July 2009 Blog Posts (17)

On to Kenya

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

A week ago, we arrived in Kenya, and at this point, we have made our way to Mbita. This is a remote area by the shores of Lake Victoria. We are staying in a family home and getting to experience many local foods.

We have spent the last three days visiting schools in the area. For 2 days, we travelled in the back of a pick-up truck. Today, we… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 31, 2009 at 14:09 — No Comments

Quick Update as we transition from SA to Kenya

I am writing this while being bumped and jolted along miles of deeply rutted highways on the plains below the Great Rift Valley as we travel to the Maasai Mara for team building. After we landed in Nairobi, We met seven additional members to TWBC who will form a second team providing maths, science and Eng;lish prof dev opportunities to two additional locations in Kenya. Maasai pastoralists, dressed in their traditional brighly coloured blankets, can be seen leading their herds of cattle, sheep… Continue

Added by Sharon Peters on July 30, 2009 at 14:44 — 3 Comments

Beyond words,…but I’ll try. (Or, Week 3 Reflection)

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

Today was an incredible day. In many ways, it is beyond words, but I want to try to write a few of my thoughts.

I spent a second day at Mkhanyiseli Primary School in a grade 7 class. It was such a special day! I was able to put a Flip video camera into the hands of 3 students and watch them explore their school with it. We even had a chance to learn… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 23, 2009 at 13:00 — No Comments

It's Not About the Tools

As we wind down our stay in Cape Town, we're visiting teachers in the schools and working with them individually to try to take the next steps after the workshops. I haven't really blogged much about the actual workshops. We started with five days of sessions for teachers at Liwa Primary School in the Phillipi township. The teachers represented 20 different schools, with at least two teachers from each school.

A big emphasis was on moving away from basic instruction on… Continue

Added by John Schinker on July 22, 2009 at 15:02 — No Comments

Nothing is Simple

(cross-posted from http://autodizactic.com)

As promised, I’ve been working on processing the first few days of our time here in CPT.

Here’s a thing that struck me. It struck me strongly and quickly. On our tour of Langa Township, our guide Khonaye commented on the children running around. “You’ll notice they’re everywhere,” he said. “Children here will play 5, 6 blocks away from their homes without danger.”

They don’t… Continue

Added by Zac Chase on July 22, 2009 at 15:00 — No Comments

Techie-Geek Heaven

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

What a great session with the EduNova facilitators today! We condensed about 4 workshops into a 3-hour period. We worked on integrating multimedia projects into the curriculum. During the session, we worked on projects using Presentation Software, Digital Storytelling, Video, and desktop publishing. At various times, we had digital cameras, cell phones,… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 21, 2009 at 13:00 — No Comments

Week 2 Reflections

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

Well, another week has flown by. So many things happened this week, it is hard to remember them all. We started the week with a workshop for principals of the teachers we met in the first week. It was interesting to hear their perspective on things. The principal’s “boot-camp” lasted 2 days. In many ways, I would have liked for us to participate in more than a… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 19, 2009 at 13:00 — No Comments

IWB Thoughts

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

Ian and I gave a workshop on SMARTBoards for the Khanya facilitators today. It was interesting on many levels.

At some point during our first week, we were told that the Khanya facilitators were responsible for training the teachers to use the IWBs. The teachers clamoured for training, with most having little to no previous experience with a board.… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 17, 2009 at 16:25 — No Comments

Teachers and Laptops

There's a movement in South Africa to equip every teacher with a laptop. The plan has undergone a number of major changes over the last year or so, but in the current incarnation, teachers are eligible for a stipend from the government if they purchase a laptop to use in preparing and delivering instruction.

In the schools, computers are scarce. A school might have a computer lab or two, but there aren't any computers in the classrooms. In many cases, I've seen SMART Boards… Continue

Added by John Schinker on July 17, 2009 at 15:00 — No Comments

3 Free Dissertation Titles on your subject!!!

I am doing my MBA from Ireland in international business. I have worked with construction industry for couple of years including a stint in gulf area and I needed to submit my dissertation this semester. I have a special interest in business development and wanted some suggestions for dissertations titles specifically focusing the Ireland industry. I was browsing through the website when I found this dissertation help website… Continue

Added by Rose Tyler on July 17, 2009 at 4:21 — No Comments

Curriculum Delivery vs. Learning

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

We are in the middle of our week of workshops for facilitators. Today’s menu included a visioning workshop. When asked about the main goal or mission statement for the organization, the participants came up with a statement about getting computers and training to the school to allow for “curriculum delivery through ICT.”

Think about that for a… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 14, 2009 at 14:00 — No Comments

Exploring

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

We visited the Cape of Good Hope today. Along the way we stopped in Simon’s Town and saw some penguins. I brought along one of the Flip video cameras that were donated to leave in Africa and was able to capture some video footage to take back for students at home to work with.

I often say that teachers do all the things we wish our learners would… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 11, 2009 at 13:30 — No Comments

Reflections on Week 1

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

The first week of workshops is finished. When we arrived home, I went for a walk on the beach and looked back on the week. Here are a few reflections on things that I have learned from these wonderful South African Educators.

1. Slow down and take it easy. I realized this week that it has been a long time since I have worked with teachers who… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 10, 2009 at 13:30 — No Comments

Surrendipitous Timing

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

Today was the day for discussing issues of access to ICT, and the formation of ICT committees in the schools. I had arranged to have a Skype call with someone who supports and coordinates ICT Integration at the school board level in my home school board. We were waiting to start the Skype call on the big screen when he dropped off Skype.

As I… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 10, 2009 at 13:30 — No Comments

What a Treat!

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

I was able to listen to a group a educators in a session this afternoon sing a song called “Shoshanna”. This is a song that is sung all over Africa during soccer matches and the like.. It was a wonderful mingling of the rich, powerful, happy voices of our colleagues. The rhythms of it went straight through to my core. I feel so lucky to have been there… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 9, 2009 at 13:30 — No Comments

First Impressions of South Africa

(simul-posted on learningconversations.blogspot.com)

Well, I have been in South Africa, specifically Cape Town, for a little over a day now. I am here with a Teachers Without Borders – Canada team who will provide ICT training to for teachers from schools in the Townships.

While I am still trying to take it all in and assimilate what I have been seeing.

We visited the school where we will be… Continue

Added by Jody Meacher on July 5, 2009 at 13:30 — No Comments

Chronicling Africa Part 1 with TWBC09

(Simul-posted on wearejustlearning.ca)

I have been on the road now for nearly a week now after finishing a crazy academic year of much travel and one of the best teaching years I can remember. The last few weeks have been a flurry of submitting reports, packing for a conference in DC and Africa, saying goodbye to staff and students at one school and meetings and introductions to a new school. When I return from Africa in late August, I will officially begin my new job of directing… Continue

Added by Sharon Peters on July 4, 2009 at 16:00 — No Comments