In order to recognise teachers who are using technology to enhance education, SchoolNet SA sponsored prizes for the teachers placing first, second and third in the ICT-Enhanced Education Category of the National Teachers Awards. This prize comprised a SchoolNet SA facilitated course for each of the three winner’s schools as well as an opportunity to attend a conference focusing on ICT in education. The winners all chose to attend the EdTEch Team’s Google Apps for Education Summit held at Dainfern Collegeon 2 and 3 September 2016.

Gafieza Ismail, the winner of this category from Spine Road High School in Mitchells Plain, Western Cape thoroughly enjoyed the conference. She wrote “Thanking you once again for the wonderful and educable experience I had at the Edtech Summit. It was enlightening but more importantly it enlivened once more the indelible impression we can make as educators. It allowed for discursive and productive communication amongst professionals, empowering our potential and capabilities as educators.”

Roshan Behareelall of ML Sultan Primary School in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, who placed second, said that he “had wonderful learning experience at the Google summit. It has assisted me to re-ignite the flame of the use of technology in my classroom. The amount of experience and knowledge gained has raised me to a point of no return. All excited to start implementing these concepts of learning in the classroom. The tools on assessment by L Wesner was the highlight of my Summit.”

The third place winners for the ICT Enhanced Education category were a pair of teachers from Hoer Volkskool Potchefstroom in the NorthWest, Morne Smit and Dejon Weyers. They both attended the conference and enjoyed a range of inspirational sessions that provided hands-on opportunities to use a range of Google tools in ways that could enhance lessons or make teachers more productive.