A group of 20 teachers will gather in Johannesburg today as the winner of the Innovative Teachers Forum Awards is announced, to honour educators who use technology to improve teaching and learning.
The finalists, who are drawn from a spread of schools across practically every province in the country, will compete in five categories at the Microsoft-sponsored awards.
The winners will go on to represent South Africa at the Pan African Innovative Teachers Forum, which will be held in Mauritius in September.
The forums were introduced five years ago to recognise teachers who use technology in an uplifting way. The forums also foster communities of teachers who are able to share ideas and best practices in using technology in the classroom.
“South African teachers are increasingly embracing technology as a tool to enliven and enrich their teaching environments, and overcome historical and socio-economic disadvantages to give their students the best possible education,” said Reza Bardien, DESCRIBE HIS POSITION, THIS IS A BIT JARGONY Microsoft South Africa’s education lead.
Teachers have attended nine Innovative Teacher Forum (ITF) workshops across the country during March and April, giving them the chance to network, share ideas and refine their entries into the national awards.
The awards recognise projects in four key areas of innovation – community, content, collaboration and challenging contexts, as well as a special peer review prize, where the finalists vote for their favourite project.
The 20 finalists in the 2009 Microsoft Innovative Teacher Forum Awards are:
“Let’s FACE it – we can change the world!”
Deb Avery of St Nicholas Diocesan School, KZN
This unit of work used the social networking programme, Facebook, as a vehicle for grade eights to gather information on energy efficiency, and to disseminate it to others in the school community. This project integrated English home language with natural science and technology in preparation for the whole school activity – “Polar Bear” Energy Saving Day, which is celebrated on the Winter Solstice.
“Bonding through blogging”
Fiona Beal of Fish Hoek Primary School, Western Cape
Grade four and five learners found that blogging and Web2.0 opens the door to a whole new set of exciting relationships and enriched learning experiences. They connected with the local elderly community (even teaching them how to blog), as well as with classrooms around the globe, in collaborative writing projects.
“A Healthy Environment”
Annie Behari of Umzinto Secondary School, KZN
This Grade nine life orientation project involved community members and learners collaborating to find solutions to real problems in their environment. The project required learners to takes photographs on their cell phones of various problems, and to choose one they regard as a priority. They then wrote a report that was uploaded to a blog and feedback invited from the community and other concerned parties.
“Can I be a good tour guide?”
Claire Dean of Stirling Primary School, Eastern Cape
Two grade threes from Port Elizabeth collaborated with four grades fives and six learners from East London to answer the question “How would you introduce a tourist to your home town?” In the process, they conducted a survey, interviewed experts, went on excursions and conducted research. Learners took photographs, created movies and videos. They kept a journal and conducted a peer interview towards the end of the project. A showcase was then held simultaneously in East London and Port Elizabeth to enable to participants to interact with one another via video conferencing.
“Teaching for the future”
Cheryl Douglas of Bishops, Western Cape
This project involved using ICT to encourage learners to be aware of global issues with an emphasis on sustainability. This ongoing project looks at how to increase awareness of global issues in the classroom and through the creation of an extramural Global Issues Network group.
“Assessing Global warming with iMovie”
Bridget Fleming of St. David’s Marist Inanda, Gauteng
This grade 10 geography project involved learners creating and editing a documentary about global warming. Through the process they learnt a lot about this environmental issue, searching for images, the Creative Commns license, how to upload images, film with a video camera, add music and edit a documentary. They also had great fun and worked effectively with their peers.
“Anywhere Art – bringing art wherever you are”
Rae Gagiano of Eunice High School, Free State
The aim of the project is to introduce learners to visual literacy through a diverse range of visual images by means of a Virtual Reality Art Museum. Learners worked in groups to investigate art through interviews, studio visits, Skype, WebPages and the Internet. The combination of resources that are gathered forms a Virtual Reality Art Museum will be accessible for educators and learners via Thutong or the distribution of CDs.
“Lights, Camera, Action!”
Nicci Hayes of Victoria Girls’ High School, Eastern Cape
This dramatic arts project involved making short videos for organizations that serve the community. Learners were required to find a “client” who needed a video, then film and edit it for them. Some videos were calls for help, some were to raise public awareness, others just informative.
“Teaching and Learning from a distance”
Frans Kalp of Ligbron Academy of Technology, Mpumalanga
This school community project shares mathematics and science lessons with rural, disadvantaged and underperforming schools by using video conferencing and desktop sharing. Experienced teachers share their lessons during school hours and give the teachers and learners of the connected schools the opportunity to raise questions and work on the same lesson from their own classrooms. Connected schools are linked to a central server for the sharing of all mathematics and science resources that have been used by the project schools. All the connected schools are in a radius of 50km from Ligbron Academy of Technology.
“Yesterday’s Pupil, Today’s Virtual Interactive Geek”
Errol Keet of Nederburg Primary School, Western Cape
The Virtual Classroom enables learners and teachers globally to exchange resources such as audio books, learning materials and expertise. Participants share unique cultural experiences and create a class where we are one people, one world. The Nederburg Virtual Classroom is an interactive website with many educational links, wikis and a chat-room that can record video calls. Each school has their own pages created for them as soon as they join this unique educational experience.
“A Study of Evidence – its reliability and its usability”
John-Paul Lubbe of St Johns’ College, Gauteng
Through the solving of a bank robbery, grade six learners are introduced to the various forms of ‘research evidence’; their benefits and their pitfalls. The learners are required to engage with the evidence and each other and through their research, to formulate a hypothesis of the crime.
“Investigating the possibility of erecting a tuck shop”
Klaas Mailula of Fedile High School, Limpopo
This grade 11 project involved learners investigating how a tuck shop was run at another school. They then interviewed their fellow learners about whether or not they ate lunch and what their preferences were and they found out about the costs of different foods. Finally, recommendations were made to school management about the possibility of erecting a tuck shop.
“The storm before the wind! Slavery and human rights”
Kongko Louis Makau of Mabogopedi Secondary School, Limpopo
This grade 10 history project involves learners researching slavery and collaborating with learners in other countries to share ideas on this topic. After this, the question arises: How can you as a learner ensure that slavery never happens again in your time? The project intends to end with the unveiling of a memorial stone in remembrance of victims of gross human rights violations.
“My Community, My Place, My Pride – Can I make a difference?”
Hlengiwe Mfeka of Mconjwana High School, KZN
This grade 10 life orientation project involved learners identifying a contemporary problem in their community and exploring it using various technological tools (Intel Thinking with Technology, GPRS, mobile phones and Microsoft Office applications). Learners were then challenged to devise strategies to address the problem that they identified and these were presented to local community and government leaders, community members, educators and learners from other schools. It is hoped that the municipality might implement some of the suggestions through their Department Planning Programme. One of the groups developed a DVD to be used in Life Skills by other schools.
“Basic Electricity DVD for Primary Schools”
Tony Mottian of Crossmead Primary School, KZN
This is a project in which learners are involved in practical tasks that require them to build electrical projects. A DVD is created with all the resources and this is distributed freely to teachers, learners, libraries and the department of education. It is a project that involves developing and sharing content in a collaborative, community-based endeavour.
“Save our biodiversity”
Zwelihle Ndovela of Somashi High School, KZN
The project involves learners searching for possible causes of the extinction of species within their area and making their information available and accessible to others. They do this by taking photos using digital cameras and cell phones and making their findings available through school computers. The aim of the project is to share information and to encourage people to become involved in preserving our delicate biodiversity.
“Seize the moment”
Maryna Nezar of Elkanah House Primary, Western Cape
This grade seven project, integrating learning outcomes from English home language and social sciences, focused on communication and collaboration. Harnessing the power of Web 2.0 tools, an anywhere, anytime learning environment was created enabling learners from different classes to work together. From the outset, learners were challenged to acquire and use 21st Century ICT skills.
“The Destiny of the Beauty of our Indigenous Herbs”
Yolande Peter of Byletts Combined School, Eastern Cape
This school project involved learners exploring different indigenous herbs used in different cultures by creating their own story, capturing it digitally and processing videos. A hard copy was produced for future reference. This project also includes a school blog and e-pals to enable learners to communicate their findings widely.
“Pirates – Joining the Past with the Present”
Dawn Schmitz of Montrose Primary School, Gauteng
This grade seven project involves most learning areas using the theme of pirates to stimulate and energise both staff and learners. Many different, fun-filled, activities were organised in each learning area, both within school time, as well as after school. After-school activities were also used as fund raisers.
“Tweenzite: Tween-Friendly Network for 2010 Soccer World Cup”
Charli Wiggill of Eden College, KZN
This English, economic and management science and life orientation project for grade sevens involved collaborative e-mind mapping and surveying of tweens on the generation gap (in both family and business services) whilst using Mxit, Twitter, Facebook and email. Learners became mini-tourism ambassadors who interviewed and critically appraised businesses and establishments in Durban on their tween-friendliness and quality of service. Businesses were then graded by allocating Zulu Shields of Excellence (like hotel stars). The project includes a website for a tween-friendly 2010 Soccer World Cup experiences for visitors to consult before making reservations and travelling to South Africa with their tweens.