Olashore School Integrates ICT in Education for Improved Outcome
Uchechukwu Nnaike
Olashore International School, IlokoIjesa, Osun State is set to raise the bar for the Nigerian education sector with the integration of technology fully into its curriculum while maintaining its high academic performance.
The move is part of its efforts to become one of the most technologically advanced schools in Africa and to prepare its students for the new competitive knowledge economy.
In what can be described as the largest technology roll out in the Nigerian school system, Olashore is entering into a strategic partnership with Apple through Core Group Africa, the authorised exclusive distributor for Apple in Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa.
When fully implemented, students and teachers will be solving complex problems and discovering latest research information simultaneously with the use of the Apple iPad and a full educational technology back up from Core Group Africa.
The new and unique technology enhanced teacher-student connection for fast track learning in Lagos is tagged ‘Blending Technology and Education for World Class Learning’.
Briefing journalists in Lagos recently, the Chairman of the school’s Board of Governors, Prince Bimbo Olashore, said: “Nigeria can no longer wait and be playing catch up with technology or keep waiting for technology transfer. We have to leapfrog to catch up and get our young Nigerians prepared for the new technology driven world. We are pleased to be making substantial investment in this direction.”
According to the chairman, “Olashore International School is a leading academic institution where leaders are made by providing our students with life skills, leadership training, arts, sports and global exposure while preserving our core Nigerian culture and societal values.”
The new comprehensive technology in classrooms programme is expected to be achieved by setting up LAN Network Distribution in classrooms and hostels, proper wireless distribution in the classroom (one per class), indoor wireless device with high frequency, firewalls to manage internet access on the iPad, proper audio and visual multimedia systems in the classrooms that will support the iPad integration, Learning Management System that will not use the internet, and a Mac Server for Mobile Device Management that will be used to manage the iPads.
Also speaking the Principal, Mr. Derek Smith, said: “Olashore International School will also review its overall technology framework, through a curriculum mapping program, faster internet connection, a new mobile device management (MDM) to check unproductive online presence. It will also make professional development for teachers mandatory, constant and purposeful, and finally, reinforce Students’ responsibility in taking charge of their lives.”
He restated the commitment of the school to remain the pride of Africa in secondary school education.
The school represented Nigeria at the recent Apple Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. The summit was aimed at running a successful student-centered classroom, integrating technology in the class for differentiation, putting learning at the center of the class not the technology, enabling a successful flipping of classroom, maximising the learning time rather than the teaching time, encouraging collaborative learning system as well as making learning more experiential and interactive for the students.
The summit also looked at how the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Model (SAMR model) in which a progression of the adopters of education technology often follow as they progress through teaching and learning can be adopted.
All the knowledge will be adapted in the new technology and education initiative of the school.