Smart way to decode lessons
PUPILS in Kimberley and the Northern Cape may soon be required to take their cellphones with them to school as QR codes introduced into classroom textbooks stand to change the way children are taught.
The inclusion of QR codes into high school textbooks by Media Works, which publishes CAPSaligned books, has combined technology with the needs of teachers and pupils by creating an audio-visual aid that pupils can access with their phones.
The QR codes, known as “Bubbles”, on the pages link to short, interactive modules that help them gain a deeper understanding of the material they’re being taught through audio-visual snippets.
Excom Publishers managing director Yvette Russell said pupils could simply scan the codes using a free QR reader or the camera on a smartphone, or they could click on the active links in the e-book versions to access the additional information.
“The feedback we have received since this project was launched has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers and pupils find it easy to use and, for many pupils, having concepts explained in a different way improves their comprehension,” she said.
“Children learn in different ways. Auditory pupils by sound, visual pupils by sight and kinaesthetic pupils through physical activities and engagement. Bubbles cater for each of these learning styles and have been shown to help pupils understand and retain information with ease.”
Russell said bubbles were typically 60 to 90 seconds in length, which helped those with short attention spans, and were great for revision for those who had missed out on class or misunderstood concepts.
The books are available for English, life orientation and, soon, also for economic and management sciences.
The company is discussing having the books included as government-issued textbooks at schools.
“The Bubbles do not duplicate information provided in the textbook. Instead, they reiterate important concepts and provide new and accessible examples and applications. Each Bubble also offers short self-evaluation questions for pupils to complete.
“For 2019, Afrikaans versions of these books will be available, with new CAPS-compliant editions being added to the range over time.”
Next year, Excom will be piloting extended educator guides for the Grade 9 CAPS-compliant EMS and Grade 10 life orientation textbooks to test the market.
Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson, Lehuma Ntuane, said yesterday that there were schools in the Province that made use of tablets and other modern devices in the teaching and learning methodologies on how pupils access textbooks electronically.
“However, in essence a large part of our Province remains rural and reliable internet connectivity is a challenge given the prevailing socio-economic circumstances,” he pointed out.
“Therefore, in our efforts to curb these challenges,the Northern Cape Department of Education equips schools with modern computer laboratories so that pupils, even in rural areas, can familiarise themselves with the ICT in schools. To date, more than 400 schools have been connected through this project and provided with necessary equipment including, amongst others, tablets, laptops, data projectors, Wi-Fi connection and printers.”