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PURPOSE

STATUS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF E-EDUCATION PRESENTATION TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO COMMITEE 20 August 2013 Mr H M Mweli. PURPOSE. To report to the Education Portfolio Committee on the status of e-Education Implementation. FOCUS OF THE REPORT.

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PURPOSE

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  1. STATUS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF E-EDUCATIONPRESENTATION TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO COMMITEE 20 August 2013Mr H M Mweli

  2. PURPOSE To report to the Education Portfolio Committee on the status of e-Education Implementation.

  3. FOCUS OF THE REPORT The presentation will address status of ICT in provinces in the following areas: • Status of ICT infrastructure in Schools • Multi-grade schools • Status of Teacher Training & Professional Development in ICT • Status of Connectivity in Provinces • District offices • Schools Initiatives • Dinaledi Schools • Proof of Concept Districts • Digital Content Development • Implementation Plan • General Challenges of ICT in Education Implementation

  4. E- EDUCATION POLICY GOAL Every South African learner in the general and further education and training bands will be ICT capable (that is, use ICTs confidently and creatively to help develop the skills and knowledge they need to achieve personal goals and to be full participants in the global community) by 2013.

  5. THE ACTION PLAN The Action Plan to 2014 (goals 16 and 20) requires e-Education to provide the enabling tools and platforms across the education system, for improving: • Accessibility; • Inclusivity; • Quality; and • Efficiency.

  6. STATUS OF ICT INFRASTRUCTURE

  7. ICT INFRASTRUCTURE 2002 As with the current status, in 2002 the status of ICT infrastructure differed from province to province based on provincial priorities, capacity and available funding. Nationally, 26,5% schools had computers for teaching and learning and 39,2% had one or more computers for administrative purposes.

  8. ICT INFRASTRUCTURE 2011 The level of ICT infrastructure provision to districts and schools varies from province to province with the more affluent provinces such as Western Cape and Gauteng almost complete with the roll-out of ICTs to public schools. The table above reflects the status of ICT provision to schools across all provinces in 2011.

  9. Dion-Wired in partnership with the DBE has committed itself to support selected IE schools (below) in the country. The Schools have been selected with the assistance of The National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities ( NCPPDSA) to receive the solution mentioned below and specialised hardware and software ICT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SCHOOLS 2012/13 • The above participating schools received the following equipments: • Interactive Whiteboards, collaborative software called SMART Notebook, the Clicker Software, • a projector, laptop, microphone and speakers to use in conjunction with the Smartboard and Netbook software .

  10. ICT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SCHOOLS 2013/14 • The Vodacom Foundation in partnership with DBE will equip the 9 existing ICT Resource Centres with special needs hardware and software using 10 of the 40 computers in each centre. • This would include a comprehensive library of resources that would enable almost anyone with physical or communication disabilities,through the use of one of these products, to come to the centre and communicate and learn.

  11. ICT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SCHOOLS 2013/14... • This specialised equipment includes a range of switches, hands-free mouse solution, specialised keyboards, eye control equipment, low tech books and software (numeracy, literacy and basic computer skills) to compliment the devices and to enable the resources to be fully utilised in the centre. • The potential gain will be that these disabled people will be given a chance to excel by having access to information on the portal, become computer literate as well as have access to skills and information, which will assist them for the rest of their lives.

  12. MULTI-GRADE SCHOOLS

  13. The 2009 Annual Surveys report on ordinary Schools shows that 6665 schools in the country (26%), of which approximately 5000 primary schools, had multi-grade classes. The majority of these schools were located in the Eastern Cape (2333) and KwaZulu-Natal (1331). The table below depict a number of schools per province that had multi-grade classes as per 2009 Annual Survey. MULTIGRADE SCHOOLS

  14. The ICT intervention to multi-grade schools by the DBE includes the provision of 50 multimedia mobile units to 50 multi-grade schools. DBE INITIATIVES DELIVERED IN 2012/13 • The above participating schools received the following equipment in a Multimedia mobile unit: • 800 Books and educational DVDs • TV unit • DVD Player • 3 laptops with 3G connectivity

  15. 200 multi-grade schools where teachers have already been trained in multi-grade pedagogy offered by the Centre for Multi-Grade Education of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in 2010 to 2012, are earmarked for 2013/14. The schools are in KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State and Limpopo provinces. DBE PLANNED INITIATIVES FOR 2013/14

  16. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  17. Teacher training and professional development in ICT is currently provided by provincial e-learning sections. However, NGOs such as SchoolNet South Africa (SNSA) through the Microsoft Partners in Learning programme have been instrumental in conducting reputable courses in basic computer skills in South Africa. ICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NB: Notes that some teachers may have attended one or more ICT skills training course, hence the high percentage in Gauteng and North West. (Data Source: Provincial ICT Training Data Reports 2012-13)

  18. ICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (cont) It is imperative that teachers have the ability to integrate ICTs in teaching and learning. The percentage of teachers that integrated ICTs in teaching and learning nationally, is very low. The percentage of teachers who attend training is still low especially in the majority of provinces. Provinces have the responsibility to train teachers in ICT skills and integration. The DBE is planning to build the capacity of provinces to train teachers in ICT skills and integration by providing ICT skills training workshops to relevant provincial and district officials in selected provinces in 2014/15. The DBE also plans to update the Framework for Teacher Training & Professional Development in ICT in 2014/15.

  19. CONNECTIVITY IN SCHOOLS

  20. The provision of connectivity to provincial and district offices is the sole responsibility of State Information Technology Agent (SITA). All 9 provincial offices have connectivity, and 77 out of 86 districts are connected to the Internet. STATUS OF CONNECTIVITY IN DISTRICTS OFFICES

  21. A total of 14, 260 schools were connected in 2012/13, including 10, 065 schools connected for administrative purpose and 4, 195 connected for teaching and learning purposes through the following connectivity initiatives: • 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy project; • Vodacom Foundation project; • Telkom Foundation project; and • CSIR-Meraka Institute projects. STATUS OF CONNECTIVITY IN SCHOOLS

  22. LICENSE OBLIGATION PROJECT • 5000 schools are scheduled to be connected by all 6 Network operators as per their license obligation. • This will be done in a period of 3 years starting from the current financial year where at least 2000 schools will be connected. • A steering committee including the DOC, DBE, ICASA, USAASA, License operators, and DST, has been established • The DBE has submitted to ICASA and DOC the Hardware and software specifications for ICT resources to be provided to schools which will be connected through the License obligation initiative.

  23. The 2013 audit on the connectivity status of Dinaledi schools indicates that out of the 492 Dinaledi schools, 269 are connected. 223 Dinaledi schools are not connected including 17 that do have connectivity facilities but currently have no connectivity available. The DBE is currently talking to the DOC in order to include the remaining 223 Dinaledi schools in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy project. STATUS OF CONNECTIVITY IN DINALEDI SCHOOLS

  24. The Department of Education completed the Feasibility Study on ICT in Education 2009. • The Feasibility Study built an e-Education Case through: • Enhancing logistics and operations; • Building managers’ and teachers’ capacity to manage and teach effectively and become ICT capable; and • Providing all learners access to quality education through the appropriate use of ICT. • The department requested all provinces to select a district for the implementation of the Proof of Concept (PoC). CONNECTIVITY IN THE PROOF OF CONCEPT DISTRICTS

  25. The department, in partnership with Vodacom Foundation prepared an implementation plan to support the nine PoC districts to build an e-Education case. • In each province an ICT Resource Centre has been established and resourced. • 270 (30 school in each PoC district) Maths and Science schools around the ICT Resource Center, have been provided with ICT infrastructure and connectivity. • A hosting site referred to as a ‘digital classroom has been created to support the ICT Centers and the schools in the vicinity of the resource centre. www.digitalclassrooom.co.za PROGRESS MADE IN THE PROOF OF CONCEPT DISTRICTS

  26. 1650 schools (125 Dinaledi and 1525 Proof of Concept schools) and included services such as hosting, internet and emails for 3 years; and • The implementation of this initiative has commenced in June 2012 for the PoC schools. To date 862 schools including 33 Dinaledi schools are reported to have been completed with regard to the establishment of the WAN component of the connectivity. • The 1650 will be hosted through the Proof of Concept educational network which is currently being developed by TELKOM. http://www.educloud.org.za • The connectivity solution for schools include cost-effective WAN solution managed and maintained by the service provider (TELKOM). PROGRESS MADE IN THE PROOF OF CONCEPT DISTRICTS...

  27. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

  28. DIGITAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES • Content development initiatives include the following interactive and non-interactive digital curriculum content: • The development of Interactive Rainbow Workbooks; • Development of ‘hybrid’ Textbooks/Workbooks; • Distribution of Curriculum Enrichment Videos; and • Development of Open Education Resources (OERs).

  29. A draft Digital Content Resources Strategy that aims to provide a balance between teacher-created content, open education resources and publisher-provided content resources. • Current content development initiatives include interactive and non-interactive digital curriculum content. ELECTRONIC CONTENT DEVELOPMENT INTERACTIVE RAINBOW WORKBOOKS • The following interactive Numeracy and Literacy workbooks (Book 1) were developed in 2012/13: • Grade 1: English First Additional Language Book 1 (Terms 1 & 2). • Grade 2: English First Additional Language Book 1 (Terms 1 & 2). • Grade 3: English First Additional Language Book 1 (Terms 1 & 2). • Grade 3: Mathematics in English Book 1 (Terms 1 & 2).

  30. DIGITAL HYBRID TEXTBOOKS/ WORKBOOKS • GET Natural Science, Technology and Mathematics (Grades 4 -6 in 2012/13 and Grades 7-9 in 2013/14) • DBE in partnership with Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership (DCGEP) are distributing DVD broadcast content in Limpopo; and Mindset Network has a presence in all provinces via its satellite and Video on Demand (VoD) platform accessed by schools via community TV stations and DSTV subscribers. • The DBE is currently coordinating an initiative of developing freely accessible educational resources for the education portal. ELECTRONIC CONTENT DEVELOPMENT...

  31. The availability of quality e-content is critical to the national roll-out of e-Education. • DBE is in the process of developing a dedicated centralised content hosting platform accessible by different ICT devices • Provinces will contribute and shared digital content produced from their different initiatives to the centralized hosting platform • The DBE is also in the process of collating and quality assuring open education resources (OERs) that will be hosted on the centralised hosting platform for access by schools. DIGITAL CONTENT SUMMARY

  32. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

  33. The Department of Basic Education developed a draft new e-Education implementation plan that updates the 2004 White Paper including future targets for ICT access in schools. • The draft implementation plan was found to contain weaknesses in terms of implementation and a task team was set up to address these weaknesses before it can be approved by the Director General. THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

  34. The document was then discussed with the ICT relevant officials. The following outcomes were achieved from the discussion: • Inputs and context were provided by relevant officials on specific projects; • The development of a dedicated cloud portal for DBE was identified as a quick win (low laying fruits); • A roundtable workshop on DBE’s implementation of FOSS-based e-learning with a specific focus on content was held with specialists and other role-players in the cloud portal service sector for inputs that would inform implementation of this service on 12 June 2013; • Further engagements have taken place with specific role-players in partnerships with DBE; and • The second updated draft of the discussion document for ‘DBE’s Implementation of e-Learning’ is expected to be presented soon for further discussion and inputs. THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN...

  35. CHALLENGES OF ICT IN EDUCATION IMPLEMENTATION

  36. GENERAL CHALLENGES OF ICT IN EDUCATION IMPLEMENTATION General indications from discussions and available provincial plans are that the implementation of ICT in provinces is impeded by: • Lack of a dedicated ICT implementation budget; • Lack of provincial ICT implementation plans in some provinces; • Insufficient alignment of provincial plans and targets to the Action plan to 2014; and • Lack of competent human resources dedicated to ICT implementation at provincial and district levels • Limited connectivity network coverage in rural areas where most schools are located; • High cost of connectivity; and • Reluctance of Network Operators to implement the e-Rate.

  37. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN The DBE is currently refining its ICT implementation plan in order to address some of the challenges identified in this report.

  38. RECOMMENDATION The Portfolio Committee Members to note and discuss the report on the Implementation of E-Education

  39. THANK YOU

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