Peter de Lisle of Hilton College near Pietermaritzburg was the second runner-up in the Innovation in Content category in this year’s Microsoft Partners in Learning Worldwide Innovative Education Forum awards presented in Cape Town.
The awards were the culmination of local and regional events held around the world during the year, in which teachers presented ideas on how technology can further educational transformation to improve the way children learn.
The event drew more than 600 educationists and technology experts and 125 teacher finalists showcased their innovative teaching practices.
De Lisle’s biodiversity project involved getting learners to think about and use research tools to find out about biomes. It entailed creating a collaborative spreadsheet tool to evaluate the best biome in which to live.
“Learners had to design a fantasy biome and create a creature to live in it,” he said, adding that the young people had acquired referencing, graphic design and thinking skills.
De Lisle, who is head of IT and teaches English at Hilton College, said: “The whole event in Cape Town was fantastic. It was really energising to be around creative educators from all over the world and to see some of the amazing projects they are doing. The workshops and talks were a further chance to learn from the presenters and from the other participants …
“I have come back excited, with lots of new ideas for things I want to work on in the new year.”
He strongly recommends that any teacher who uses information and communications technology in their teaching should take part in the contest next year.
“It has been a wonderful journey for me and I would think that there are many more resourceful and creative teachers out there who could do very well. The competition is a process and I have learned a great deal at every stage of that process, as well as meeting interesting fellow educators with whom it has been a pleasure to share ideas.”
Linda Bradfield of St John’s Pre-Preparatory School in Johannesburg made it into the last round of 25 finalists for her Trash to Treasure project.
The Best Practice winners in the four main evaluation categories this year were Samuel Avornyo of Ghana, Innovation in Community; Martin Ryum and Mette Hauch of Denmark, Innovation in Collaboration; Pat Yongpradit of the United States, Innovation in Content; and Tareq Mahjoub, Tareq Mahmoud, Shahzlan al-Saffar, Omar Ashour, Futooh Khareetah and Majdi Daoud of the Arabic region, Educators’ Choice.
The SchoolNet SA website, www.school.za, has details of how to get involved.