EDUCATION CONFERENCE
How technology stumps many local teachers
Teachers are trained to teach the curriculum, but knowledge of technology is not a strict requirement
South African teachers are struggling to adapt to new technology in the classroom even though it is seen as important in the quest to improve education. This was one of the discussion points at the annual Eduweek conference in Johannesburg last week, when experts discussed the role of technology in education. Internet access is limited in rural parts of SA, while more affluent schools — largely in urban areas — are already using apps and other technology to augment teaching. Teachers are trained to teach the curriculum, but knowledge of technology is not a strict requirement. Douglas Hoernle, director of Karri, a school fee-payment app, said it was taken for granted that pupils were often ahead of their teachers when it came to technology use. Schools and the government needed to hone in on this by including pupils in curriculum planning. "We need to look at things from the point of the learners and mould the curriculum around that," said Hoernie. Steven McKee, president of software...
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