Holy Cross Primary in Cape Town is a school without a playground.

The school has 600 learners and a staff of 16, as well as about 6,000 square-metres of unusable land in front of the school. The biggest problem is that the land is littered with rubble, glass and rubbish. There remains little other space for the children to use, and as a result, they spend their lunch breaks playing in the road.

Quirk, a digital marketing and branding agency, is located metres away from Holy Cross and decided to bring the learners a little 2012 cheer on their return to school this year.

“Think back to your school years, and imagine that at every lunch break you would have to file out into the street for a bit of R&R. Not an ideal thought, is it?” wrote Marc Coppin of Quirk on the company’s blog.

As it turns out, Quirk wasn’t the first to notice this situation, and there have been many attempts at cleaning the field. Unfortunately, that particular piece of land is tied up in political red tape, with the presence of land claim rights halting any attempts at improvement.

‘Well, bugger that’, said Quirk Cape Town, collectively, ‘we’ll do something about it, anyway.’

And so they did. More than 100 employees of Quirk made their way down to the field in December 2011, armed with black bags, steel rakes and garden gloves. During the course of the day they managed to clear almost four tons of rubble and have planted and fertilised grass across the field in an attempt to restore it to a condition that is suitable for children.

If more local businesses volunteered just a tiny amount of time and resources to a nearby school, we’d see a very different mindset emerge on businesses supporting education in South Africa. We can’t keep ignoring the poor state of our schools for much longer. My hope is that South African business will support education in a bigger and more hands-on way, much like the caring people at Quirk. You never know – in a few years you might just be employing a child from one of those schools … so make their education count.

Thank you Quirk!

Article written by DA Barber

In 2012, higher education institutions will look to improve the learning experience through analytics and personalized learning environments, while reducing costs with digital resources and cloud technologies.

Washington, DC-based Gilfus Education Group has released its annual list of the top five trends in education innovation for 2012, which included three focused on higher education technologies:

• Prestigious institutions will launch online experiences designed to be as unique as those available to students on campus:
• “Dynamic and flexible learning experience engines” will emerge to replace learning management systems (LMS); and
• Tablets will surge as a means of delivering courses and e-learning media.

“What’s happening, especially with the prestigious institutions and the large state universities, is that because technology is evolving so much that those institutions are investing an incredible amount of money, despite their own budget cuts, into crafting online learning experiences that are as unique as the on-campus experience so that there is a true distinction and a true value that can warrant the higher tuition dollars and preserve the prestige of the institution,” said Frank Ganis, a general partner at Gilfus.

“I think the thing we’ll see in 2012 is the increasing use of learning analytics to better personalize the learning environment,” said Karen Cator, the United States Department of Education’s director of technology. “Basically, these products that are adapting to the learners, products that are returning to the learner the next thing based on data and analysis of that data.”

But there are other trends to watch for in the new year.

“I think 2012 will see an expansion of a variety of ways of getting access to the materials that students need for learning,” said Cator. Some of these trends are not new to colleges and universities, but they are becoming much more visible and embedded in the higher education experience.

E-Textbooks in 2012
Ganis said he believes 2012 will be a banner year for digital textbooks on college and university campuses.

“We have clients who are large university systems who have declared that, come fall 2012, that’s it, that’s the preferred format,” said Ganis.

Retailers are also getting into the e-textbook game. In September 2011, Amazon.com began offering digital textbooks for on-demand rental. Students can download the e-textbooks to their Kindles, PCs, iPads, BlackBerries, or Android-based devices. Highlighted text and margin notes made directly on the device can then be saved in the Amazon Cloud for access even after the rental expires.

“I think the trend is towards–I wouldn’t call them e-books, I’d call them ‘digital learning environments,’” said Cator. She explained that e-books are digital representations of books, with text and pictures. “But when we think about the expansion in digital books or digital learning environments, it also includes not just the text and pictures, but also video and Web sites and simulations, visualizations, and environments where you’re testing yourself and lots of other kinds of things that would be important.”

Open Resources
Another trend to watch is open educational resources.

“Higher education is further along in thinking about open education resources and the kinds of things that can be licensed for use and reuse. I think that’s something we’ll definitely continue to see in 2012,” said Cator.

The California Senate is currently considering a bill that would nudge colleges toward using open education resources in the form of free online textbooks for the state’s 3 million college students instead of print books as a means of saving them money. If passed, the bill will establish the online California Digital Open Source Library, which will house the 50 most commonly used books for required lower-division courses. Similar to Flat World Knowledge, students and teachers will have access to free digital versions of the books with an option to buy printed versions for $20. The resources will fall under a Creative Commons license, which means they’ll be open for reuse and customization.

California is not alone in this endeavor. In 2011, the state of Washington developed a plan for an Open Course Library that will contain online texts for 81 of the most popular courses. Forty-two courses are already completed. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology OpenCourseWare initiative also publishes almost all of the university’s material for its students.

The Online Classroom
Textbooks won’t be the only educational resource that will see increased online delivery in 2012. The classroom itself will also exist online more than ever before.

Ganis noted that at any large university, there are often certain core courses that are broken up into 10 or even 20 sections during any semester. While there will still be live classes, many students will experience the class via live or recorded video delivered online. While this may not sound like anything new, Ganis said the way it will be done is.

“Because there is just one professor and every student gets the same knowledge and information, there is no longer any advantage of having one professor over another and there is a lot more flexibility.”

The difference will be in the new technology available and the higher production values of both the live broadcasts and the recorded videos.

“It will be high production value because the professors won’t have the burden of producing the content: they will have the support of some very talented designers,” said Ganis. “So, that’s really going to shake-up the educational system starting fall 2012 and I think we’re going to see it propagate very quickly.”

Mobile Devices
Mobile computing will continue to grow on higher education campuses as more and more students access online lectures and other learning resources with their smartphones or tablets.

“In terms of becoming a much more exciting experience, mobile devices are certainly playing a role,” said Ganis. “Certainly we can do easy things with mobile devices and it’s already being done, like podcasts, or students taking pictures or videos and incorporating that into the classroom experience.”

And ed tech companies appear eager to help schools take greater advantage of the potential offered by these devices. Desire2Learn’s Mobile Web platform, for instance, enables students to access course materials, calendars, bookmarks, and other learning materials through their Blackberry, Android, or iOS devices.

Cator believes that handheld devices coupled with social media will create greater collaboration and learning opportunity in the coming year.

“We have, in the past, been thinking about social networking just for socialness and we now can think about leveraging the same ability for people to connect to each other, but specifically to do school work and to learn together,” said Cator.

Campuses Move to the Cloud
With so many resources and learning opportunities moving online, and pressed by the need to reduce IT infrastructure costs, more and more campuses will take advantage of the benefits provided by cloud technologies.

“I think what’s interesting about cloud computing is that it allows resources to be available from a variety of places so it enables the improvement of content,” said Cator.

“The truth of the matter is that the way many college and university budgets work is that they can’t depreciate the equipment fast enough before it becomes not so useful. So what a lot of schools want to do is get out of the hardware and technology stack business, focus on content, and put as much in the cloud as possible,” said Ganis. “It’s just starting and will continue to increase. And as the equipment becomes depreciated, it will accelerate the movement to the cloud.”

Ganis said that technological innovation is “all driven by Moore’s Law,” which states that the number of transistors that can be cheaply placed on a chip doubles approximately every two years, “and universities can’t keep up with the technology. With budget cutbacks, rising costs, and the need to change outmoded business models, many institutions are candidly realizing that if they don’t rapidly pursue smart innovation, they may severely undermine the future continuity of their schools.”

This article was written by DA Barber and originally published at www.campustechnology.com

I’m privileged to have known Kobus van Wyk, former director of the Khanya Special Project, for a number of years. The Khanya Project has been by far the most successful project of it’s kind in South Africa, overshadowing anything other education departments have attempted. The project, which is coming to an end in March 2012, was tasked with installing ICT infrastructure, from computer labs to interactive whiteboards, in every school in the Western Cape Province. The statement on the Khanya web site reads: “By the start of the 2012 academic year, every educator in every school of the Western Cape will be empowered to use appropriate and available technology to deliver curriculum to each and every learner in the province.”

Kobus van Wyk

With the wealth of information and experience Kobus has gained about ICT in schools while heading up the Khanya project, I though it would be a good idea to ask him to share his thoughts and opinions with Teacher’s Monthly readers. Following is an interview with Kobus.

What were the major difficulties you encountered while managing the Khanya Project?

Kobus: Managing the Khanya project was not all that difficult. I had the privilege of working with a team of dedicated project managers and facilitators on whom I could depend to make things happen. Similarly, I established solid partnerships with service providers who gave me incredible and invaluable support. The major difficulty I experienced was the general lack of understanding among many teachers and school principals – but mainly among education department officials – of the important role ICT can play in education.

What were some of your most joyful moments?

Kobus: The joy to see little ones engaging with technology can’t be described in words! Many of them do not even have a single book at home, and to see them work with technology, which gives them access to a wealth of material, made me feel that the whole effort was worthwhile. Just contemplating the fact that, without the Khanya intervention, many of these children would never have had the opportunity to access technology is a humbling experience.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

Kobus: I made many mistakes along the way and would certainly have avoided them if I knew better. For example, we spent too much time trying to help teachers who were not interested in using technology at all. There is an obsession about equality in education: giving each one equal attention and resources. I believe that our efforts would have been far more productive if we focused on those teachers who displayed a desire to come to grips with technology. In hindsight, I would also have spent much more time with education department officials, helping them to see the value of technology in education.

What are the major successes of the Project?

Kobus: ICT in education on the African continent has a long history of failures, particularly where attempts were made to implement technology on a large scale. In my view, the major success of Khanya was that it proved, beyond a shadow of doubt, that technology can be implemented on a large scale in Africa. I believe that Khanya has laid a solid foundation of technology in schools – every school in the province has at least one form of technology, providing access to all learners. Over 27 000 teachers received some form of technology training. This places the Western Cape in a most advantageous position. Now that the Western Cape Education Department officials have taken over the responsibility to support technology in schools my hope is that they will not allow this platform to erode, but that they will continue to build on it.

What does a principal need to do to ensure the successful deployment of ICT at the school?

Kobus: Principals play a key role. They must lead by example, showing their staff that they are serious about the use of technology. Principals also need to ensure that all teachers are adequately trained to use technology optimally.

Hypothetically, you are appointed at a school that has no ICT infrastructure. The SGB informs you that the school has budgeted R250,000 for this year and another R250,000 for next year for the implementation of ICT. How would you utilise this funding?

Kobus: The first thing I would do is to determine what the educational needs of the school are, and then decide which manifestation of technology would meet those needs. Based on these facts, I would develop a project plan, which would inform me how to spend the available funding. In all likelihood, most of the first year’s allocation would go towards establish a solid infrastructure, as well as teacher training.

ICT for computer literacy or for curriculum delivery?

Kobus: I can answer this one without hesitation: for curriculum delivery. The focus must always be on curriculum. Computer literacy is essential, but it is of secondary importance. Learners are so quick to pick up computer skills – if the spotlight of the technology in the school is on learning, the learners will most likely pick up the computer skills by themselves.

A primary school has a well-equipped computer lab. As the principal what would you do to ensure that it is best utilised?

Kobus: Draw up a schedule and insist that teachers adhere to it.  When a teacher is reluctant to use technology, determine the reason for it.  If teachers feel inadequate in any way, ensure that they receive the necessary support and training. A principal should also visit the computer lab on a regular basis, showing personal interest in what is happening there.

How important is training in ensuring the effective use of ICT at a school?

Kobus: Teacher training is a critical success factor for the effective use of ICT at a school. Most of our teachers never had the opportunity to use technology as a teaching and learning tool. It is unreasonable to expect them simply to dive in and be effective. It has been said that the three most important things in ensuring effective use of ICT at a school are: teacher training, teacher training and teacher training.

What is your opinion of CAT as a subject at high schools?

Kobus: CAT is an important subject. Even though learners pick up computer skills while using computers for learning, the subject CAT focuses on the formal use of ICT in the work place. I can hardly imagine a job today where digital literacy skills are not required – CAT equips learners with those skills.

How essential is it for a teacher to have a laptop?

Kobus: It is essential for teachers to have personal access to technology, preferably at home. A laptop is the most convenient form of technology, since it can be taken with them wherever they go; for example, a teacher can prepare a lesson at home and then take the laptop to school to present the lesson. I think that many teachers would prefer an iPad … if I were a teacher that would have been my choice.

Rental or purchase of hardware? If you were a principal what would your preference be?

Kobus: This is a complex matter. Rental of ICT equipment is always the best option – this ensures that your equipment stays up to date and that the technology vendors assume responsibility for maintenance. But this option requires that the school has an ICT operational budget. Unfortunately, the state does not provide schools with regular financial resources to enter into a rental agreement. The result is that the only option for schools is to purchase hardware; this is often made possible through sponsorships. That is one of the problems I faced in Khanya – I had a capital budget, but not an operational budget. The only way open was therefore the purchase of hardware, which has severe sustainability implications.

Given unlimited funding and resources, describe your ‘ideal’ ICT deployment at a school.

Kobus: Many people are of the opinion that computer labs are outdated and that one should now rather focus on technology in the classroom. I agree with this statement only partially. I believe that the real value of technology is experienced when it is used in the classroom. However, I also believe that a computer room has a valid place in a school since it allows learners hands-on access. So, my ideal scenario would be: a well-resourced computer lab; an interactive whiteboard in every classroom, and a laptop for each child. With cell phones becoming powerful mobile ICT devices, I believe that soon the one-laptop-per-child concept – also referred to as one-to-one computing – could soon become a reality through the use of these mobile devices.  In fact, affordable mobile technology and low cost internet access would probably change ICT in schools dramatically over the next few years.

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You can follow Kobus on his blog, e4Africa or on Twitter @kobusvanwyk.

With Khanya coming to an end, it remains to be seen whether the plans the Western Cape Education Department have for the current ICT infrastructure will be successful. However, in all likelihood Khanya will remain as the most successful and ambitious projects ever attempted by a provincial education department.

This article was written by Candy Spelling and originally published on Huffingtonpost.com.

I can still remember being a part of what is now called the “backchannel” of the school classroom. Like everyone else, I passed notes to my friends and snickered rebelliously when the teacher wasn’t looking. Today, the “backchannel” consists of texting, Tweeting and uploading to Facebook pages. Originally, school administrators were busy drafting policies about confiscating cell phones and acceptable laptop use. Look inside classrooms nowadays and it’s clear just how much times have changed. Many educators are now embracing technology and leveraging social media to motivate students.

From public elementary schools to prestigious liberal arts colleges, educators are taking creative pedagogy to the next step on the digital frontier. iPads are replacing textbooks and microblogging in virtual classrooms has become an alternative to classroom discussions. Advocates believe it keeps students current with technology. More importantly, proponents point out it encourages critical thinking and wider classroom participation.

While I understand the real-time digital stream may create a safe harbor for students uncomfortable expressing themselves, it seems to me students are missing valuable lessons in real-life social skills. Believe it or not, I was very shy as a child and certainly would have appreciated the ability to communicate via blogging or texting. However, I am grateful that I didn’t have the choice. I needed to be to be forced to raise my hand and respond or to stand up to read a report.

Students will still find themselves at a college admission or job interview where they will need to command attention and deliver a message. At social gatherings and in personal relationships, they need to be able to express themselves and connect.

It’s exciting that teachers have technology and social media as new tools to educate young people. However, I hope that educators will be mindful that the classroom is one of the greatest environments for young people to develop strong verbal skills and self-confidence that will serve them well in their lives ahead.

Follow Candy Spelling on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cscandyland

This article was written by Moeletsi Mbeki, author, political commentator and entrepreneur. For me personally, it highlights a point I have long believed – that all LEADERS must be very well EDUCATED. And, that the only way to true freedom in this world is through education. I feel that many of the leaders of South Africa would do good to go back to their school textbooks and LEARN. This would be the biggest and best example of all for the meaning of a richer life with great opportunities. As I once heard DJ Fresh from 5FM say: “Get rich the old fashion way – work hard”.

What you teach your children forms their lives. We were surrounded by books growing up. I remember trying to read my first novel about sailors and boat operators on the Volga River in Russia. It was a complete mystery to me, coming from a village in the Eastern Cape trying to imagine this vast river. My parents owned a store and as my father was the Eastern Cape editor of the New Age, a left-wing newspaper, we not only sold it but read it. We worked in the shop, which I liked, but when my mother would call us to help in the garden I didn’t enjoy that as much.

I wanted to help grow the country, I just didn’t know how. When I left school I wanted to do civil engineering. Growing up in the 1950s I saw the huge changes that were happening in Africa and dreamt of building new roads and bridges. But I couldn’t stay away from politics and economics and the route for me then became journalism.

Social and economic problems exist in many countries. We tend to think our problems here are unique. When I was studying for my MA in England in the ’80s, I learnt a lot about the rest of the world. There were students from all over Africa involved in organising against various causes, including apartheid, and I was right there with them. I looked at colonialism, which was bad for us in the receiving end, but I realised the British had also been colonised, first by the Romans and then a host of other countries, including the French. The reality is that land everywhere is owned by minorities – minorities with the most power and weapons.

The only way out of poverty is solid, powerful leadership. In a follow-up book to Architects of Power I was asked to edit Advocates for Change, focusing on the solutions to Africa and South Africa’s problems. The big issue is leadership, which is missing in South Africa today. The ANC, except for a brief period in the 1940s and 1950s, have been followers. The fact they didn’t lead was one of their weaknesses. When Julius Malema tells people if they own the gold mine they will be extremely wealthy, yes of course they would. But there are a lot of steps before you can become wealthy. He’s not leading, he’s just seeing which way the wind blows and amplifying that. This is one of South Africa’s major problems. You need solutions, the capacity to innovate, the ability to implement by mobilising the required resources and the capability to create followers. Right now the ANC are following the followers.

What makes a great leader?

Nelson Mandela was a great leader because he identified that Africans were moving from rural to urban areas early on, so he focused on Johannesburg, where the population was going. That was innovation. He spent 27 years in prison and realised while there that the National Party had hit a cul-de-sac, and so offered them a way out. The ANC told him he was a sell-out, a traitor. He said, in The Long Walk to Freedom: “There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock – go off in a new direction, confident that he is leading his people the right way.” We need that now.

We must wake up and see the future. What we have now is Jacob Zuma and Julius Malema following what they perceive to be the lowest common denominator – that’s not leadership – that’s followership! COPE is no better. They have no policy. People suggested I run as their leader, but I’m a political analyst not a politician. COPE thought they could do ANC policies a bit better, economic empowerment a bit better. But if the policies are flawed, you need to come up with new policies. COPE is a clone of the ANC.

We must harness the brilliance of our youth. In my capacity as political analyst for Nedbank I talk to young asset managers of all colours. I’m very optimistic about this generation. I know that Jacob Zuma is not a leader, nor is Julius Malema. But these emerging young people are focused, educated and, above all, are not preoccupied with race issues. Look at the DA’s Lindiwe Mazibuko – she has passion coupled with great intelligence.

All South Africans need to become proud citizens. After the Fifa World Cup, everyone was asking: “How do you bottle that feeling, that unity?” Sadly, you can’t. Those moments fade. Again, you need a leader to keep it going. When you’re in China you notice a level of confidence. Everything works smoothly and there’s a disciplined pride in being Chinese. The same applies in the US. Immigrants have to learn English and read “how to” books such as, “how to cook a hamburger”. They become proud Americans. We need that.

Life is too short to waste a second. I’m often asked about hobbies and people are surprised when I say my work is my hobby. Ask what I’m reading and it’s books on politics and world economies. This is what I love.

Written by Moeletsi Mbeki and originally published at Leader.co.za.

There is always much debate about the education system in South Africa. There are many positive and negative arguments, for and against our education policies, the Department of Education, schools, teachers, principals and learners in general.

There is certainly no doubt that there is a massive difference between the level of education at our former ‘model C’ schools and of our disadvantaged schools. I call them disadvantaged schools because that’s what they are – disadvantaged.

What really constitutes an advantaged and a disadvantaged school though? Is an advantaged school one where you walk into every classroom and see an interactive whiteboard and a laptop in front of every learner? Is an advantaged school one that is built out of bricks and has airconditioning, electricity and running water?

Personally I think that there is more to being an advantaged or disadvantaged school than just what the school ‘owns’ or ‘has’.

People were created with a natural instinct to do great things even without great resources at their disposal. There are countless success stories of disadvantaged schools making education happen without having all the fancy gadgets (or even the basic necessities!) that their counterparts have in the leafy suburbs.

But why then is there still such a high percentage of learner failures, particularly from the disadvantaged schools?

I was watching an episode of Special Assignment a while back, and something that a black teacher said really struck a cord with me. I don’t remember her name or what school she was from, but the gist of her argument is that the poor quality of education happening at disadvantaged schools is a legacy of the old and racist ‘Bantu’ education system in which for every R10 spent on a white learner, only R1 would be spent on a black learner.

Quite shocking, but if you think about it, it makes sense. People are quick to blame teachers for incompetence and laziness, but many of the teachers at disadvantaged schools are themselves a product of Bantu education. Of course, this doesn’t make teachers from advantaged schools any better, but the past is the past, and there is nothing we can do to change it. However, there is a lot we can do to fix it.

In a September 2010 article on Teacher’s Monthly, Dr Malcolm Venter writes:

The recent public servants’ strike was perceived to have been mainly about money – about increased salaries and better conditions of service. However, that is not the real issue. Underlying it all there was a deeper, more sinister, issue.

The State’s argument that it could not afford more was ludicrous and insensitive in the light of its wasteful spending on fancy cars, homes and hotel stays, its corruption, the unaccounted-for millions, etc. So much so that it became evident that the strike was about the perceptions of the populace that the high-ups in government were only concerned with feeding at the through, of the tendency towards ‘a predatory elite’ (as Vavi of COSATU put it so accurately).

Lester Venter, in his book When Mandela Goes (1977), writes:

South Africa has now experienced a political revolution, and is confronting the early stages of a social revolution. The first prepared the way for the second.

He points to the ’development gap’ between the two worlds that make up South Africa—the first world and the second. He then goes on to say:

The change has still to come. And come it will. Moreover, change will not come primarily through the actions and policies of government. It will come from underlying forces to which governmental action will usually be a confused response.

Expectations have been aroused. Those in whom they have been aroused will not tolerate the frustration of unfulfilment for ever. Even if a present, older, generation is—to some degree—resigned to the immutability  of life and acceptant of a pitiable fate, the sons and daughters of the next generation are not. Expectations are self-fulfilling, at least partially. A process of change is already in motion. Change in South Africa didn’t end when the results of the 1995 election were announced, as many people seem to think. In truth, that’s when change began.

I don’t think that giving a disadvantaged school an airconditioner, a computer, a brick hall, or a jungle gym suddenly makes that school any more advantaged. I think that the Department of Education needs to focus on strong training and retraining of existing teachers, and make the teaching profession something that people really admire and look up to. I believe that is crucial for the improvement of education.

Watching Top Billing’s recent episode on Mandela Day, it is obvious that Nelson Mandela considered education to be one of the strongest weapons in fighting for freedom. Not just politcal freedom, but also the greater freedoms that education gives. The ability to be successful, to help others, to understand the world and make a real difference. These things come from learning.

Lets face it, one can say that talking like this amounts to racism or whatever, but the point is that nothing will change until South Africans face facts and start talking. For all his obvious rudeness, media blunders and now possible corruption charges, at least Julius Malema has made people start seriously thinking about the differences between the rich elite and the derelict poor.

Over the past few months there has been a fair amount of media coverage on Finland’s education success. Bert Maes wrote an article regarding this:

Explaining the excellence of the schools in Finland is extremely complex. They have beautiful school buildings, well-trained teachers, state-of-the-art technology any fancy textbooks, but that doesn’t explain everything. I will not present an exhaustive or exclusive explanation for Finland’s success, but 10 CHARACTERISTICS MAY BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND:

1. When Finnish kids turn 7 years old they go into compulsory primary school during nine years. All kids start at the same level, no matter what socio-economic background they have. They learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes of lifelong learning, which is consistently paying off with better academic achievement in later grades. These primary schools are places where playing and learning are combined with alternative pedagogic approaches, rather than mere instructional institutions.
2. All teachers are prepared in academic universities. Teachers are highly respected and appreciated in Finland, partly because all teachers need a master’s degree to qualify for a permanent job. And the selection is tough: only 10% of the 5000 applicants each year are accepted to the faculties of education in Finnish universities. Finland improved its public education system not by privatizing its schools or constantly testing its students, but by strengthening the education profession and investing in teacher preparation and support. Their high level knowledge and skills makes that Finnish teachers:
   - can have considerable independence in the classroom to choose their preferred appropriate pedagogical methods;
   - are very willing to continuously update their professional skills via post-graduate studies;
   - are more willing to work on themselves, are open to new ideas and developed broader perspectives;
   - are eager to be involved into the school development processes in their own schools as well as in national and international projects.
3. Since the 1960s political authorities always have seen education as the key to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive world. All governments, from left to right have respected over the past 4 decades, that economic growth is the primary goal, with education as the critical driver (according to some researchers, education explains 25% of Finland’s growth): “Investment in people is the best investment”.  To be competitive, the governments concluded, Finland has to substantially boost investments in education and research to foster innovation and cutting-edge development.
4. Because the central government ensured sustainable funding to ensure FREE education for all, i.e. took care of ALL costs of tuition, warm school meals, learning materials, text books, transportation, new equipment, new facilities, student counseling, etc,  the teachers are able to focus on teaching and learning, and bringing new ideas and practices in schools.
5. There are no mandatory tests or exams; except for the nationwide National Matriculation Examination, in mother tongue, foreign language, mathematics and social/natural sciences, at the end of the upper-secondary school (from 17-19-year-old). Teachers make their own assessment tests, not quoting numeric grades, but using descriptive feedback, no longer comparing students with one another. This helped teachers and students focusing on learning in a fear-free environment, in which creativity and risk-taking are encouraged. Teachers have more real freedom in time planning when they do not need have to focus on annual tests or exams.
6. Trusting the schools and teachers is a common feature in Finnish schools. Schools receive full autonomy in developing the daily delivery of education services. The ministry of education always believed that teachers, together with principals, parents and their communities know how to provide the best possible education for their children and youth. Except for guidelines for learning goals and assessment criteria, The National Board of Education (taking care of curriculum development, evaluation of education and professional support for teachers) doesn’t dictate lesson plans or standardized tests. School can plan their own curricula to reflect local concerns.
7. For Manufacturing Education: In higher education, Finland offers university level studies or the polytechnics insitutions.  The polytechnic system was the focal point of education policies in Finland during the 1990s and the top priority for regional development. There is a wide consensus on increasing technology, environmental sciences and entrepreneurship education – all of which seem to contribute positively to economic development and growth. As a result regional support networks are developed to help schools and teachers to adopt new technology in education and incorporate technology into classrooms.
8. Building upon the expertise of local players, whose experience, opinions and abilities allowed them to indicate the best ways forward. The teacher unions and the educators themselves have always had the opportunity to be heard, to help crafting a blueprint of the reforms.
   - The key to get their commitment and support was tapping into and welcoming their expertise as professionals in laying the groundwork of reform. Expert committees of teachers, union representatives, university researchers, textbook authors and government officials designed the new frameworks, hashing out their differences and using each other’s valuable and varied expertise.
   - Another key was reassuring teachers would not lose employment security and salaries. Before the reforms even commenced the teacher trade organization achieved this in negotiating higher teacher compensation for the extra more demanding work.
   - Also experiments and pilot programs in developing curriculum reforms have helped ease concerns and win the teachers’ professional commitment. All experimental projects, coming from bottom-up as well, were monitored by university researchers, bringing a consistent culture of innovation in the Finnish education system.
   - Education reform could only have proceeded if it gave the teachers a way to maintain their pedagogical freedom, creativity and sense of professional responsibility, by allowing them to choose textbooks and learning materials, and to determine the best way to cover the curriculum.
   - he execution of new curricula, learning materials and new instructional methods was always carefully planned, province by province. Provincial Offices approved the plans from every municipality. The switch to a new reform was also guided by in-service training by a network of national level instructors.
9. Political consensus and the capacity of policy makers to pursue reform: governments, trade unions and employers’ organizations form a tripartite in Finland, closely coordinating, communicating and heading to a common goal. In many countries the opposing-parties usually polarize debates and public opinion. Since the beginning of the 1970s until 1987 the ministry of education had two ministers from the main parties, requiring close political cooperation, resulting in workable solutions as both parties could endorse them. This proved to be the key factor behind the continuity of Finnish education policy. The parties detached from their populist political objectives and strategic maneuvers and began focusing on the subject-matter, on cooperating and acting together. Via the close partnership between the labor organizations and the governments, between the employees and the employers, in both planning and implementation stages, the teacher union changed from external political pressure group into a stakeholder in government decision-making, i.e. into one encompassing labor organization, that looks at the interest of the COMPLETE SOCIETY, just like the government. This key element in good quality of governance and public institutions turned out to be the driving force of education performance and economic competitiveness in Finland.
10. Regional development and networking: Today the most important component of providing good education is the management and leadership skills of local political authorities, experts and school principals (carefully selected for their understanding of education development, their experience in teacher-education and their solid proven management skills). The key in the educational reforms was ‘how to find ways to help schools and teachers come together and share what they have learned about productive teaching techniques and effective schools’. The result was the creation of multi-level, professional learning communities of schools sharing locally tested practices and enriching ideas, and matching the needs for local economic development.

I do not necessarily agree to all of the above, but it makes an interesting comparison on the freedom the Finnish education departments give to teachers coupled with the importance they place on very high standards of initial teacher training as well as ONGOING teacher training.

So to answer the initial question, “Are South African teachers lazy?”: No. But many are poorly trained and poorly supported by the Department of Education. The Department of Education should be there to support teachers. Teachers should be there to educate and support learners. Right now I get the feeling that the Department of Education places more value on the learner than the educator. Without the educator, there is no learner.

When will the South African Department of Education realise that good education starts with the teacher?

Click here to watch a video on Finnish education by the BBC.

Article written by Leslie Katz and originally published on CNET News.

We’ve been told that social networking can make us depressed, envious, and filled with self-doubt, not to mention mess with our marriages.

Now, a new study out of Columbia University suggests another Internet-related side effect: All that Googling we’re doing may be impacting our memory (which might not be a bad thing if it helps us forget all the scary things our online lives are supposedly doing to us).

The good news is our dependence on Internet searches isn’t necessarily shrinking our cerebral cortexes or making us forget where we put our car keys. Instead, it’s changing the way our brains organize and retain information, according to the study.

“Since the advent of search engines, we are reorganizing the way we remember things,” Betsy Sparrow, a Columbia University assistant professor of psychology, said in a statement. “Our brains rely on the Internet for memory in much the same way they rely on the memory of a friend, family member, or co-worker.”

In other words, the Internet has become a primary form of what psychologists call “transactive memory,” or externally stored recollections that we know where to access when we need to.

The research, which comes out tomorrow in the journal Science, suggests we forget things we’re sure we can find on the Internet, and are more likely to remember things we think we can’t (probably very little these days). Furthermore, the research says, we are better able to remember where to find something on the Internet than we are at remembering the information itself.

Sparrow’s paper, titled “Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips,” is based on research conducted with colleagues Jenny Liu of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Daniel M. Wegner of Harvard University. It involved four memory tests.

One experiment involved the participants reading trivia statements. They were then tested for their memory of them when they believed the statements had been saved (searchable later as is the case with Internet search and databases) or erased. Subjects who believed the information would be accessible did worse on the memory test than those who believed the information was gone.

The same trivia statements were used to test memory of both the information itself and where the information could be found. Participants again believed data either would be saved in general, saved in a specific spot, or erased. They recognized the erased statements more than the ones that were saved.

Sparrow doesn’t want her research to alarm people. She thinks a greater understanding of memory in the Google age could impact teaching and learning in beneficial ways.

“Perhaps those who teach in any context, be they college professors, doctors, or business leaders, will become increasingly focused on imparting greater understanding of ideas and ways of thinking, and less focused on memorization,” Sparrow said. “And perhaps those who learn will become less occupied with facts and more engaged in larger questions of understanding.”

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Columbia’s department of psychology.

The following story was written in 1976 by Elizabeth Silance Ballard (now Elizabeth Ungar).

There’s a story from many years ago of a primary school teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson and as she stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said she loved them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn’t play well with the other children, his clothes were messy and he constantly needed a bath. Teddy could be quite unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold Xs and then putting a big “F” at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child’s past records and she put Teddy’s off until last.

However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy’s first grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around.”

His second grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.”

His third grade teacher wrote, “His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn’t show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren’t taken.”

Teddy’s fourth grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.”

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself.

She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with pretty ribbons, except for Teddy’s. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper he got from a grocery bag.

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of

perfume. But she stifled the children’s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to.”

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class, and despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her “teacher’s pets.”

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he’d stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then more years passed and yet another letter came. This time, he explained that after he got his Bachelor degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now, his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn’t end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he’d met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course Mrs. Thompson did.

And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me I could make a difference.”

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me I could make a difference. I didn’t really know how to teach until I met you.”

This past Friday and Saturday I had the great priviledge of attending one of the most inspiring, outrageously entertaining, and compelling education conferences ever. This, of course, was the EdTech Conference 2011 hosted at the International School of Cape Town in Wynberg.

I’ve never seen ‘ordinary’ teachers this excited to use technology before. The vibe was amazing, and the learning and sharing that went on between teachers – both IT/computer teachers as well as classroom teachers -  was fantastic!

Day 1 started with an inspiring keynote address by Rev Dr Dion Forster who opened up the ears, eyes and minds of all the delegates. Dion is a published author, public speaker, blogger and new media advocate and certainly got the conference off to a good start.

Delegates were treated to presentations by Fiona Beal of Fish Hoek Primary and Karen Stadler from Elkhana House Senior Primary on free ICT teaching tools and resources that they have integrated with their curriculum lessons. Both Fiona and Karen are passionate about web 2.0 and shared their success stories with great enthusiasm to a crowd that was blown away by the sheer resourcefulness these two teachers display in ICT integration. Fiona reminded delegates that even although Fish Hoek Primary has limited funding available for technology, they have still embraced it full on. Fiona was a finalist in the Microsoft Innovative Teacher competition in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and represented South Africa at the World Finals with a blogging project entitled “Bonding Through Blogging” which connected a Grade 4 and 5 class with an elderly community.

Tim Keller entertained delegates with a thoughful discussion on the latest “buzzwords” floating around at the moment. From “Twitter” to “open source” to “apps” to “wikis”, Tim’s presentation focused on encouraging delegates to think about the possible applications that each tool or resource can have in the classroom environment. The culmination of this presentation saw delegates form groups centered on each buzzword and a lot of interesting discussion was created. Tim also gave delegates a look at the “Future Classroom”. It became apparent to me that it is really very difficulty to visualise what future classrooms may look like. Many of the teachers present seemed to share the view that the ‘teacher’ is no longer the sole source of all information in the classroom, and that resources such as Google and Wikipedia are fast becoming somewhat of a norm for learners and students who are wanting to enrich themselves with information.

Maggie Verster, a well-known school 2.0 activist, certainly made the point that everything we knew, or thought we knew, about information and knowledge sharing is quickly becoming obsolete. Maggie kept the delegates laughing throughout her great presentation on the latest tools she uses for information sharing. She gave a run down on Twitter, Diigo, Wikipedia and a host of other tools that teachers may be surprised to realise have a place in the classroom. Maggie has delivered numerous papers, keynotes, conducted workshops and developed resources to assist teachers to effectively use ICT and social media for professional development (through Personal Learning Networks) and in their classrooms.

Gavin Keller, principal of the Sun Valley Group of Schools, and Nicholas Hall, a candidate attorney at Michalsons Attorneys presented a talk on social media policies in relation to schools. Gavin started the discussion with some Facebook and blog ‘horror’ stories and Nicholas rounded off by presenting schools with various options they have available to protect themselves and their learners from a legal and moral standpoint when it comes to social media.

Arthur Preston, a Teacher’s Monthly author and headmaster at Lanner House School, gave a humourous (and very true!) presentation on technophobic teachers. From Arthur’s talk and subsequent group discussions, it is apparent that all schools – from state to private – have technophobic teachers. Arthur gave some ideas and thoughts on how to deal with teachers who have no interest, are too comfortable, or too scared to embrace technology.

Overall, the EdTech Conference was aimed at creating discussion and encouraging participation by all present. Teachers had the opportunity to try free tools and resources during the “interactive” lunch and tea break sessions. There was also much excitement created by the live Twitter feed where teachers could post comments, thoughts, questions and share links to tools that they make use of.

Comments shared by delegates regarding the conference included:

- “Thoroughly enjoyed this conference more than any other I have attended [and I've been to Aussie x 2 for same] – this by far is the most stunning conference.”

- “What I loved most EdTechConf 2011 was the chance to meet a hundred like-minded people, from across the country.”

- “Thanks to organisers of Ed Tech Conf. Excellent quality presenters , so much to do and think about now!”

- “This conference rocks!”

- “Thanks for all the cool ideas from best practice!!”

Visit the official EdTech Conference web site – www.edtechconf.co.za