Modern approach to empower teachers
Final-year education students in Port Elizabeth and Mthatha are learning how to use cutting-edge teaching technology.
The prospective teachers at Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu universities are the first student tutors in an extended technology-blended mathematics and science Incubator School Programme (ISP).
In the past five years, the ISP has helped promising Eastern Cape pupils to improve their marks and gain access to tertiary education.
If successful, the “ISP and Student Teacher Tutor Programme” – piloted in Nelson Mandela Bay and Mthatha at the weekend – will be extended to other provinces.
The NMU’s Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) – with sponsorship from Capitec Foundation – is running the curriculum-linked programme in the two cities, providing 250 selected grade 10 to grade 12 pupils with extra tuition through a 16-week Saturday programme.
Each pupil will receive a tablet, with a GMMDC-developed app – the TouchTutor®.
The app is crammed with interactive curriculum-aligned digital resources, in the form of video lessons, PowerPoint presentations, calculator assistance, self-tests with scoring and feedback, old national and provincial exam papers and multilanguage support in eight indigenous languages.
The pupils will have the added benefit of the student tutors, who will provide midweek tutoring with small groups of grade 10 pupils at their respective schools, using hi-tech approaches to help the pupils work through maths and science challenges.
The final-year student tutors are being trained to use a small new digitalised teaching device – the Gamma Tutor – which includes the TouchTutor® app, and can be plugged into a projector, television or any digital screen.
The dongle-like mini-computer without a screen will soon be released officially by GMMDC as a new mobile teaching device for schools.
At the Nelson Mandela Bay launch of the programme on Saturday at the Eastcape Training Centre in Struandale, the student tutors, all fourth-year education students from NMU, could not wait to get started.
Student tutor Frans Louw said: “I think the pupils will appreciate it, having someone sit next to them, helping them.
“It will also help us to grow as teachers – especially learning how to incorporate technology with teaching.”
Louw’s classmate and fellow student tutor, Monique Paulse, said: “Not all of the learners will understand the first time, so you need to try different techniques.”
GMMDC director Professor Werner Olivier said: “This new programme, and the new technology, is a way to empower teachers to deal with real challenges, with the assistance of very modern mobile teaching tools and resources, which have been researched and developed over the past 10 years.
“It could impact the course of their teaching careers.”
Capitec Foundation head Neptal Khoza said: “By offering students an opportunity to harness their teaching and tutoring skills, we enable them to access 21st-century teaching and practical experience.
“We believe it will improve the maths and science performance of all participating.” Pupils are also hopeful. Sanctor High grade 10 learner Codi Ownhouse, 15, said: “Maths and science are a big struggle. I’m hoping this programme will help me a lot.”