South Africa

2003 - 2005

IntroductionBasic Question: Can ICT help develop teachers in SA?Key points:• Implementation of pedagogically sophisticated materials

in developing context vs developed• Applicability of the Cascade Model of Training• Relevance of Stages of Adoption of technology in

classroomThis paper is a reflection on the Intel SA experience by:

– Project Manager, Evaluator, On-the-ground implementer

• New Intel® Innovation in Education programmes

Background

• Intel Teach to the Future developed and first implemented in USA

• Technological sophistication• Well-qualified teachers• Background in Project Based Learning

(PBL) approaches • Implementation across the globe• Allows for localisation

SA Implementation• Provincial senior trainers selected and trained• Train facilitators chosen from schools as

implementers for their school• Education dept officials also

included in training• University education

departments including it in pre and in service

• In 1000 schools in all 9 provinces

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Provinces with Computers in Schools (2002)

Have Computers

Have Computers forTeaching & Learning

Complexity of Situation

• Having computers for educational use doesn’t mean they will be used well

• Independent schools are not necessarily well-resourced, and state schools can be

• Very well-resourced independent schools are not necessarily innovative educationally.

Cascading Model of Training

• “Train the Trainer”

• Poor reputation in SA wrt implementation of OBE but introduced here due to budget constraints and availability of trainers

• “Ordinary” Educators become trainers

Questioning: the Core• Intel Teach to the Future is a

pedagogical course• Use of questions to stimulate Higher

Order Thinking (a la Bloom)• Use of overall Essential &

Unit Questions• Use of unit plans,

assessment rubrics• These are novel ideas in some

schools

Key Elements

CurriculumCurriculumKnowledgeKnowledge

ICTICTSkillsSkills

PedagogicalPedagogicalKnowledgeKnowledge

4 stage continuum of ICT integration

UNESCO report on ICT curriculum and teacher development in 2002– Emerging – Applying – Infusing – Transforming

Criteria include progress from teacher-centred to learner-centred - as well as technology adoption

Stages of Development

• Various models point to stages teachers go through in adopting technology

• 3-5 years timeframe to get to stage of integration• SA teachers at low levels (even when there are

computers)• Intel Teach to the Future expects teachers to

“catch up”, both at the level of technical skills as well as pedagogical integration knowledge, in a short time; But

• Only 53% had used a spreadsheet pre-training• Only 46% could design learning materials

Outcome of TrainingRandom success/failure:• Difficulty grasping key concepts • Resistance to discussion of pedagogy• Difficulty with using English• Too dependent on confidence

& commitment of facilitators• But: some concepts taken on board

Failure to Train Others

• Lack of facilities• Lack of confidence• Did the course for the “wrong” reason • Because it was all that was available• 58% of facilitators,

63% educators wanted ICT skills

• Only 17% wanted to become better teachers

Solutions and Way Forward

• Focus on Unit Question (subject focus not cross curric)

• Online refresher course• Revise course to be modular

and flexible• Include Thinking Tools • Microsoft Partners in Learning

ICT Skills for teachers to meet needs for “skills first”

Revisions and Refresher

• Open vs Closed questions• Create good Unit Questions• Practice giving feedback• Re-phrase questions• Analyse sample

presentations for whether the Unit Question was answered

• Explore scaffolding ideas

Re-phrasing Questions

How do animal and plant species react over time to threats within their habitat to ensure the survival of the species?

Re-wordings:

• Can proteas survive in Johannesburg?

• Do pine trees grow easily?

• Why is Bloemfontein the Rose city?

Characteristics of Good Unit Questions

• Avoid words such as “influence of…”, “importance of …”, “impact of…”

• Force the learner into evaluation, analysis and synthesis: e.g. “Were the Portuguese good for Africa?”

• “How does…” & “why…” often lead to weak questions; drop them, eg "Can ICT improve global communications?"

Intel Teach Research Conclusions

• Desired impacts of Intel Teach not yet achieved• But there are indications in the classroom of

positive changes, early stages of integration beyond mere ICT usage, and signs of pedagogical development

“I used to think the learners were dull & lazy.Now I see it is we teachers who are at fault.

We need to teach in new, different ways”

New Intel Programmes

• Teaching Thinking with Technology

• Designing Effective Projects

• Assessing Projects

• Online and Collaborative

Teaching Thinking with Technology

Three Online Thinking Tools–Visual Ranking

–Seeing Reason

–Showing Evidence

Visual Ranking

• Ranking – decision making

• Can show reasoning

• Can see ranking of other students

• Can rank from different perspectives

Rank reasons for teachers to use ICT

from most important to least important:

• Use ICT to prepare lesson notes, worksheets and test papers

• Use ICT to teach ICT skills to learners• Use ICT to stimulate thinking in the classroom• Allow learners to use ICT to search for

information and produce documents• Use ICT for inter-classroom collaboration• Use ICT for personal professional growth

Seeing Reason

• Cause and effect mapping

• Not mind-mapping (like Inspiration)

• Communicates understanding

• Iterations are kept to track thinking

• Reports can summarise map in words

Showing Evidence

• Constructing well reasoned argument

• Defend argument with credible evidence

• Learners have to evaluate evidence– For credibility etc– For how well it supports or refutes argument

• Learners can create own evidence

Designing Effective Projects

• How to promote higher order thinking

• How questioning underpins learning goals

• Ideas for ongoing assessment in PBL

• Wide range of sample projects

• Keeping projects:

Engaging, Compelling and Real

Going Forward• Restructuring of Teach to the Future • Include Teaching Thinking with

Technology • Continued endorsement by SACE • Uptake by more Higher Ed institutions • Intel Corporation – end of 3yr contract• HEDCOM to request provinces to

implement according to E-education white paper

Thank you

Contact Details

Janet Thomson janet@schoolnet.org.za

Rabia Awasi rabia@schoolnet.org.za

www.school.za – SchoolNet SA

http://www.intel.co.za/education - SA Intel site

http://teach.schoolnet.org.za – SA project site

http://www.intel.com/education - USA website