Research Report 


Exploring the Use of Internet and Satellite Technologies to Support the Professional Development of Educators:   Developing Appropriate Learning And Teaching models

Report to the Multichoice Pilot Project

SAIDE
The South African Institute for Distance Education
P O Box 31822, BRAAMFONTEIN, 2017
Tel : +27 11 403 2813 Fax : +27 11 403 2814
E-mail: info@saide.org.za
January, 1998

APPENDIX 4

Workshop focus: Exploring the Role of Internet and Satellite Technologies in Supporting the Professional Development of Educators.

Date of Workshop: 13^th February, 1998

Time of Workshop: 09:30 - 17:00

Workshop Venue: MINTEK, 200 HANS STRYDOM DRIVE, RANDBURG

Workshop Participants

The following people attended the workshop:

Costas Criticos, Tony Lelliott, John Gultig, Makano Morojele, Neil Butcher, Nicky Roberts, Jennifer Glennie, Johannes Cronje, Andrew Schofield, Vis Naidoo, Al Karaki, Ginger Bester, Erica O’Riordan, Lambertus Cornelius, Esdre Keller, A M Mohamed, Shelagh Nation (CSIR), Vic Rodseth, Elizabeth (Elbie) Henning, Wendy Flanagan, Mark Henning, Thandi Chaane, Julian Sonn, Marlon Abrahams, David Kramer, Jock Anderson, Claire Brown, Sharanjeet Shan, Lindele Mshali, Derrick Cogburn, Mickey Harper, Margie Gaganakis, Gill Goodall, Feroza Patel.

Workshop Aims

The workshop aimed to explore, in practical terms, possible roles for satellite and Internet technologies in supporting the professional development of educators in South Africa. It aimed to create a strong learning environment to enable educators, politicians, community representatives, and technical experts to explore how the technologies central to the operations of Multichoice, Orbicom, and M-Web might be used in specific teacher education programmes.

Workshop Outputs

The following draft outputs were identified for the workshop at the initial planning session:

• A better understanding of available technologies and how they might be used.

• A statement of key policy issues affecting any pilot project in teacher education (with a particular focus on technology choice). This statement will differentiate between those policies already in place and those that still need to be tackled. In respect of the latter, strategies for tackling outstanding policy issues will be explored.

• Strategies for identifying appropriate programmes in relevant communities, including statements of key success factors in implementing community projects. The latter will focus on, amongst other issues, accessibility, governance, community buy-in, security, and technology choice.

• Exploration of appropriate relationships between technology providers and educational providers.

• Clarity on possible ways in which to integrate Internet and satellite technologies into actual teacher education programmes. In constructing this output, workshop participants will be at liberty to state that there is no role for these technologies in a specific programme, with the proviso that the reasons for this are well documented and clearly explained.

Introduction

Thandi Chaane and Claire Brown opened the workshop by welcoming participants and giving a brief overview of the history of the Multicjoice (MIH) Pilot Project. Neil Butcher then outlined some of the key issues being considered in the research process of this Project, giving a motivation for the workshop, explaining its envisaged outputs, and inviting comment on its structure. The proposed agenda was then adopted and followed.

Presentations on Teacher education programmes

To ensure that all discussions were directed towards teacher education, two initial presentations on existing teacher education programmes were given. Lampies Cornelius gave a brief overview of the University of Natal B. Ed. programme. The B. Ed. is offered at the University’s Pietermaritzburg campus to about 450 students and at a learning centre in Madadeni to about 300 students. The University students have full contact with staff while the Madadeni students receive mixed mode distance education. The latter have 24 hours of contact which takes place during four sessions of six hours each held over six months. Lecturers spend significant time with tutors prior to these sessions discussing the resource materials. It is strongly felt that the success of the programme relies on the quality of the resource material and support given to students. The 97% pass rate of the students on the course last year was cited as one possible measure of success. A partnership of agreement with the South African College for Teacher Education (SACTE) has recently been established, which will enable a similar programme to be offered nationally.

Vic Rodseth gave a presentation on the Molteno Project. This did not focus specifically on their teacher education programme but rather was a description of the Molteno project methodology and materials. A handout and promotional video were used to supplement the explanation. The Project was established in 1975 and operates throughout the country. Molteno trains teachers and trainers in the use of Molteno materials. For those not using the Molteno materials, the Project aims to teach an understanding and application of outcomes-based education, the National Qualifications Framework, learner-centred teaching, communicative language teaching, and cooperative learning.

Johannes Cronje from the University of Pretoria then demonstrated how he was using the Internet in his Masters course on Computers in Education, by giving a guided tour of his virtual classrooms. One of his course web sites relies heavily on a traditional classroom metaphor. There is a blackboard, resource cupboard, teacher’s and students’ desks, and a poster wall. The aim is to give students the form in which they are to operate, and to allow them to create their own content and detail. Students have to create their own desks in the space allocated to them, in which they post previous and current work, the tools they use in creating resources, and various other odds and ends. They are in e-mail contact with each other and Johannes, and belong to a list server to share information widely. Johannes’s other course is on constructivism and works on a construction site metaphor. For this course, all references are online and no hard copy reading material is set. Johannes stressed the competence and motivation of his students and thought that the World Wide Web is an excellent technology for sharing and displaying work, while e-mail and listservs enable meaningful communication to take place remotely. A major advantage of these technologies is that they support asynchronous comunication. Johannes’s web site can be visited at: http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/abchome.html .

Technical Introduction to Internet and Satellite Technologies

Marlon Abrahams gave a brief background to the development of the Internet before going on to describe M-Web, its growth, and its potential. Technical aspects of the Internet were explained and an indication given of South African connectivity and Internet growth. This was followed by a presentation by Micheil from M-Web, who explained the use of satellite technologies in enhancing Internet Service Provision. The concept of ‘web-casting’ was explained, and the advantages, in terms of significantly increased bandwidth, demonstrated. This was greeted with much excitement from those who have suffered the agonizing download times of dial-up Internet access. Jock Anderson then presented the current satellite technology used by Orbicom, showing the various broadcast footprints that cover South Africa, Southern Africa, and Africa. A number of questions was asked for technical clarity and it was generally felt that the presentations had been very useful for those present, giving people from educational perspectives an opportunity to engage with people who could explain the technical possibilities of certain technologies.

Group Discussions

After lunch, participants immediately moved into focus groups. The three themes focused on were:

• Transforming policy into practice;

• Locating pilot projects in communities; and

• Integrating satellite and Internet technologies into existing teacher education programmes (the same topic was considered by two groups).

Each group had a facilitator and a note taker, both of whom have been indicated in the detailed group reports. Points raised in the plenary report-back sessions can also be found in each group report.

Group Questions

• What are the key policy issues affecting the Multichoice pilot project? Which of these revolve around technology choice and how?

• What policies are already in place to deal with these?

• What additional policy issues need to be tackled?

• How does one go about tackling these additional issues?

Group Participants

Jennifer Glennie (facilitator), Ginger Bester (note taker), Vis Naidoo, Erica O’Riordan, A.M. Mohammed, Thandi Chaane, Julian Sonn.

Report

The following educational policies were identified as being key to the MIH project:

• Curriculum 2005 - the work done must link into new approaches.

• Language Policy - Mother tongue instruction is the recommended approach, but is impractical from the pilot project perspective. Therefore, initial instruction or communication should be in English but the facilitation process could be in the other languages. This should be revisited if the pilot project goes to scale. Consideration should also be given to other developing countries’ educational material.

• Cultural - In developing materials, there should be a respect for and acknowledgement of different cultures and religions. Cognisance should be given to the context in which the teachers find themselves.

• Access and Equity - In the long term, centres (possibly multi-purpose learning centres) should be close to, or in close proximity to, teachers. It is estimated that approximately 10 000 such centres are required. To achieve this, partnerships with other initiatives will be necessary. The importance of the national Department of Education’s coordination of the Community Learning Centres was emphasized. This will incorporate working with the Universal Service Agency’s Telecentres. Other points mentioned were:

• Key education providers should piggy back on ESKOM initiatives;

• The MIH initiative focuses on teacher development in a circumscribed area, not on broader access and equity issues;

• It must also be determined whether other private enterprise initiatives would pick up the tab for equipping and maintaining the community centres.

• Accreditation - Any professional development of educators should take place in the context of the National Qualifications Framework and current performance appraisal practices.

• TELI policies - The choice of technologies and initiatives will depend on the enabling infrastructure and will have to take place within the context of the Decision-Making Framework. Educational issues must receive priority. The MIH initiative will also rely on the strategic plan being implemented.

• The following non-educational policies were also raised:

• Broadcast and telecommunications - These are in a transitional (Green Paper) stage . Themes that are becoming evident are:

• There are many new entrants in the arena through the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).

• The need for universal service, especially in the rural areas

• Language and cultural issues

• Finance and funding - Will the social responsibility role and contribution be in kind or a fund or a mix of the two?

• Emerging codes of practice - voluntary self-regulation?

• Collaboration with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in areas of overlap, such as education. Use each others advantages. MIH has more advanced technology, and is able to implement a multimedia approach.

• The Universal Service Agency is equipping 2 000 Telecentres over a period.

• Single dedicated Educational Broadcast Channel. It was felt that a thorough feasibility study was required regarding the justification of a dedicated educational channel of video and audio.

• Financing was discussed again in detail. The Green Paper on Broadcasting outlines an obligation to contribute in kind for upliftment. A voluntary contribution by Broadcasters could be a fund to develop local content. The possibility of allowing broadcasters to decide how and what they want to contribute was also discussed.

Group Questions

• What are the key success factors in implementing community projects (for example technology choice, accessability How does one identify appropriate programmes in communities? How does one determine which communities to work with?

• What are the key success factors in implementing community projects (for example, technology choice, accessibility, governance, community buy-in security, etc)?

• How does one create sustainable structures and projects?

• What should the relationship/s be between technology providers, educational providers, and community-based structures (for example, teacher’s centres) in community-based projects?

Group Participants

Al Karaki, Andrew Schofield, Esdre Keller, Neil Butcher (note taker), Mickey Harper, Firoza Patel, Lindela Mtshali, Shelagh Nation (facilitator).

Report

The following pertinent points were raised in this group:

• Community projects work when they are initiated by communities.

• Number, statistics, geography, etc don’t provide answers- projects need to be based on the actual reality of communities [for example, politics, access routes, people, geography, etc.].

• In a pilot project, one should also seek to work with communities that are representative of the country [e.g. in terms of infrastructure, social climate-violence, politics, etc.] Working with existing providers gives a good indication of community interest.

• Security is a crucial component of the exercise. Sustainability is needed. Community buy-in is crucial. One has to identify places where consultation is already advanced [for example, district programmes like the one in Soshanguve]. A component of programmes needs to generate income to allow for regular maintenance, increasing salaries, equipment replacement, etc.

• One needs to find strategies for creating intersections of existing spending.

• Creating viable community development is much bigger than a single physical structure or set of programmes

• Flexibility in doing things/financing is a crucial element in creating success/sustainability. If a project is to play a meaningful role in community development, project coordinators need to be able to listen and observe patiently.

• One also needs to find appropriate incentives [for example, accreditation, professional development, etc] as a key success factor. Another is linking programmes to appraisal.

• Outcomes-Based Education and its effective implementation is a crucial thrust of any teacher education programme. Lack of enthusiasm, insecurity, and lack of incentive are all problems that need to be resolved. The project needs to choose the right ‘carrot’. The Internet might be a catalyst for generating enthusiasm - curiosity is a powerful motivating force. Re-design of physical space is also important.

• Management [for example, district officials and school principals] need to understand, support and motivate for the programmes if they are to succeed - this needs to take place within a framework of all the possibilities.

• One needs to identify and support community champions, who will drive projects/ programmes. Human energy is an important sustainability factor, and one needs to collect it together so that people do not feel isolated and can draw on collective energy when their energy levels are flagging. One does need, however, to ensure that this is not a strategy for burning people out.

• A focus on early childhood development is important if this project is to work - it is also important that the focus is not exclusively on education, but also looks at broader development issues. The pilot project should focus on ‘kick-starting’ a sustainable programme.

• One ought to use technological infrastructure organically to identify those people who can be champions for technological development.

• Whatever technological infrastructure is put in place needs to be available for both educational/developmental programmes and for general use.

• Flexibility is key to establishing effective relationships. These relationships need to be built on actual need and develop the work of actual, working projects They also need to focus on developing effective, two-way communication. Flexibility ought to include the possibility of using infrastructure to support various educational, developmental, and information-dissemination initiatives.

• The project needs to focus on supporting communication in education, not on learning by satellite.

Group Questions

These groups will start with short presentations from two teacher education programmes, designed to build on the presentations given during plenary sessions. Following this each group will consider the following questions in relation to the two programmes about which it has heard. Practitioners from other programmes will also be free to link discussion and recommendations back to their own programmes and courses.

• Is there a role for the technologies about which you have just heard in supporting these programmes?

• If the answer to question one is yes, explain how you think the technologies could most effectively be used to support the programmes. In doing this provide as much practical detail as you can, as if the process were a curriculum design process.

• If the answer to question one is no, then justify the answer in terms of each of the elements of the programme.

Group Participants

Claire Brown (note-taker), John Gultig (facilitator), Costas Criticos, David Kramer, Elbie Henning, Vic Rodseth

Report

The group session started off with presentations from David Kramer from PROTEC and Wendy Flanagan. PROTEC offer a school support systems in four areas:

• Science, Technology, English and Maths

• School for work progress

• Industry partnerships

• Formal training in Outcomes Based Education (OBE)

They also have Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET)

Wendy Flanagan’s course, the Primary Education Project (PREP), is a Diploma in Education at third year level. Four courses have been designed for distance education. They have been developed in the context of working at different schools. The assumptions of the course are that improved classroom practice and understanding of the subject go together, and that teachers need to want to be self-improving. A range of authors wrote the materials and made videos. The material was evaluated at the Natal College Education and Vista, and then rewritten for more coherence. Videos comprise two thirds of the materials for the three-year diploma. Disadvantages of videos were seen to be that they lack an instructional base and that students have to go to the learning centre to see them. On-site support was emphasized as being of great importance. It was felt that managing the programme and mentoring teachers themselves was needed. Materials are generic and can be used with other material.

The following points then came out of the discussion which followed:

• Multichoice can provide an opportunity for interaction; i.e. creating a virtual classroom or library.

• Facilitation, learning, and mediation were discussed. There is a need to support the group. The linear Western way of thinking forgets the oral tradition in South Africa.

• There is a big role for Multichoice in using satellite for learning centres and workstations. Multichoice needs to explore ways in which to support learners, teachers, and materials.

• There was a suggestion to start with developed material that already has assessment and accreditation built into it.

• Technology is a tool that needs to be used skilfully.

• There is a danger of allowing the medium to shape the message. Multichoice should not be the educational provider but should be a conduit for the educational provider.

• Rather than providing video material, a video library should be provided.

• Successful teaching practice should be filmed, stored, and then viewed or shared.

• Instead of setting up a teachers’ centre, use schools that have been recognized as being a centre of excellence. This would be used as a model for other schools.

• School clustering by resourcing one school with ten PCs and the surrounding schools with two PCs each was discussed.

• If Multichoice selects ten schools, which each choose a school to twin, then, with an optical fibre between the schools, only one school will need the satellite dish.

• It is vital to identify a site or school which is likely to succeed and to be used as a model

• The following eight points were made about centres:

• The centre also needs a photocopier;

• The centre could be used as a referral point for problems;

• A good database on key areas is needed and therefore good educational editors who can provide needs are also needed;

• The in-service training component should be both structured and unstructured in terms of time;

• A centre would provide many other uses for different types of functions;

• Technology can provide a standardized setting;

• A centre could ease teachers into using technology;

• The centre could be used to disseminate information, and as a mechanism to communicate.

• The following was documented as being the next steps necessary:

• Choose a programme and adapt it for use in the pilot project.

• Vista students who have been registered should be part of a pool that explores the possibilities that exist.

• Look at the school-based notion and school clustering (as in Cato Manor). Multichoice should approach all institutions of higher education and see how technology can enhance their programme.

• Start an e-mail discussion group.

Group Participants

Marlon Abrahams (facilitator), Makano Morojelo, Sharonjeet Shan, Tony Lelliott, Lampies Cornelius, Johannes Cronje, Nicky Roberts (note taker),

Report

The session started with short presentations from Sharonjeet on the Maths Centre for Professional Teachers (MCPT) and Tony Lelliot on the Wits FDE programmes.

The MCPT presentation was titled ‘Information Technology for Teachers seen through the eyes of MCPT’. It focused on MCPT’s views of IT and its educational potential, and raised concerns Sharonjeet has regarding its use. Through questioning and the information booklet on MCPT, the following was established. MCPT provides services for the professional development of Primary and Junior Secondary teachers of mathematics. It aims to upgrade teachers’ skills in both content and methodology and to produce materials for use in mathematics classrooms. It operates in seven provinces, and has Centres in rural communities, which are the Centre’s focus. Facilitators go into the classroom of a mathematics teacher for three days of the week for a full term to plan collaboratively and to engage in team teaching. In the afternoons, workshops are held for mathematics teachers from surrounding schools.

The Wits FDE programmes in Maths, Science, English and Management are offered over a two-year period. Students meet face to face seven times over the two years, for four days at a time. These contact sessions are usually held at the University. This year, enrolment for the FDE (management) has been restricted to the Soshanguve district and contact sessions take place there. About eight to a hundred management staff (heads, deputies or HODs) from schools in Soshanguve will be attending the FDE programme. Students are encouraged to register in pairs from the same school or neighbouring schools to encourage study pairs and study clusters.

General discussion was held about the use of technologies in courses. Johannes raised that one has to consider the specific elements that technology has to offer. He thought technology offers:

• text - which has the advantage of being easily up-datable;

• graphics - which differ in resolution and can show relationships or detail;

• sound - which can be used for multi-sensory input, for example to explain what is being seen, and for teaching sound (pronunciation - language, music);

• movement - which is good for showing path, trajectory or pace.

Computer technology offers differing means of delivery and the choice thereof depends on the needs of the course. Electronic text allows for easy and rapid updating of information, Mailing lists give rapid and reliable communication between students and facilitator, a list server offers interaction and building web sites allows students to show each other what they are doing. Technologies offer differing levels of student support, from the lowest level of a web site with course information and Frequently Asked Questions which can be accessed any time, to Email, to a list server, to telephone and then face-to-face contact. Johannes expressed these as a listing with increasing bandwidth in terms of facilitator presence and time, with the web site being the least demanding and face-to-face contact the most.

It was felt that video clips should be used to show specific movement and that live streaming video was not necessary if embedded in a multimedia environment. The group felt that more local live clips and examples should be available. The MCPT has produced four videos, which are very popular and used in a variety of courses. They are in the process of making six more.

The group then focused on whether there was a role for the technologies in supporting the FDE and MCPT and on explaining how they could be used. This relied heavily on the two presenters of the programmes. Sharonjeet put together a transparency on how she thought MCPT could use the technologies. She felt live examples for cross-curricular work could be included into her programme. MCPT has just produced a web site that details the functioning of the organization. This could be enhanced to provide the Centre’s services to a broader audience and to market its work. It was felt that e-mail would be very useful if used to keep in touch with the countrywide network of centres. Currently, staff come to the centres for professional development for three days every two months. It was felt that technologies could be used to have contact between these periods. Sharonjeet thought that technology could be used to train parents and governors in their roles. It was felt that visual material and mother tongue material would be useful for this. Internet could be used to provide up-to-date resources to teachers - in which case a printer would also be needed. Using technologies would be a start to making teachers computer literate. Teachers could also have access to the technology-based Special Needs programmes that are available. MCPT would like to declare a year of numeracy, and to use their web site to hold mathematical challenges and competitions.

Some discussion was held at this point about the power of radio to inform parents of what teachers should be doing. Concern was also raised about the technology staying in the learning centres and not reaching schools and teachers’ homes. Sharonjeet mentioned that some of the MCPT’s training does take place in schools. It was generally felt that exposure to the technology at the centre might enthuse teachers to buy their own computers. Some debate took place about whether this should be subsidized, or a financial scheme used to assist them in this. It was generally felt that it would be desirable to get teachers to be computer owners. Including components on funding with detailed instructions on drawing up funding proposals and lists of possible funders into the courses attended by teachers was thought to be very important.

It was also felt that the Wits FDE programmes could be enhanced with the use of technologies. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly how it could be used without the specific courses available for scrutiny. General discussion of possibilities therefore took place, but it was felt that a detailed session(s) with the courses, the course designers an instructional designer, and a technology expert would be necessary. The possibility of using e-mail for some registration and administrative tasks was mentioned and had not previously been considered. Tony thought that it would be realistic to start with just part of one of the FDE programmes and see how that worked. In some of the current course materials, transcripts of classroom activity are given, this could possibly be a video of a (real or scripted?) lesson. Again, it was felt that local live clips and examples would be useful. The Wits education department already has a skeletal web site with course information on it. Tony thought this could be enhanced to give more detail (like assignments and meeting times). He thought that e-mail could be used for students to communicate with the lecturers from the centre, outside of contact time. A list server could also be useful to keep communication going between contact sessions. The need for South African examples of classrooms in action was again articulated. This was followed by some discussion on the ease with which clippings from existing video material can be used to illustrate a point very effectively.

There was some frustration in the group in not knowing enough about the two programmes to really answer the questions in sufficient detail. It was generally felt that technologies had a lot of potential to enhance existing programmes but that a detailed instructional design process needed to take place with representatives from both the education and technology providers.