Siyandza has partnered with a major player in the Education sector namely the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) to convert text-based lessons plans and core teaching methodologies into eLearning. The project demonstrated that digital learning can work effectively at the foundation phase of teaching, including for first additional language learners. Piloting took place with teachers who were new to technology-based learning, in a context of limited connectivity and resources.
The pilot for introducing this technology was run in a town where technology and network infrastructures are not something readily available. This was to benchmark the success of the project. If it works in a small town, it can definitively be rolled out to the rest of South Africa with ease.
This project was funded to provide lesson plans to coaches and teachers with laptops for them to access the eLearning content. The coaches who formed part of the pilot group, had only recently completed their Basic Computer Proficiency training. Some of the group had only just been introduced to basic navigation and functionality such as copying and pasting files creating new folders.
Siyandza has converted content from traditional text based plans to interactive eLearning content that the teachers can use to prepare more effectively for their lessons, as well as introducing the activities into the classroom, providing the learners with an opportunity to interact with digital teaching tools.
The conversion included the following:
Siyandza equipped the coaches through a comprehensive train-the-trainer programme, to prepare them to train hundreds of foundation phase teachers on the use of digitally converted lesson plans. Basic computer skills were revised prior to the pilot in order to assure the success of the adoption.
The coaches received the lesson plans enthusiastically. Engagement and visual cues made it easy for them to demonstrate and teach. Network infrastructure was not available at the time, and Siyandza provided teachers with a process to access content offline and trained them on how this could completely replace their core methodologies and lesson plans.
Providing a lasting impression, entrenching learning and ultimately taking their and converting it from:
“Siyandza creatively converted existing paper-based resources into digital formats that stimulated teachers to use the lessons meaningfully in classrooms. Teachers successfully navigated their way through a series of English lessons and children enjoyed the interactive songs and activities developed by Siyandza. Thus Siyandza played an important role in helping NECT achieve one of its mandates, namely to seamlessly integrate technology into teaching and learning practices.”
