E-learning allows kids to see the world

110906. Cape Town. Visitors at Kirstenbosch gardens taking pictures of the bright and colourfull flowers . Picture Henk Kruger/Cape Argus

110906. Cape Town. Visitors at Kirstenbosch gardens taking pictures of the bright and colourfull flowers . Picture Henk Kruger/Cape Argus

Published Nov 26, 2015

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A POP-UP classroom, equipped with e-learning technology, will give pupils the chance “to see sea creatures in their natural habitat or to visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens” without leaving school.

Factreton Primary is one of three schools that will receive technology-enabled pop-up classrooms, each including 30 wi-fi-enabled devices, an interactive whiteboard, a computer for the teacher, a projector, desks and chairs. The classrooms are valued at R400 000 each.

Education MEC Debbie Schäfer, who visited the school yesterday to hand over the classroom, said the classrooms, which take about a day to assemble, had been donated to the Department of Education by international e-learning systems supplier JP-IK.

Principal Paul McAvoy said the school previously had a computer lab but the technology had become outdated. “This new classroom will help our learners to become more globally aware and will help to prepare them for the future.

“We can’t take them to another country but through the technology we can bring another country into the classroom. We can give them a chance to see sea creatures in their natural habitat or to visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

“They may not otherwise have these opportunities.”

Schäfer said the department’s Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute and the metro east education district would use the classrooms provided to Melton and Rouxville primary schools for teacher training.

She said the provincial government was “investing heavily in e-learning as a game-changer that will improve access to quality education in all communities”. Some R3.8 billion would be invested over the next 10 years to bring high-speed broadband to residents, especially schools.

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