Recently Google launched the Google Educator Group (GEG) program in South Africa with SchoolNetSA as the local education partner. The establishment of GEG groups along with the free GEG workshop training on offer are part of Google’s worldwide strategy to help teachers enhance the use of technology in their teaching. In late July around 25 educators met at a location in Johannesburg for a Train the Trainer weekend run by Wendy Gorton from the USA. As a result of this, GEG workshops are being offered around the country and GEG launches are springing up. As these workshops and launches take place they are recorded in the GEG South Africa community http://goo.gl/2fDXtN. The GEGs highlighted below were launched either as a result of a workshop that took place OR as a launch with a number of founder members by an recognised GEG leader. There are several others that are planning their launches early in the new year.
Recently established GEGs
GEG Emalahleni
This was the first GEG to be established in South Africa and Nomusa Keninda (Senior Education Specialist for Computers in Education, SchoolNetSA Google Trainer) gave this report back. “Emalahleni
gave birth to a new exciting, passionate and committed group of teachers who
want to turn their classrooms into Google classrooms. The Google Education
Group was launched on the 20 September 2014 at DM Motsaosele Secondary School
in KwaGuqa ext 10. GEGemalahleni
consists of 45 teachers from 15 schools in eMalahleni. They met for the first
time in the Google Education Group Workshop where they were trained on Google tools
for education.
‘We
are excited about this programme, it will empower us on web literacy and we
will get lots of resources in the internet’ says Ms Phindile Skosana from DM
Motsaosele School.
‘GEG
will teach us a lot, technology is great dear. Thanks for our time, I can’t
wait for the course in Google’ says Fiky Kwanda after creating her Gmail
account.
‘Thank you Sisi Nomusa for organizing this training workshop, I trust that it
will help us in advancing our tech skills’ saidwrote Mr Micheal Mushangwe. Ms. Jabulile Msomi from Blackhill Primary School also bragged
about her school excelling in GEG lesson activities.
The
group was fantastic and they are looking forward to other Google Education Group events.”
GEG Metro East
GEG Dainfern
Anthony Egbers, the Dainfern GEG leader wrote a great blogpost ‘GEG South Africa…and all its branches‘ on his ICT blog after the launch of the Dainfern group.
GEG East London
GEG Parktown
Imminent GEG launches in Cape Town
There are two definite launches taking place in Cape Town this month and you are invited to attend if you are in the vicinity.
GEG Metro Central
Glenn Jones, a GEG leader, will be launching this GEG at an introductory workshop at Western Province Prep School, on Wednesday 12th of November from 3pm – 5pm. If you would like to attend please sign up at tinyurl.com/gegctrsvp
GEG West Coast
Tiaan Lotter, a GEG leader, will be launching this GEG at an introductory workshop at Parklands College on Monday 24th November from 3pm – 6pm. Keep watching the GEG South Africa community for further details.
GEG worldwide
Google is currently populating a Google map to keep a record of the GEG groups that are springing up world-wide.
