‘One digital solution does not fit all’

State schools in SA can look forward to joining the digital education revolution as experienced already by some of their private school counterparts.

However, education experts have cautioned against a rush to provide tablets and other digital infrastructure before a solid strategy and fundamentals have been put in place.

“In the rush to get on board with the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a term many are invoking without truly understanding the issues involved – private schools have increasingly been offering coding, robotics and digital learning on their campuses,” according to John Luis, head of academics at ADvTECH Schools, which has been introducing tech in South African classrooms.

“However, simply offering content that previously used to be in book or paper format, and not investing time and money in a holistic approach to content and delivery, as well as proper educator and support staff training, will render such initiatives futile and expensive mistakes,” he said.

Luis said while there was much talk about coding and ICT in schools, the key success factor when introducing technology in classrooms was the development of an appropriate and defined curriculum.

And importantly, tech in the classroom could never replace the fundamental core skills required for academic excellence.

In his state of the nation address in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the government would, over the next six years, provide every school child in SA with digital work and textbooks on a tablet device.

Global tech-ed expert Dr Neelam Parmar said: “It is important to understand that learning is served and not defined by technological tools.

“All too often we think technology will fix teaching and learning problems in school, but what is truly important is that the technology is embedded firmly and seamlessly within the curriculum and lesson delivery in the classroom.”

The digital strategy at ADvTECH schools was designed and implemented in conjunction with Parmar, whose career includes leading the implementation of technology and learning across The London Preparatory Schools in South West London and now in Ashford School, one of the United Learning Trust Schools.

Parmar is an award-winning professional, international researcher, author, thought leader and speaker on effective technology, pedagogic and content integration in education.

“There is great potential in creating online learning systems to close the widening educational gap, but to get to this point in education it is vital that the government first understand the relevance of emerging technologies and the means of how to offer the necessary digital literacy skills for our next generation,” she said.

She said the right curriculum was essential for sustainable digital transformation in classrooms, and the education sector in SA must realise that one solution does not fit all.