Libby Young

Libby Young recommends some sites for summer surfing Summer is the time for some serious surfing, of both the hi-tech and wet varieties. With so many people baking on the beach, the web picks up speed, making a bit of self-indulgent browsing too tempting to resist. Better still, all the public holidays lower the call […]

Libby Young discovers internet HIV/Aids resources The Aids epidemic affects all South Africans, either directly or indirectly, making HIV/Aids education imperative. The first stop for help in teaching about HIV/Aids is the Avert website, belonging to the International Aids Education and Research Trust. The site contains HIV and Aids statistics, information for young people, personal […]

HIV/Aids Q&A The Department of Education has announced plans to have HIV education taught in every subject in the syllabus. Not before time, as new research from the Medical Research Council on HIV has shown that South Africa is not coping with an epidemic that is claiming more lives than any other cause of death, […]

Libby Young finds places for women on the web To celebrate Women’s Day, here are some websites dedicated to the needs and interests of women – sites that help women to communicate with other women, and sites that help educators to reach out to others. Designed to enable South African women to use the internet […]

HIV/Aids Q&A In July, 190 world leaders and thousands of non-governmental organisations met at the United Nations to discuss ways to stop HIV infection and how to care better for those infected. This month, the Teacher continues its monthly HIV/Aids column as its contribution in the fight against the disease. Q: Dear Charlene We are […]

Libby Young discovers websites devoted to ADD and ADHD Learners with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can present a teaching challenge. Log on to the internet for some background information as well as practical classroom hints. The Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity website provides a variety of fact sheets […]

I was shocked to read in the Sunday Times during September 2001 that the Gauteng Department of Education had not yet placed orders for textbooks for next year. Publishers were warning of the implications for schools. The likely scenario is that textbooks will certainly not be delivered to Gauteng schools in time for the start […]

Libby Young finds ways of censoring websites For all its educational merit, the Internet has a darker side that scares parents and teachers alike. Pornography is not the only problem: there are hundreds of hate-mongering sites out there. The good news is that there are filtering utilities available that can block access to unwanted sites. […]

Only one speaker at the Values, Education and Democracy Conference held in Cape Town in February tackled questions of racism and equity in school education in a concrete way. He was John Powell, Professor of law at the University of Minnesota and Director of the Institute of Race and Poverty. He reminded us that, according […]

Libby Young explores the skies with astronomy websites The Africlipse website provides a guide to the total solar eclipses of June 21 2001 and December 4 2002, with maps of the eclipse paths and online tutorials on how eclipses occur. www.eclipse.za.net Visit the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory website for information on teacher workshops offered. You’ll […]

Libby Young finds that the Internet can be prehistoric The Sterkfontein archaeological treasure trove was named one of three world heritage sites in South Africa in 2000, along with finds at Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs. These fossil hominid sites are complemented by online web sites that provide plenty of educational material on our country’s place […]

During February I was able to visit some primary school classrooms in the rural North to see how outcomes-based education (OBE) was being implemented in grade 4 and grade 7. What I discovered was instructive and provides some clear pointers for policy makers. I spent some time observing and team-teaching a grade 4 Human, Social, […]

Libby Young finds plenty of information on tertiary study options on the Internet The new year often sparks a bout of introspection about the future, when many learners will be pondering which career path to take. There is plenty of help available online, from university websites with curriculum advice to sites offering tips for honing […]

In April 2002, Mark Shuttleworth launched into space and journeyed to the International Space Station (ISS), becoming the first African in space. Follow his progress with the African in Space Project website. You’ll find news updates, profiles on the mission’s team members, daily photos and background on the experiments Mark Shuttleworth will be conducting while […]