REPORT OF DR KJ DE BEER ON THE ATTENDANCE OF THE MERAKA INSTITUTE’S

REPORT OF DR KJ DE BEER ON THE ATTENDANCE OF THE MERAKA INSTITUTE’S INNOVATIVE CONFERENCE Council for Scientific Industrial Research 2007 APRIL 18-20 MERAKA INSTITUTE INNOVATIVE CONFERENCE CSIR, 2007 APRIL 18-20 www.meraka.org.za/innovate To err is human… Because I make so many mistakes, I am more human! Opening by Trudi Van Wyk of the DOE: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS  Well attended: (+- 70) o 8 African males. o 16 White males. o 11 African women and 35 other females. o 46 presenters.  MERAKA is part of the South African Government’s aims to develop an ICT University.  The South African Government is about to establish a Free/Libra Open Source Software (FLOSS) centre at the CSIR..  Western Cape and Gauteng have the most computers in schools.  Teacher computer literacy overall low. Little or no training by instructional designers.  ICT training will enhance technical staff capacity.  Canadian Skype session on the use of cell phones.  Contacts for publication of research outputs (JUTA).  South African Broadband Network for schools and higher education institutions still a huge problem due to financial constraints.  NB Draft White Paper on e-Learning (2003). EDUNET PRESENTERS  Wikipedia becomes an important tool.  Blogs to share view points.  Podcasts are syndicated.  EDUNET research tools.  Contact: kroux@csir.co.za  Africa Advanced Institute for ICT’S  www.meraka.org.za YOUNG ENGINEERS SESSION  Academic versus technical education.  Mental gymnastics versus psychomotor skills.  Technological ladder = Access > ICT > skills > technology.  NB More science Expos are needed!  Rapid Prototyping [FABLAB’s] also at the CUT to promote SET.  Space and Aeronautical experiments.  Bandwidth problems can be overcome with other technologies. Contact: www.yesa.org.za rbeyers@csir.co.za DISCUSSION OBE implies continuing formative assessments. Subsequently summative assessments should be phased out as unnecessary time consuming exercises which could have been applied for additional lecturing. THUTONG SHARING RESOURCES  Creative Commons License receives some rights to sources as long as it acknowledges the name of the author/source.  It cannot be sold.  It could be shared with links to allow others to use it.  Resource archives for research.  Google searching.  Materials at no cost. Contact: http://www.thutong.org.za E-LEARNING AND THE SPACE AGE  Beyond globalization.  Share satellite facilities via space to widen IT access world wide.  Open access to knowledge. Contact: www.meraka.org.za OLSET  Opening Learning System Education Trust.  Interactive radio instruction.  SABC collaboration.  Teacher support system on the radio.  Radio is a strong e-Learning tool..  Radio is a mass instruction e-Learning tool.  Easy and cost effective medium.  Radio uncover the curriculum.  Easy to tune in the classroom. Contact: www.olset.org.za INTERACTIVE RADIO INSTRUCTION (IRI)  Learner centered.  Huge sound archives since the very first radio broadcasts.  Informative (known to unknown).  Sound stories.  Nobody is afraid or scared of radios.  Provisional entertainment for intervals.  Radio ubiquitous, low threat intervention in classrooms regardless of teacher. capacity, infrastructure, and poverty.  Radio is the answer for development in Africa at large. Contact: van@mail.org.za www.olset.org.za DIE TYE WAARIN ONS LEEF  Duncan guy of SAPA explained the importance of the ordinary newspaper in education.  Today in history: Link to the contemporary times we are living in.  Journalists are breaking down news so that readers can understand it. Contact: parkprawn@mweb.co.za SKYPE SESSION WITH FINLAND (Live demonstration only) DEPT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (DST)  ICT - skills need.  ICT - application for supplementary tuition.  ICT - opening access to OERS.  ICT - geographical sites.  ICT - site managers. Contact: www.meraka.org.za INTERACTIVE VIDEO  Link OERS in live presentations.  Learners can simultaneously be linked for inter activeness.  Add on facilities/cards/software.  Offline solutions.  Traditional and e-Learning should be integrated and not separated! Contact: www.mindset.co.za MOBILE TOOLS  Open source and Open Content.  Open access.  Mobile or cell phone research.  Cellular services are still too expensive.  Link via wireless networks.  Free online encyclopedia (wikipedia).  Audio encyclopedia!  9454 [Dial and wait for service].  Link up for educational purposes.  Lecturer can link his/her phone to classroom speakers.  More research still necessary.  Technology research/tools/platforms.  Mobiles.  Kits for collaborative uses. Contact: http://mobiled.uiah.fi E-mail: mford@csir.co.za DIGITAL DOORWAY  FABLAB community computers.  Free and open use.  Commenced in 1999 in India.  2003: Migrated into OERS.  GPRS links with Meraka at CSIR.  Mindset Content Topic. Contact: www.digitadoorway.org.za OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCES (OERS)  Free/libre Open Source Software (FLOSS).  African Virtual University.  OERS centre and FLOSS. Contact: kbeer@cut.ac.za http://kareldebeer.blogspot.com MATHS ON MXIT  Contact listing Buddy list.  Cell phone technology tools.  Lecture learner 24/7.  Digital icon communication to improve mathematical skills. Contact: www.meraka.org.za DISCUSSSING CELL PHONE USE IN EDUCATION ( Live Skype session)  Canadian experts on Skype to CSIR.  ABEL - project in Canada.  ULWAZI – project of CSIR.  Canadian primary schools are not allowed at this point of time.  SA primary schools learners cannot use their phones during classes.  SA teachers want to use cell phones to assist and widening education.  Canadians foresee that the current ban will soon have to be lifted due to growing possibilities.  Abuse of cell phones is the major disadvantages.  Privacy issue in Canada is high.  Security problems in SA are predominant.  Portability and mobility of cell phones is wonderful!  SA is ahead in the debate in favour of cell phones in schools.  Legal implications still have to be ironed out according to Canadians.  Financial constraints in SA are rife.  Cell phone technology is spreading rapidly in South African educational institutions all over.  Cell phones are prescribed for some science courses in South African schools. Contact: http//abelweb.abel@yorku.ca/dwsi COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIP  Lecturers need to be trained in ICT-literacy.  Context centered approach.  Enhancing confidence.  Solve problems with technology. Contact: www.meraka.org.za SHUTTLEWORTH FOUNDATION  Analytical education.  A free tool to shaping our thinking.  Learners’ personal interests.  Self taught – peer mentored.  How you think determines what you think.  Think like the computer.  Programming is like Lego.  One laptop per learner and lecturer is going to become the norm. Contact: www.brightsparks.ws TEACHING AND LEARNING THE POSITIVE CORE  Active workshop with handouts. Contact: kimtucker@csir.ac.za IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND  Use mobile technologies.  Incredible developing industry.  ICT revolution is linked to the cell phone explosion.  Digital communication on the African continent is expanding daily.  Alternative to paper-based communication.  Data collection for decision making.  SMS technology is refined and subsidized for academic purposes e.g. in Kenya..  Group messaging.  Web interface (clustering).  Dissemination of information.  New toolkits will remap the educational technology landscape.  Developing human capital. Contact: meraka@org.za CLOSING REMARKS BY: PROF JOHANNES CRONJE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (UP)  Bad research practices undermines the quality of papers.  Excellent technology.  Overemphasize E-Learning (internet madness).  E-Learning is not the panacea for T&L.  Human resource problems.  Peak of inflated expectations can soon fall through the trough of disillusionment.  Leak of integration and coherence.  Pedagogy and andragogics and ethics should still drive educational Contact: http://hagar.up.ac.za jcronje@up.ac.za NB  Free State computer experiment for schools of the eighties succeeded to survive.  Prof Johan Cronje conducted research why it succeeded into the post apartheid schools system in the Free State. NB! jcronje@up.ac.za END OF THE REPORT.