Since 2014, ITSI annually embarks on a roadshow throughout the country to educate and inform schools on e-learning, as well as the new features offered through our platform.
On 3 May, the 2017 roadshow kicked off in Stellenbosch followed by events in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pretoria, two events in Johannesburg, and a final event on 1 June in Bloemfontein. The breakfast and cocktail events were attended by more than 400 principals, ICT co-ordinators and teachers.
The theme this year, Effective teaching and learning for 21st-century education, was presented by former academic and CEO of ITSI, Dr Lieb Liebenberg. In his presentation, Lieb stressed the importance of foundational knowledge saying: “While the practice of teaching surface knowledge and facts for exams is no longer enough to thrive in this world, we cannot diminish the importance of establishing foundational knowledge – a base understanding of concepts that can be applied to a range of subjects and problems. Once you have a hold of this knowledge, you can use search engines like Google to learn more and empower yourself, but [technology] cannot be the sole driver of learning.” He further emphasised the importance of understanding the way in which our brain works and how we learn: “Elements such as spot tests (for marks), boredom and unrealistic expectations place the learners’ brain under stress inhibiting learning and memory.”
The use of technology is fundamentally changing the way we work and live. Understanding its mechanisms is important. However, we cannot rely on it for everything and certainly shouldn’t allow it to replace too many tasks and roles. We need individuals who understand the meaning of what it is to learn, and people who can look at things in a variety of ways to derive creative and ethical solutions to a range of problems.
ITSI is committed to not only develop a digital platform for teaching and learning, but also a platform on the foundation of sound educational principals, first and foremost considering the way in which human beings learn.