Hearty congratulations to the winners in the 3 catagories of the ISPA SuperTeacher Competition for 2017:
The ISPA SuperTeacher of the Year Awards Gala Dinner on the 4th of September saw the announcement of Amandla Vinjwa as ISPA SuperTeacher of the Year, Marina Myburgh as ISPA TechTeacher of the Year and Mokhudu Machaba as ISPA MobileTech Teacher of the Year. Well done!! See ISPA SuperTeacher Competition.
The ISPA SuperTeacher of the Year Awards Gala Dinner on the 4th of September saw the announcement of Amandla Vinjwa as ISPA SuperTeacher of the Year, Marina Myburgh as ISPA TechTeacher of the Year and Mokhudu Machaba as ISPA MobileTech Teacher of the Year. Well done!! See ISPA SuperTeacher Competition.
Amandla Vinjwa- ISPA SuperTeacher of the Year
The Western Cape and South Africa in general are facing serious water shortage challenge, this occurs due to a number of factors in which we could account a limited or scarce rain fall and water wastage both intentional and unintentional water wastage. Water dam resources are getting dry simultaneously while people still use water negligently . This further increase more pressure on the available water resources. Economically speaking there’s more demand than the supply of water, while people continuously misuse water and care less about what is really happening.
The government embarked on various initiatives to create awareness however that’s not enough as community members distance themselves from such initiatives. Therefore, I and my kids decided to use a technological collaborative approach in addressing the issue and try to influence people to personalize it rather than making it the sole responsibility and the duty of the government.
The government embarked on various initiatives to create awareness however that’s not enough as community members distance themselves from such initiatives. Therefore, I and my kids decided to use a technological collaborative approach in addressing the issue and try to influence people to personalize it rather than making it the sole responsibility and the duty of the government.
We therefore felt it’s wise to stand up and do something instead of sitting down and fold our arms while we see that we are heading towards irreparable disastrous situation. We've agreed on the same notion to make or create a unique, interactive, dynamic and vibrant Water Awareness Campaign. We believe children’s voice can change the world.
We discovered that it would be suitable and productive to use tools in our Water Awareness Campaign that are accessible, existing systems, resources, platforms and infrastructures instead of inventing something totally new and expensive, thus we will use Google tools such as Google groups or communities to enable effective and smooth communication, collaboration , resources sharing hub and storage space on Google Cloud linking with Microsoft Cloud. We also identified that we will use Google Blogs to enable discussion forums share ideas and to link various stakeholders to circulate information. Facebook Groups will enable robust discussions and sharing of ideas, views and opinions, and such discussions will be strengthened by a supply of concrete evidence which might be presented in different forms such as videos, audios, pictures and text information.
We also identified in addtion to the tools we highlighted the Microsoft tools, thus the Microsoft community which will link us with other educators and students around the world with similar challenges and have potential solutions to our problem. Microsoft Skype and Microsoft forums will add value to our campaign as we will be working with the wider global community but solving the local problem. Around the world somehow we face similar challenges which require similar solutions instead of re-inventing the wheel. Skype will help us to connect with schools and communities and the relevant departmental officials to bring about solutions to the problem and to educate and empower one another with skills and knowledge.
We discovered that it would be suitable and productive to use tools in our Water Awareness Campaign that are accessible, existing systems, resources, platforms and infrastructures instead of inventing something totally new and expensive, thus we will use Google tools such as Google groups or communities to enable effective and smooth communication, collaboration , resources sharing hub and storage space on Google Cloud linking with Microsoft Cloud. We also identified that we will use Google Blogs to enable discussion forums share ideas and to link various stakeholders to circulate information. Facebook Groups will enable robust discussions and sharing of ideas, views and opinions, and such discussions will be strengthened by a supply of concrete evidence which might be presented in different forms such as videos, audios, pictures and text information.
We also identified in addtion to the tools we highlighted the Microsoft tools, thus the Microsoft community which will link us with other educators and students around the world with similar challenges and have potential solutions to our problem. Microsoft Skype and Microsoft forums will add value to our campaign as we will be working with the wider global community but solving the local problem. Around the world somehow we face similar challenges which require similar solutions instead of re-inventing the wheel. Skype will help us to connect with schools and communities and the relevant departmental officials to bring about solutions to the problem and to educate and empower one another with skills and knowledge.
Marina Myburgh- ISPA TechTeacher of the Year
STEAM learning programme for junior high school
School: Crawford College Sandton
STEAM - Integrating the curriculum for Science (Life Sciences and Physical Sciences), Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics to motivate grade 9 students to choose subjects and careers that will equip them to be the innovators of the 21st century.
This learning programme is piloted at Crawford College Sandton this year. All grade 9 students attend 6 lessons in every 8 day cycle. Microsoft Office365 is used by two teachers to collaborate, to manage 6 classes, to distribute notes and instructions to students, to receive work from students and to mark assessments online.
The programme presents opportunities for students to extend, apply and integrate what they learn in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics.
School: Crawford College Sandton
STEAM - Integrating the curriculum for Science (Life Sciences and Physical Sciences), Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics to motivate grade 9 students to choose subjects and careers that will equip them to be the innovators of the 21st century.
This learning programme is piloted at Crawford College Sandton this year. All grade 9 students attend 6 lessons in every 8 day cycle. Microsoft Office365 is used by two teachers to collaborate, to manage 6 classes, to distribute notes and instructions to students, to receive work from students and to mark assessments online.
The programme presents opportunities for students to extend, apply and integrate what they learn in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics.
It extends the students' Mathematical knowledge to Platonic Solids and fractals, applies Newton's Laws to make self-propelled cars from recycled materials, uses modern technology to 3D print and laser cut parts for robots, teaches basic design skills for 3D printing and laser cutting, includes building circuits, coding micro:bits and Arduino, building structures and making musical instruments and even making slime, crystals and holograms, to name a few.
Students love the hands-on approach to learning and even their parents say they wish they could come back to school to have fun like this.
Students love the hands-on approach to learning and even their parents say they wish they could come back to school to have fun like this.
Mokhudu Machaba- ISPA MobileTech Teacher of the Year
Cybersecurity and Online learning
School: Ngwanamago Primary
This project will focus on helping my peers and my learners to use online with caution as well as how to access relevant materials which is acceptable for their search results. Create an online campaign to motivate teachers and learners to put their lessons in the clouds to avoid hacks and to avoid loosing their information due to theft of, and damage to devices.
School: Ngwanamago Primary
This project will focus on helping my peers and my learners to use online with caution as well as how to access relevant materials which is acceptable for their search results. Create an online campaign to motivate teachers and learners to put their lessons in the clouds to avoid hacks and to avoid loosing their information due to theft of, and damage to devices.