The seven grade 4 classes of 2011 are the first in the school to experience these fully interactive boards that open up a new world of educational opportunities.
An electronic board is a combination of a white board and a projector connected to a computer or laptop that works like a giant monitor. But, what makes it extra special is that it’s also a giant touch screen. The educator or pupil can move objects around and write on the board in different colours using only his or her fingers.
The provincial drive to install these white boards in all schools is driven by the Khanya Project, a Western Cape Education department initiative aimed at increasing teacher capacity and improving learner outcomes in public schools.
Outeniqua Primary principal, Johan Smit says they are planning to equip all the classrooms from grade 4 through to grade 7 with these boards, but that they do not come cheap. "It costs in the region of R50 000 per classroom and thankfully the Western Cape department of education agreed to help buy the boards as we equipped our computer lab using our own funds. We are the first school in the Southern Cape to equip an entire grade with these boards."
During their Outeniqua Primary school years thegrade 4s will never again be subjected to chalk hands and squeaky blackboards. Grade 5 is next in line for electronic boards in 2012, followed by grade 6 and 7 in 2013 and 2014.
The education department is in the process of training the teachers to utilise the boards to their fill potential.
Some of the features include:
Displaying digital information;
Fully interactive lessons;
Teachers can create current, dynamic teaching resources that include pictures, sounds, video clips and animations;
The classroom comes to life eg using virtual experiments;
Connect to internet for research or real-time webcams.
Khanya Project facilitator, Jo Besford says the boards are as good as the educator who uses it. "At the most basic level it is very straight forward, but to create resources requires some software training. Used effectively, these boards have been the single biggest innovation and benefit to teaching in the past few years."
In 2011 the grade 4 teachers have to master some exciting new teaching tools. On the left of the electronic white board are Lizbé Stander (left), Cathleen Haak-Jansen (back) and Ada Gericke. On the right at the back are Principal Johan Smit and Marie Wolmarans. In front from the left are Erica Smit and Mélony Bouwer.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: ILSE SCHOONRAAD
