Overall Project Parameters

• Integration of ICT
  The balance between the use of ICT and the evidence of learning.
• Learning
  The focus question help the learner achieve the targeted learning outcomes.
• Implementation
  The project plan gives a clear outline of how the total project can be implemented.
• Assessment
  The assessment tools include criteria for the targeted learning outcomes, and they focus sufficiently on learning.
  
  
  
  

Assessment Plan Outline

Assessment is not a once-off and stand-alone activity,it is continous and integrated into all the activities.

• The methods used to gauge learner readiness for the module.
• The product or performance task that will engage the learners and best demonstrate the teacher’s intended learning goals and targeted thinking skills.
• The identification of the quality work and the involvement of learners in understanding the project expectations and criteria.
• The teacher’s approaches in addressing and assessing higher-order thinking.
• The reporting and monitoring methods which the teacher will use to encourage learner self-management and progress during independent and group work, and also identify the monitoring and reporting tools needed to create.
• The monitoring of the learner understanding and the necessary adjustments to be made.
• The methods of assessment to help the learners to reflect on their learning (metacognition) and assist the teacher to check understanding, and assessment tools needed to create.
• The methods to be used by the teacher to assess the final understanding and demonstration of learning, and the identification of the quality.

Mobilization of the South Africans against ICT in schools

(“Someone has lost ICT plot” by Dr. Ken Alston, Mail & Guardian, 28 August to 03 Sept 2009)
I think Dr. Ken Alston is indirectly mobilizing support to sabotage departmental initiatives in order to realize the implementation of e-education in South Africa.
Being haunted and hallucinating about the undisciplined, uncommitted, lazy and unprepared teachers, some sectors of the society are losing the plot. They are arguing that an uncommitted, lazy and unprepared teacher will be what he or she is with or without a laptop and why prioritize laptops for teachers, when South African education system is failing so many children.
These arguments are the center of the mobilization of the South African public by education consultants, against the departmental scheme for teachers to get laptops. It seems there is confusion on the implementation of e-education and laptop scheme for educators by those I think, are against the introduction of ICT’s in our schools. They are saying the department is wasting money because they think the laptops are for free. (GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8 MAY 2009, TEACHER LAPTOP INITIATIVE POLICY).

Where I like to see myself in 5 years' time?

I will still be in the education system in the next five years, probably at the different level either at the provincial or national level. I would like to part of the history making in the transformation of our education system through the use of ICT’s. I am passionate about the implementation of the e-education white paper. The most interesting innovation is the use of web 2.0 technologies in learning and teaching, which is one of the miles –stones in the integration of ICT’s in lessons. Most critically, I would like to see the dawn of the day when all educators will be using ICT’s everyday in the execution of their duties.

Developing countries, the dumping ground!

Digital migration.
http://www.doc.gov.za/index.php?

I would like to problematise the issue of donations, especially electrical goods as it is the cause of the continuing piling e-waste.

The issue of e-waste will be dealt with in the context of the unfolding global process of digital migration which the changing of the broadcasting system from analogue to digital.
The point must be made that the digital migration is long overdue and have lots benefits.
The progress made globally is not consistent because the so-called developed countries are leading the pack in digital migration.

There is a possibility of the flood of TVs from so-called developed countries into developing countries in the pretext of donations. The cost of recycling the TVs is high and the dumping is strictly regulated than in so-called developed countries. The TVs will follow the same route as computers donated to schools. The schools are sitting with tons and tons of broken and absolute computers with no solution because the repair and refurbishing are unaffordable to schools.

ICT activities contributing to e-waste

e-Waste internet links

The prefix e- stands for electronic and e-waste is simply waste generated from electronic appliance such computers, TV sets etc as I have indicated at the beginning of the project.

The background information about e-waste can be found on the internet by typing on the Google search the following:

• e-waste
• Developmental aid /donations
• E-waste management in SA/China/India
• Dangerous chemicals from e-waste
• Environmental issues
• Economical issues
• Economical implications
• E-Waste legislation
• PAP report on hazardous chemicals
• Basal Ban / convention
• E-waste recycling programmes

and alternatively you can visit the following websites:

http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/waste/waa_guidelines.shtml

http://www.basel.int/convention/about.html

http://www.e-waste.org.za/what_is.htm

http://www.ewaste.ch/case_study_south_africa

http://www.ewaste.ch/case_study_china

http://www.ewaste.ch/case_study_india

http://www.ewaste.ch/e_waste_assement_p_r

http://www.ewaste.ch/global_perspectives_on_e_waste