REPORT FROM BARCELONA
Hi Colleques
Phuti Ragophala’s
Short report about the trip to Barcelona
in Spain to present IT project after selected to be amongst the 250
Microsoft Expert Educator (out of more that 29,000 entries from more that 150 countries.)
Date 9th to 16th March 2014
Microsoft came up with a programme whereby educators are
encouraged to plan and design learning activities using project based learning
approach whereby curriculum is
incorporated with the IT tools: (That is driving education using the IT tools
more that a chalk and a chalkboard.) The activities were guided by a rubric
that guide the educators to indicate how
the 21st centaury skills like( communication ,creativity, problem
solving, knowledge and skills
acquirement, collaboration and critical thinking) were used during the lessons and activities and how learners were assessed using
information technology tools and the kind of
activities that learners designed that will end up solving a problem(learners as solution
seekers)
My project called PLANTING SEED! CHANGING LIVES! proved to
be amongst the best and made me stood
out as a visionary leader who is paving the way for her peers and learners by using technological tools
effectively for better learning and teaching. That’s what made me fly to
Barcelona to represent South Africa in Microsoft Global conference. From South Africa we were
only two accompanied by Microsoft SA and
departmental representative nationally
Coming from a very small rural school ,Pula Madibogo
primary, in Limpopo Mankweng circuit, ,competing internationally in IT
projects, made me believe that service
that is accompanied by passion love and empathy is priceless.
What I learned from
the conference is that learning has changed. The old methods of teaching and
learning used in the 19th
centaury are longer used. We are in the
21st centaury where learners learn by creating knowledge and not by
absorbing it.
From the conference, I earned my school a stage to conduct research
on “how to fight poverty using education”
where 20 learners will lead the process of researching using the IT tools. My country is grouped with USA, Mexico, El
Salvador and China. The five schools
from the five countries will collaborate, communicate and share ideas about
poverty in their respective environments. After
six months learners from each country will report
to each other on skype, UTube,Power point, Movie maker or any other IT
tool that can convey the message.
Learners have started and they
are very excited to learn that they will
be interacting with people from inside and outside their
country to acquire more learning and IT
skills.
Secondly I have educators action plan where im expected to
share the IT skills acquired from the conference and assist 150 educators to register in Partners in Learning Forum
with Microsoft so that they are also able to drive teaching and leaning with
Technology.
Challenges: Our school
have limited IT resources that cannot cater many educators as such training is not possible
now . We believe that one day a good Samaritan will come to our rescue and
donate a lively computer laboratory building where every body will gain access
for better education of our learners.
Im encouraged by Nikos Katzansakis , a Greek philosopher,
who said: Ideal educators are those who use themselves as bridges and invite
their students to cross. Then having facilitated their crossing, they joyfully
collapse and encourage them to build bridges of their own”
Thank you
Phuti ragophala
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