The 2015 SchoolNet Annual Report
2015 appeared to be as eventful as ever for SchoolNet South Africa, at least for the first half of the year. Many new projects arose at the start of the year that showed serious potential. However quite a number of these did not materialise. For example it was most unfortunate that after an excellent start, the Anglo Platinum initiative was curtailed due to the down turn in the platinum market. Fortunately the majority of ongoing projects continued while some of our existing partners i...Read more
SchoolNet SA would like to congratulate the South African and Lesotho Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts who have been selected to be part of this programme for 2015-2016. This year we have a total of 61 MIEs – 46 new MIEs as well as 15 MIEs who were selected in 2014 who have opted to remain in the programme.
During the course of the year, all Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts will have an opportunity to test new Microsoft products whilst they are in beta form, participate in exclusive p...
The Learning Gains through Play (LGP) project focuses on the development of foundational literacies in Grades R and 1 through the innovative use of technology-enabled, learner-centred play in ten schools from the two provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The purpose of this article is to share the findings of the first evaluations of learner performance one year since the baseline findings and to relate these findings to the factors that could have influenced learning gains. We consider...
This is a great competition that you do not want to miss out on. The closing date has been extended to 6 November 2015. (Last year South Africa selected 16 Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts. Four of them were sent to the Global Forum in Dubai while another four were sent to the E2 Global Educator Exchange in Redmond, Washington.) At the same time as this Microsoft is migrating its information content from the old site to Microsoft's new site that comes into final effect on 30 October 2015!...
SchoolNet’s Omashani Naidoo, was recently named one of the Intel® Education Visionaries, an elite group of approximately 40 education leaders from all over the world who are exemplars for global education transformation; to inspire and share best practices with other educators, administrators and parents worldwide; and help Intel design the future of education. Omashani was selected as an Intel Education Visionary on the basis of her insight, passion and proven experience as an agent of change...
Every year SchoolNet hosts the EdTechTeam's Global Summit featuring Google in Education, in partnership with the EdTechTeam and a host school. This year Parklands College in Cape Town, once again, were outstanding hosts. This is an event an educator does not want to miss out on in South Africa. Visit https://za.gafesummit.com/ for details. Every year the amazing EdTechTeam sweeps in with new brooms, and they dust away all the cobwebs from one's mind showing us what can...
The Microsoft Teaching with Technology course is a free online, self-study course available through the Microsoft Educator Network. It begins with a diagnostic assessment which then advises a participant which of the following modules he or she should complete in order to be awarded a Teaching with Technology certificate:
Why does UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers promote technology literacy
Selecting ICT resources to support curriculum outcomes
How do technolog...
Between 15 and 18 September 2015, fifty two ICT trainers from all provinces attended a workshop at the Microsoft Training Centre. The workshop had the theme of "Using Technologies Optimally for Quality Learning and Teaching" and aimed to equip core trainers with knowledge and skills around a number of ICT in education tools and programmes which they can then implement in their province. Amongst the tools covered were Microsoft Math, Skype in the Classroom, 2Enable, Vodacom Digital Classro...
Microsoft is looking for self-driven educators who are passionate about their careers and inspiring students with outside-the-box thinking. If you have a collaborative spirit, are resourceful and entrepreneurial, relish the role of being a change agent, and work to achieve excellence in education using advanced technologies and social media – then you may have what it takes to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIE).
MIE experts get to share their thoughts on the effective use of te...
The Google GEG (Google Educator Group) curriculum comprises of 18 modules and teachers are able to work through modules that suit their immediate teaching and learning needs. GEG leaders conduct surveys in order to select the most appropriate modules for workshops. All modules have regular pre- and post assessments and completing these assessments is a great practice for the Google Educator Level 1 exams which is taken after the last module. All teachers who successfully complete all assessments or achi...
