‘Enabling teachers to teach in a classroom of the future’

Technology in education, e-learning and empowering teachers to use these in the classroom of the future will be a strong theme at the upcoming SABC Education African EduWeek in Johannesburg next week.  More than 85 leading suppliers of technology, stationery and content to the education sector will showcase their offering when some 2000 teachers and education experts gather for an interactive conference and expo from 10-11 July at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Entry to the expo is free and visitors can also attend free workshops on classroom technology and various other challenges that teachers face on a daily basis. For the first time the event also has an international pavilion by CEIEC (China Educational Instrument & Equipment Corporation), a major supplier of educational and scientific equipment.

Access to quality education
“Integrating technology into teaching and learning has the potential to enable equal access to quality education resources” says Andre Christian, Education Business Development Manager at Intel; “if we want all the children of South Africa to have access to quality education, it implies that they should have access to technology to enable this engagement.”

More than 10 million students around the world are using Intel-based platforms and Intel Education Solutions to improve teaching and learning. The global technology giant is the exclusive diamond sponsor at this year’s African EduWeek.

Teacher development
“All the technology in the world will not improve education unless we ensure that teachers have the required content knowledge and pedagogical skills,” says Kobus van Wyk, head of e-learning at Mustek, another exhibitor at the event, “teacher development is definitely the major challenge in education at present.” 

His vision for this sector is closer cooperation between different stakeholders.  He explains: “in order to make e-education a reality in all schools in South Africa we need as many hands (companies, organisations) as possible.  We need to build a culture of partnership, whereby the hardware suppliers, content providers, book publishers, training companies and education authorities work together.”

Power of technology in the classroom
‘Enabling teachers to teach in a classroom of the future’ is Pearson South Africa’s message at African EduWeek this year. The company is a platinum sponsor and CEO Riaan Jonck says: “we want to showcase the power of technology in the classroom environment and how teaching has evolved in the digital space. Pearson rolls out about 11 000 tablets and online content in our direct delivery institutions, which includes CTI and MGI. All first year students who register with us (MGI and CTI) receive a tablet which is pre-loaded with learning material for the year.”

Other big names at the expo include:  Samsung, UC-Wireless, Neotel, Ruckus, Dell, Compute, Extramarks, Ambittech, Microsoft, Macmillan, Croxley, BIC, Parrot Products, Sage Pastel, FlipFile, EditMicrosystems, RISO, Audiosure, Cambridge University Press, Snapplify and EduBoard.

Free workshops for teachers on the expo floor
“There is a growing interest in the use of robotics as an educational tool”, says Lydia Abel, director at ORT SA Cape, who is presenting one of 17 free workshops on the African EduWeek expo floor. She adds: “robotics engages children in learning about concepts from computer science to engineering while providing opportunities for creative problem solving.”

The free workshops include:::
•    Empowering educators to engage students through innovative technology
Chris Yako, Education Lead: Samsung Enterprise Mobile, Samsung South Africa
•    Capturing and sustaining students' attention
Dr Judy Willis, neurologist turned classroom teacher, Santa Barbara, United States of America
•    Teaching strategies to engage learners with barriers to learning in the classroom
Prof Deirdré Krüger, Associate Professor, University of South Africa (UNISA)
•    Digital game-based learning in educational settings
Fikile Mposula, Lecturer at Vaal University of Technology, South Africa
•    Bridging the learning gap through the use of one laptop in the classroom
Jane Zwane – Ekukhanyisweni Primary School, Alexandra, South Africa
•    Enabling teachers to teach in a classroom of the future
Beverley Wharton-Hood, Head of Learning Innovation: Post School, Pearson, South Africa
•    Coping with a multilingual setting in the English classroom
Tessa Harmse, English teacher, Hoerskool Grens, Centurion, South Africa
•    Robotics and reading
Dr Lydia Abel, Director, ORT SA Cape, South Africa
•    Data driven decision making to improve teaching and learning
Yolisa Mvunyiswa, Educator, Ekukhanyisweni Primary &  Sizwe Mahlambi, Educator, Gordon Primary School, Alexandra
•    Creating imaginative ways of enhancing education through software
Xola Ndziba, Founder and Director, Limu, South Africa
•    Lubuto library project in Zambia: An innovation of library services to promote retention in schools and achieve better learning outcomes
Thomas Kasonde Mukonde, Library Services Advisor, Lubuto Library Project, Zambia
•    The Caring Schools Project: translating action research into policy and practice
Lori Lake, Commissioning Editor, Children’s Institute, South Africa
•    Innovative financing education: Options and alternatives for Southern Africa
Wongani Nkhoma, Education Programme Manager, OSISA, South Africa & Aunnie Patton, Social Finance Fellow - University of Cape Town, Dean's Fellow - University of Oxford
•    Education to employment
Bridget-ann Woods, Gold Manager, Go for Gold, South Africa
•    Alternative pathways for accessing education for out of school children and youth in Zimbabwe: A pilot strategy by World Education Bantwana
Patience Ndlovu, Country Director/Representative – World Education, Zimbabwe
•    Getting it Right – OSISA strategy for early childhood development and education in Southern Africa: Approaches, opportunities and strategic partnerships
Justine Ngulube, Assistant Programme Manager - ECDE programme, Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)
•    Discussion on Ilifa Labantwana’s research and the essential package for ECD
Sherri Le Mottee, Programme Leader, Ilifa Labantwana, South Africa

African EduWeek dates and location:
Expo and conference:  10-11 July
Pre-conference: 9 July 2014
Venue:  Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

Website:  www.educationweek.co.za
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/education_week

Contact:
Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone :  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.