Teacher In-Service Program The South African Experience

1. Teacher In-Service ProgramThe South African Experience September 2008 Nico Beute

2. National Development needs • Shortage of engineers in South Africa as in many developing countries • Engineers are needed to provide the infrastructure needed for development • Need for career guidance • Enlarge pool of school leavers equipped to study engineering • High drop out rate of engineering students • Many other careers need maths, science and technology • Improve problem solving skills of learners

3. The Immediate Objectives • Train IEEE volunteers to train pre-university teachers, so that the teachers can be more effective in bringing engineering and engineering design into the classroom. • Train IEEE volunteers to approach the school system in order to make the teacher training possible. • Make this activity sustainable and long-term.

4. TISP in South Africa • Training workshop held on 4-5 August 2006 • Approximately 90 participants • 60 engineers • 30 from education departments • Excellent participation of Education Departments both during planning stage and follow up workshops • About 400 teachers were involved in the programme during 2006

5. We tried to meet the needs of South African Education Departments • We listen to what educators say • We try to understand educational principles • We co-operate with educators, and do not try to tell them what to do • Practical examples help the school child to understand difficult concepts • Show them what an engineer does

6. What we have achieved and what we want to achieve in South Africa • Workshop on 4 and 5 August was attended by 60 keen engineers and 30 officials from the National Department and most provincial Education departments • After the workshop we sent questionnaires to participants asking if they are still committed • Engineers in South Africa are ready and keen to help our teachers. This is proved by the feedback after the workshop • We now have regular planning meetings for follow up workshops for teachers • The educational challenge in the technological field in SA is enormous - but we are ready to face it

7. Purpose of TISP WorkshopsFor Educators and Engineers to join forces to: • Present Selected Lesson Plans • Evaluate Lesson Plans • Suggest improvements • Plan Training Sessions • Identify Presenters for Training Sessions

8. Presenters for Teacher Training In-Service Programmes for 2007 IEEE / SAIEE / SAIMechE / DoE

9. TISP Activities in SA in 2008 • IEEE volunteer took TISP to his employer • Held planning meetings in Eastern Cape • Involved the social responsibilities person • TISP Sessions with 14 fellow employees • Now initiating TISP in other branches of company • Held meetings with all education departments to organise TISP workshop in November • Workshop in Nov will set dates for TISP sessions with teachers nationally

10. What leads to success? • Involve Education Departments • It needs a driver – • an engineer and someone in education • on national scale, on regional scale • Being from a university opens doors • Be a catalyst - involve others • eg SAIEEE, SAIME, ECSA, Companies & University • Get volunteers who believe in it • Target volunteers • Get funding – travel & material • IEEE,SAIEE, SAIME, Companies, Universities • Get an active planning team

11. Now for 2008 and 2009 • We do it for our youth • The future of our country • Thank you for participating