We always think that technology is not being used at schools, but they are. It's just not used in the way we think it should be used. While visiting a school this week, I found a constant stream of learners and educators visiting the computer lab. I decided to walk a round to find out what they were doing.
A pair of younger learners were visiting some dubious site. I addressed this with them and the educator-in-charge of the lab. Other learners were busy searching the Net for information on the Haber process, a project they got during last term as was due soon. I came to realize that these learners did not have access to a nearby library for research. Their textbooks had sparse information. (I have an older textbook with loads of information in it). There school has internet, but access to it was limited during the five week holiday. Also, these learners were involved in a Winter School programme as well as an additional tuition programme. The time was too limited to do any research.
What is wrong with this picture? I invite some comment. But here are three issues I want to raise :
(a) Are we not killing our learners with too school? There must be a balance here. Teenagers are teenagers and they must have the freedom to do teenager things. I am not against a Winter school, but for three to five weeks? And this is done all in the name of grade 12 matric results?
(b) Learners do not have access to information, be it at a library or internet. The local library where I live have a reasonable set of books, but it also has about four Linux computers that are connected to the internet. You have to book time. Where is the access to these resources for a township community. Their school has internet which learners are allowed to use during intervals and after school for about 30 minutes. And then.....?
(c) Learners want access to information, maybe not in a structured way we expect them to have it. I loved the idea that learners, although under pressure searched for information. They seemed knowledgeable, but they should have been guided through the process of doing an assignment. This is the job of a teacher. I am sure that many learners would just plagiarize.
The other thing I saw was that a learner with a CD he bought for R20 from a museum. It had some Geography stuff on it. He used the teacher workstation to move through the what was a jacked-up Powerpoint presentation with smart multimedia in it. Other learners joined him as he explained a few things pertaining to what looked like plate-tectonics. Now I love this. These learners took initiative to use ICT in their learning. They do not have a single computer at home, but at school they do. The thing is that learning goes on in different ways. It is fluid network of different things. Also, ICT should be used in a similar fashion, not a rigid, boring, unimaginative way (There is place for that too).
I also met their Physics teacher, a young man that knows his Physical Science and is eager to use ICT in his lessons. We conversed very easily as I tutored his learners during the holiday and I had the opportunity to complement him on well they know their work. As I sat down to show him a few stuff he indicated that he will use it to revise many concepts with his learners. He even made me excited. There are some stumbling blocks but he is willing to overlook them.
ICT usage may not be as our project would like it to be, but it is being used......just not the way we think it should be used. Variety is the spice of life and we should encourage it.
Today, after many attempts, training started at Joe Slovo Secondary school. It was a good day. We found the back containing the remote control and pens. Keke, the maths educator, took easily to the board and was quite excited to make some waves. We opened and closed some installed software on the board.
at was available for English First Additional language.
Applets, Physics Simulations and Smart Software. All went well except that the desktop PC does not communicate properly with the board. This leaves another problem to be solved. Back to the drawing board.....or is it the whiteboard?
