Did you know?

Did you know that Butane is a gas sold bottled as a fuel for cooking and camping? If not, then you should. When it is blended with some other hydrocarbons such as propane, it is generally called liquified petroleum gas or LPG for short. We also use it as one component of petrol.

Did you know that children learn this in Organic Chemistry in the FET phase? If you have chalk, you can write its structural, condensed and molecular formulae on a chalk board. Then it goes into a book and hopefully the learners will see the pattern of how to learn it properly.

Did you know that learners cannot visualize concepts in Chemistry? How do learners "see" a molecule such as butane? The condensed formula for a molecule of this gas is CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₃ and its molecular formula is C₄H₁₀ . How does a learner construct this molecule mentally? Using a ball-and-stick model (if available) an educator can give him/her an idea.

Another idea is to do it electronically. Using software a learner can visualize and manipulate the molecule to get a better understanding. Since many schools have laptops, data projectors and Interactive Whiteboards it will be good practice to use it in their Chemistry teaching.

Check this out on an Interactive Whiteboard.

Did you know that the Chemistry mark is brought down by the section called Organic Chemistry? Can we do something about it? YES WE CAN, ELECTRONICALLY!

Maths and Physics Tution with Winter warmth

During the Winter Vacation two District East facilitators were spending some time with grade 12 learners tutoring Mathematics and Physics. While the days were cold the information was warmly received.

While Faeeza spent time going through Functions at Kwamfundo, Mark was working away in Mechanics at Harry Gwala High School.

A shortcoming during these sessions was the non-availability of technology. How different it would have been with Interactive Whiteboards, but despite this it was an enjoyable experience.

MEED Skills Transfer Session 4

MEED SKILLS TRANSFER 29 JULY 2011

Participants Maths and Literacy: - GET Foundation Phase/ InerSen, SP, FET Maths, FET Science - 5 FP officials attended.

Cami Presentation

• Welcome & Attendance register:- Bonny Hendricks

• Using the Speed-test – Mental maths- Steward Blick

• Using the interface of Cami Maths and creating an understanding of the way CAMI Maths works – Sipho Didiza

• Using Search tool for activities according to outcomes -Faeeza Farao

* Revision of CAMI Perceptual by working through additional activity – Siki Notshe

• Using Blogging as reflection. Bonny

Thank you for attending.

Skills Transfer Program Session 3,10 June 2011

Welcoming of MEED Officials - Bonny Hendricks-

Foundation phase/ LSEN/ InterSen and FET Maths/Maths Lit/Literacy officials

CAMI Admin (Presenter Steward Blick)

• Register users
• Bulk registration of users using csv. File
• Administer student logons, settings and details
• Autopilot
• Generate class list/CAMI Perceptual

Interface of Cami Perceptual and creating an understanding of the way that it works: (presenter Sipho Didiza)

Activity Demo: (presenter Siki Notshe)

Colour:1.4.6

Shape: 2.4.4.1

Spatial:3.4

Association: 4.3.3

Retention:5.6.4.5

Auditory:6.4.3

Quantity: 7.3.5.6

My Body: 8.3.5

FET Master Maths Revision Program – (Faeeza Farao)

Thank you for attending.

Bored with Solomon Qatyana's boards?

Recently three facilitators visited Solomon Qatyana to get things going at the school who received Interactive Whiteboards, Data projectors and laptops.

After checking the hardware and doing the software installation it was time for a bit of experimentation. Learners were quick to try out writing with coloured pens on the board. Opening up videos and music created great excitement.

Recently the whole staff started with training on how to set up the Interactive Whiteboard and how to use it. The theme of integrating technology in their normal teaching practice was the foundation of the training. The facilitators opened Khanya LTSM to give educators a taste of software that can be used to supplement what they were doing. Educators felt positive about including new things in their teaching.

Opening a new building for COSAT

On 20 May 2011 COSAT opened their new school building in Khayelitsha. A band welcomed guests, which included MEC Donald Grant and the Head of Education, Penny Vinjevold.

The principal welcomed guests and a former learner of the school handled the Master of Ceremonies duties very well. After Mr Caroline, East District Director, welcomed the school back to the district again the choir rendered items in song. Three learners from Luhlaza delivered an operatic piece that was met with thunderous applause.


Before MEC Donald and the representative of SERI spoke the praise singer of the school delivered a spirited address to an enthusiastic audience who egged him on to do more.

Then it was time to thank all who made the school functional and Khanya's name was held high for contributing the ICT infrastructure, equipment and training. It is hoped that the school will continue to produce good results and that ICT will play a significant role in the learners' education.

KHANYA MEED Skills Transfer Session 2

MEED Officials enjoyed a Skills Transfer session on Khanya Learner and Teacher support material in Literacy material Alfie and K-ZONE. The activities are available in three languages English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. The activities accommodate diverse levels of learning in a colourful learner friendly environment. Activities are linked to Learning outcomes and Assessment standards. These activities should be link to classroom practise to support learners resourcefully in difficult concepts. Meed GET Adviser's agreed that such activities are extremely valuable to learner development.

Skills Transfer Program Session 1

Eighteen MEED Officials attended the Khanya Skills transfer program that commenced on the 18th of March 2011. The sessions will be available every alternative Friday till the 31st October 2011.

Officials were hands-on all the time navigating the Khanya learning teaching educational support activities, linked to the current NCS curriculum. It was a sessions of excessive brain power and loads of laughter to accomplish activities in GET Maths, FET Maths and Science. This is only the start and already officials find the program very valuable to support our learners indefinitely in resourceful curriculum delivery.

The next sessions will be on the 15 May 2011 and will address the navigation of the Khanya Literacy educational software activities. The sessions will be conducted in three phases, Basic, Intermediate and Advance features of various educational software programs. At the end each Curriculum official should understand how ICT plays an important role with-in educators daily effective lesson planning, empowering and accommodating diverse learners. Most educators at the schools are already implementing resourceful Curriculum delivery, resulting in the improvement of the Lit/Num and Science results.

Thank you to the Khanya facilitators presenting:- FET Maths Faeeza Faroa, GET Maths FP - Siki Notshe, ISP - Sipho Didiza and Steward Blick, Science - Mark Carollisen.