SA's teachers must get ahead of technology curve

10 September 2015 - 02:09 By Poppy Louw

Twenty-first century classrooms with computers and tablets are of no use unless teachers and pupils know how to use them. This emerged at a breakfast discussion held by Curro yesterday on approaches to modern learning and teaching.Quality, trained teachers and technology with solid content were the best way to ensure pupils were equipped for the future, Think Ahead Education Solutions MD Michelle Lissoos said."This does not necessarily mean one device per child. It is more about the way the solution impacts the learning than how many devices per classroom."New approaches are expected to supply what is needed to prepare young people for employability beyond 2030.But the problem is that many teachers are not tech-savvy, and without the know-how e-classrooms are not feasible.Mampho Langa, executive head of Curro Meridian Cosmo City, said that teachers needed to allow themselves to learn from their pupils about the latest advances in technology and then how to incorporate technology into their lessons.Head of Curro Centre for Education Excellence Alta Greeff said the changes in economies and the world meant that collective and individual success depended on having "21st-century skills"."We need to teach children how to learn and make a habit out of it, because that is an important skill in this changing world," said Greeff."They need to be taught to think and have the ability to use that knowledge."Greeff said the 12 years pupils spent at school sometimes prevented parents from being open to change, because they mostly wanted their children to "learn, memorise and get good marks"...

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