Transcript Baseline Scan of School Networking in Africa

“Knowledge is like light, weightless and intangible; it can easily travel
the world, enlightening the lives of people everywhere.
Yet billions of people still live in the darkness of poverty, unnecessarily”.
World Development Report 1999
ICT in Education
The e-Learning landscape in South African education
ICT in Education: overview
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Skills for the 21st century
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ICT in Education: principles
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Principles of the National Curriculum
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White Paper on e-Education
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Feasibility Study
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Proof of Concept
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Thutong Education Portal
21st Century Skills: (enGauge)
Digital-Age Literacy
Basic, scientific, economic, ICT and technological literacy's
Visual and information literacy's
Multicultural literacy and global awareness
Effective Communication
Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
Personal, social, and civic responsibility
Interactive communication
High Productivity
Prioritising, planning, and managing for results
Effective use of real-world tools
Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products
Inventive Thinking
Adaptability and managing complexity
Self-direction
Curiosity, creativity, and
Risk taking
Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning
ICT in Education: Principles
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Systemic impact - planning, management and administration
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Reduce expenses or change the ways in which things are being done
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Improved communication, flow of information and access to information
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Widening access to high quality, relevant and diverse resources and
learning opportunities to all teachers and learners
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Exposing all learners, in advantaged and disadvantaged areas, to enriched
educational experiences
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Provide to all learners and teachers the means of communication and
collaboration to enhance teaching and learning; and give all learners the
opportunities to excel in a 21st Century environment.
Principles of the National Curriculum
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Social transformation
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High knowledge and high skills
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Integration and applied competence
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Progression
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Articulation and portability
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Human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice
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Valuing indigenous knowledge systems
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Credibility, quality and efficiency
Critical Outcomes in the National Curriculum
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Problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking
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Work effectively in a team
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Organise and manage themselves and their activities
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Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information
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Communicate effectively
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Use science and technology effectively
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Understanding that the world is a set of related systems
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Variety of learning strategies
Broad Principles of the White Paper
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improve systemic efficiency
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redress inequalities
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widen access to high quality, relevant and diverse resources and
learning opportunities to all teachers and learners
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expose all learners, in advantaged and disadvantaged areas, to
enriched educational experiences
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provide to all learners and teachers the means of communication
and collaboration to enhance teaching and learning
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give all learners the opportunities to excel in a 21st century
environment
Six Pillars of the White Paper
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infrastructure in all schools and for all support personnel including
maintenance, sustainability, security, technical support and initial
training
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connectivity to all schools, FET Colleges and district offices to a
closed network linked to the Internet
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ongoing professional development (teacher training and teacher
development programmes) for teachers, principals and support
personnel
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maintenance and further development of the Educational Portal and
content development
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research, monitoring and evaluation
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community involvement
Feasibility Study
The Department of Education has conducted a feasibility study in ICT in Education
- in terms of Treasury Regulation 16 to the Public Finance Management Act, 1999
(PFMA). The Feasibility Study will:
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Outline strategic and operational benefits of the e-Education Initiative
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Describe the specific terms of the e-Education Initiative
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Set out the legislative and regulatory framework applicable to the initiative
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Demonstrate the affordability of the e-Education Initiative
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Outline proposed allocation of financial, technical and operational risks
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Give the anticipated value for money
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Comment on the capacity of the Institution to procure, implement, manage,
monitor and report
Feasibility Study : background
The Department of Education has initiated structured processes to develop
a feasible model/s to supply schools and FET Colleges with:
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Secure infrastructure for ICT equipment
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ICT hardware and software
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Access to broadband technologies
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Curriculum support and innovation
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Ongoing professional development
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Electronic and on-line learning support material
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Support services
Feasibility Study
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Focus on schools and the management
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Includes:
 School administration (links to EMIS, LURITS, IQMS and
district/provincial administration)
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District infrastructure for subject advisors
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Appointments to manage ICT in teaching and learning
Excludes:
 ECD Centres/pre-primary schools/care centres and ABET
 Other IT/EMIS related appointments and equipment
Feasibility Study: Output Targets
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Infrastructure in all schools (6 786 high schools and 12 085 primary schools)
and for all support personnel (1 538) including maintenance, sustainability,
security, technical support and initial training
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Broadband Connectivity to all schools (25 772), FET Colleges (50) and district
offices (139) to a closed network linked to the Internet
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Ongoing professional development (teacher training and teacher development
programmes) for teachers (373 140), principals (18 657) and support personnel
(769)
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Maintenance and further development of the Educational Portal and content
development
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Research, monitoring and evaluation
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Appointment of Human Resources (National, Provincial and Districts) to drive,
manage and support ICT in Education
Project Communication
Deputy President
Presidential International Advisory Council
Minister of Education
Minister of Finance
CEM
National Treasury
HEDCOM
HEDCOM ICT Sub-Committee
ICT Inter-Provincial Workgroup
Provinces
National DoE
First Consultative Workshop
Second Consultative Workshop
Networking Consultative Meeting
FOSAD ICT Cluster
FOSAD Economic Cluster
National and provincial DOE
Government Departments
ICASA, USAASA, PNC
SITA
GITO
NEPAD
SAQA
SACE
Teacher Unions
Private Sector
Civil Society
Needs Analysis
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Mission and vision of the Department of Education
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The core function of Public Schools and FET Colleges
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The current situation
 Policy and legislative environment
 Teaching and learning
 Logistics and operations
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Summarise the need
 Provide learners access to quality education
 Building teachers’ capacity to teach effectively
 Enhancing logistics and Operations
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International experience
ICT use in other sectors
ICT access, equity and human rights
Defining the outputs
 Primary outputs
 Secondary outputs
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Opportunities
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Integrate ICT in all operational elements of the schooling system (e.g.
EMIS, finance, physical planning, exams, HR and IQMS)
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Leverage expanded ICT infrastructure to create greater efficiencies and
productivity in running SA Education System
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Capacity to ensure that learners are equipped with the skills and
competences needed to thrive in global knowledge economy
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Cross over potential to leverage ICT network to support a broad range of
government development priorities (e.g. health, safety and security)
Challenges
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Scale of investment demands comprehensive change
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Changes demands that the process is led and driven by all senior
managers
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Potential for active and passive resistance from managers, principals and
teachers
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Re-structuring of budgets across all units of national and provincial
departments is required
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Requires “leap of faith” of decision-makers
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Sustainability – keep on the priorities of the Department of Education
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If DoE is successful in securing funds there may be pressure to spend
money faster than the system can absorb it
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Inter-governmental buy-in
Service delivery approach
Four-phased approach to implementation at the site level:
1) Basic readiness: sites are prepared for rollout of ICT to enhance logistics
and operations.
2) Logistics and operations: ICT hardware and applications, connectivity,
and associated professional development, maintenance, and support are
provided to schools predominantly to enhance management and
administration processes at site level.
3) e-Readiness: sites are prepared for rollout of ICT to support teaching and
learning.
4) Teaching and learning: ICT hardware and applications, connectivity,
content, and associated professional development, maintenance, and
support are provided to schools predominantly to support teaching and
learning at site level.
Proof of Concept
Implementing a “Proof of Concept” in 1200 schools in 9
districts/circuits over a 2-year period with a one year planning period,
including:
ICT
infrastructure
Connectivity
(Collaboration with Department of Communications)
Teacher
development
Content
development
Monitoring,
evaluation and research
Appropriate
governance structure and back office support
Preparing Districts/Planning Stage (2009 – 2010)
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Provincial Liaison and Change Management
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Selection of districts/circuits (135 – 200 schools)
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Audit and Verification of data
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Establishment of management structure
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Provinces make districts implementation ready
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Approval of District Development ICT plan
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Detailed implementation plans with budgets
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Development of guidelines for supporting documents to support ICT
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Development of help desk facility
What is the Thutong Education Portal ?
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To provide teachers, school managers and administrators, and national and
provincial education officials access to high quality resources and
information of direct and specific relevance to the South African National
Curriculum Statement and associated education policies.
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To ensure ease of use, enabling users to find what they need in the most
intuitive ways possible
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To create strong and vibrant online communities of practice amongst the
above target audiences.
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To facilitate discussion and sharing of information and ideas amongst peer
networks.
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To encourage South African teachers to develop and improve education by
sharing the country’s common intellectual capital.
Home Page and registration
Typical Learning Space
Communication tools
Professional Development
Education Administration
Education Management
Other spaces – we are growing!
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Enviro Space
Kids Space
Foundations for Learning Space
Matric Help Space
Dinaledi Schools Space
School Safety Space
Enrichment Space
Reading and Literacy Space
Rural Schools/Multigrade Classroom Space
2010 Soccer Space
Correctional Services Space
Early Childhood Development Space
Subject Advisors ICT Space
Curriculum Management Committee Space
School Governing Body Space
Partnerships Space
Gallery Space
Non-Official Languages Space
Special Days Space
Thank you…
Joy Rosario
Department of Education
[email protected]
http://www.thutong.doe.gov.za