An ambitious project to impart broadcasting and audio-visual skills to high school learners during the World Cup soccer extravaganza and beyond, has been launched by iSchoolAfrica — a company specialising in integrating information and communications technology into teaching and learning.
The project entails learners conducting interviews with famous stars, tourists and locals, holding panel discussions, providing report-backs on games and information on participating countries, and exploring local attractions and stadia.
Learners will then record their content on Apple Mac computers, using the ilife suite — an Apple product which boasts a range of applications including: photo editor or organiser, movie editor, music creator, DVD creator and website creator.
M-Net has been roped in as a media partner and is donating airtime and is flighting learners’ content during June and July on the Magic Channel. There is also an internet channel. Fifa and the Department of Basic Education has given the initiative their stamps of approval while Vega, an educational institution which teaches advertising, is training learners on how to conduct interviews, use cameras and sound techniques.
Michelle Lissoos, managing director of Think Ahead Education Solutions, which is a division of iSchoolAfrica, said the idea is to create a platform for youth to play a meaningful role during the soccer tournament.
There are 16 high schools involved and each has five or six learners. Each school has a broadcast team and learners were selected from school auditions.
Schools that do not have necessary resources are being lent equipment such as Apple Mac computers to implement the project. Lissoos said the project is a good example of a project-based learning opportunity that can be fashioned to address curricula requirements.
“We wanted to get the youth involved in the World Cup in a way which creates an unforgettable experience, while at the same time facilitates collaboration, inclusion and creativity.”
She said a scene in Invictus, a World Cup rugby movie, and the Copenhagen summit on climate change gave impetus to the project.
“IschoolAfrica’s project is about including that child!” she said, adding that the Copenhagen summit on climate change also set up kids’ newsrooms. “And we would like to take this idea forward,” she said.
She said learners would also be given some leeway to “make critical decisions about content, style and structure, story-line and visuals and editing choices that will impact on the success of their stories”.
She said the project would continue beyond the duration of the soccer event.
“iSchoolAfrica is not just about the World Cup, it is about bringing the best technology and best practices to schools in South Africa … I am also sure some real talents and stars will be identified,” said Lissoos.