Why this course?

As a teacher in South Africa you operate in a domain that is governed by national policy, guidelines and related contexts. In the past decade we have seen the emergence of:

1. The e-Education White Paper: Transforming Teaching and Learning Through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (2003), which refers to the efficient utilisation of ICTs through capacity building and effective support mechanisms. e-Education views ICTs as, amongst other things, a resource for curriculum integration and content delivery. This has the potential to improve learner achievement in:
   • ability of learners to manage learning;
   • ability to promote achievement for learners who experience barriers to learning;
     and
   • access to information that increases knowledge, inquiry and depth of
     investigation.

   e-Schools will be characterised as institutions that have:

   • learners who utilise ICTs to enhance learning;
   • qualified and competent teachers who use ICTs to enhance teaching and
     learning;
   • access to ICT resources that support curriculum delivery
     
     
2. The Guidelines for Teacher Training and Professional Development in ICT (2007) which outline a range of teacher competencies in the use of ICTs for teaching and learning, including those related to the integration of ICT into the curriculum.
   
   
3. The diagnostic report on the Annual National Assessment of 2013 (ANA) which showed very weak national average scores in maths and language across grades. This resulted in a number of strategies including measures to provide learning support materials.

2Enable is one digital content learning management product which answers to the critical needs expressed in these national policy documents and reports.

The purpose of this course is therefore to equip you with the skills to use
digital content resources effectively in order that you may
facilitate deeper understanding of the curriculum content.

What is a digital content resource?

A resource is something that is useful to you (as a teacher it is useful to your teaching efforts, for learners it is useful to their learning).

Digital content comes in many forms, from text and audio and videos files, to graphics, animations, and images. Typically, "digital content resource" refers to useful information available for download or distribution on electronic media such as cellphones, tablets, laptops and computers.

How does digital content differ from printed textbooks and even digitised copies of printed textbooks?

Activity 1:

1. In small groups draw a Venn Diagram and use keywords to list what textbooks and digital content have in common (overlapping areas) and how they differ.

Click here for a PDF document containing a blank Venn diagram. Click here for a Word document containing a blank Venn diagram. Here are some starter keywords - what other keywords or ideas can you add? text only sound interaction possible exercises information explorative   animations video static explanation directive digital accessible anywhere

How does technology help us to deliver digital content?

If you come to think of the meaning of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and the fact that digital content is largely just information, then you will realise that this is a bit of a silly question. Almost every website offers digital content of some kind, but educational websites specialise in this. Can you name some?

An unstructured collection of digital content is often intimidating and time-wasting. Why?

2Enable is an example of a structured, curriculum-aligned collection of
digital content resources prepared for South African teachers and learners.

To access 2Enable.org your school needs to be registered. You will register as an individual and join a course (a subject and grade). When you begin the course you will see the entire curriculum divided into weeks, with notes and digital resources to support teaching and learning for each week. This course explores the options for you as a teacher to do that most effectively.

Activity 2

Take a moment to access 2Enable and explore one area (one week) of resources for your subject.

How to use the 2Enable app (PDF).

How to register and recover your password (PDF).

The 2Enable learning cycle (PDF).

TPACK

There are 3 areas of knowledge in which teachers engage when using such resources. Sites such as 2enable require a low level knowledge of technology and offer a rich variety of content. How to use 2 enable falls into the overlapping are called Technological Content Knowledge.

This course will address the Pedagogical Knowledge so that we know how to use technology to lead learning using digital content
(the middle TPACK are where all areas of knowledge overlap).

Proceed to Lesson 1