Dear Friends
Please allow me to render a status report with a short history. The Khanya Apple Pilot Project started 2 years ago and had the strategic goal to compare Apple technology in schools with other known technology platforms. The comparison would look at 3 Outcomes:
1. The Total Cost of Ownership
2. To what extent can Literacy and Numeracy in Primary Schools be improved by making the curriculum delivery and learning more exciting and creative.
3. Can learners be honed in the Music and Graphic Design Special learning fields to be either job ready when they leave grade 12 or have higher levels of skills and knowledge to enter tertiary studies.
To achieve the above we selected a number of Primary Schools and engaged the Arts and Culture Focus schools. The 3 Primary Schools received an X Serve [Apple server] and Mac books for Grade 4 learners to travel for 3 years along with the class to Grade 6. This start was successful but led us to develop a different approach and the establishing of the AIAB [Apple in a Box] model.
The Design classes received 5 iMacs and Adobe software and the Music classes received 5 iMacs and Sibelius and Cubase software along with Midi keyboards and related hardware.
To date all educators and learners have been orientated and trained in Apple technology. The high schools educators received the appropriate software training relevant to the subject character. The Curriculum planners and advisers were part of the processes to date and all have similar hardware. They undertook to drive the curriculum processes henceforth.
The Primary schools recently met to discuss the integration process and decided to each do a photo book as a project for assessment for this term. The GET adviser has been invited to participate in this process as part of a sustainability handover session.
We are also establishing a maintenance and support Service level Agreement for theses schools. This will be effected during this school term.
All of the above structures and processes must be handed over to the Department officials to maintain and develop when the Khanya Project grinds to a halt at the end of March 2012. I refer you to the blog post of the Khanya programme manager, Kobus van Wyk. http://www.e4africa.co.za/?p=3577 with the caption : ‘Interview with Ms Penny Vinjevold….”
WE are now at the threshold of researching the value of Apple technology in education. An iPod Touch pilot and iPad pilot is under way to determine the additional value of mobile technology too.
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Thank you Khanya, Apple, Chas and all the facilitators and stakeholders for the opportuniy to be part of this pilot. Our grade 4 learners and the educator is very excited about this project. Sad about the fact that Khanya’s project is facing conclusion in 2012. I hope the excellent work done by Khanya will be maintained and sustained after 2012
A great platform indeed, thanks to all involved.
Everyone at Cypress Primary School really enjoy working with the Mac Books and are embracing the Apple technology… Such a brilliant tool. Our kids could in no time create photo books and we even entered a compitition. It is clear that children today learn in a different way than in days gone by. And it is so exciting. A gigantic thanks to Chas and his team and to our Khanya facilitator for the support and guidance.
Ebrahim – Cypress Primary School