I have a saying that states " You won't start doing something right if you don't know where you going wrong." What's wrong ? Well recently the Zuma administration in their bid to move towards a more progressive Goverment which focusses on the people have highlighted areas that needs attention.
Within the spheres of Education we have to improve literacy and numeracy skills drastically if we wish to advance as a nation. Learners entering tertiary institutions sometimes lack the basic skills of comprehension and find the going hard. Now I can say we know where we going wrong but how do we get it right. The introduction of Foundations For Learning is having sporadic success but then again we can argue that it is better to try and fail than not to try at all. Optimistically, we can learn from our mistakes.
How quickly we learn still remains the question ? This is where I would like to mention that a cure exist in the use of ICT as a tool to improve learning. Like with any tool , it is only as good as the user and the frequency of use. ICT can link S.A teachers up with educators overseas, it can be used as a media tool in classrooms and the valuable teaching resources is always a plus.
Maybe you may have varying views with regard to the use of technology. I look forward to reading them.
Hola there Jerome!
ReplyDeleteI sincerely think that our Education system need a total overhaul, especially mainsteam. I think that we should move to a more vocational and focused type of education, that is in line with the societal and economical needs.
Our learners spent 12 years of their lives studying in the mainsteam something that is mostly in no way related or have any bearing to what they aspire to do post matric. Educators are expected to complete the syllabi, irrespective of whether learners comprehended what was offered to them; and learners are "fast-tracked" to other classes if they fails a class more than twice or their age is beyond the grade they are in.
Can you imagine a Dinosaur expected to live and survive in the world full of over-hanging live electric wires, pylons and bridges; this is tantamount to the expectations of effective implementation of ICT in teaching and learning by educators who aren't adequately technologically trained. Educators should be suitably trained to teach digital learners, incorporate digital gadgets in their daily teaching.
Yes, ICT can help bring about change and interest in the way learners learn, but how effective would that be in a school with a learner population of approximately 1500 and a 20 PC Computer Lab? Schools should be adequately resourced and all learners, irrespective of their subject streams, should undertake CAT or Computer Literacy as one of their fundamentals; this is aimed at ensuring that all learners are computer literate by the time they finish their secondary education.
Uncomfortable feeling or Discomfort emanates from every man's phobia or doubts to CHANGE, but I sanguinely think that CHANGE is eminent...