiving the device, I can confidently say that it’s definitely improved my learning experience. This all-encompassing tool enables me to gain access to all the learning materials, while also using it as a research tool for assessments and tasks,” said Mthelekiso.

The University said the tablets would allow lecturers to develop e-learning mechanisms which were on par with national and international standards.

Loqo said departments in the University’s natural sciences faculty, had already started purchasing learning software that would be installed in all faculty students’ tablets.

“This learning software will provide video and MP3 tutorials, as well as access to virtual laboratories in which students can conduct laboratory experiments and more,” she said.

“This has massive potential of leading to research on the different teaching methodologies and which methods are beneficial for student success in our first year intake.”

– African News Agency (ANA)

Disclaimer: This story is pulled directly from the African News Agency wire, and has not been edited by Mail & Guardian staff. The M&G does not accept responsibility for errors in any statement, quote or extract that may be contained therein.