At the beginning of the new school year in South Africa in 2015, a new paperless education system pilot was launched by the department of Education.
Themed “The Big Switch On,” the pilot gives pupils access to learning material, workbooks and other subject matter through the use of information communications technology (ICT). Each pupil is set to benefit from fast internet connection and tablets. The Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi, who launched the pilot at a school in Tembisa, assured the public that the tablets are programmed for educational purposes only.
The tablets are also fitted with tracking devices and schools have amped up security.
With this new way of teaching, students will no longer have to lug around textbooks and teachers won’t have to spend time writing notes on chalkboards anymore.
Instead, some technology in the classroom changing education in South Africa, will enable students to complete their work on their tablets.
Interactive whiteboards used by teachers will be able to sync lessons with students’ tablets and enable fast, seamless teaching methods.
What about the challenges?
Common challenges when it comes to technology in the classroom changing education in South Africa include a lack of skills and infrastructure, while there is also a gap in the e-book market.
According to BusinessTech: “Out of 413 067 teachers, only 132 884 have been trained in basic computer skills and ICT equipment by 2011”.
The cost of e-readers and bandwidth constraints are also factors to consider as the project rolls out in other schools across the country in the near future.
The actual cost of the migration according to the department, is estimated at R17 billion over the next five years.
Some benefits of using technology in the classroom:
- Images can easily be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory of students.
- The use of computers and the internet can enhance the quality of education. Students may also have the ability to grasp concepts faster through the use of technology in the classroom.
- It enables students with special needs or difficulties to achieve and grow as well.