Maggie Verster

Hi Nellie, Gladys & All,

My name is Maggie Verster and I am currently doing my masters on an online communities of practice for maths literacy teachers. The situation in South Africa is pretty dire. I feel if though the "digial divide" (I hate hat phrase) is getting bigger and bigger over here. The Government has been instituting various projects to encourage the incorporation of Ict in the classrooms, but most schools still do not have computers (Some do not have running water or electricity even). Projects go as far as giving teachers crash courses on how to use computers - you might as well pour water in the desert.

The reason why I am so particularly disenchanted today is that I have recently had a phone call from one of the teachers that attended one of my workshops (desert water pouring sessions) asking me to help him with his exam equivalent that he is doing for an accredited University course. I told him to fax me the paper (He told me that he did not have computer access)...then I can talk him through it (Hints discussion, brainstorm, motivate). When I received the fax it had a big circle around the question involving ICT integration, saying...."do this for me" I could not believe my eyes. He phoned back 10 minutes later to give me his school fax where i can "fax the answer to". I very gently (even though I was steaming) asked him if he would be okay with it if one of his learners got someone else to do their assignments for them....he then got very abusive and told me that i am advantaged and that he has no access so how must he do this. I told him I would find him a centre with access and organise for him to go and work there. After a few phone calls I happily found a computer centre about 3 blocks away from his school and organised with the computer manager to assist him with technical hassles that he may have. Needless to say, he never pitched there.....

So yes, teacher resistance is a biggie. The problem is, if we want our disadvantaged learners to get somewhere in their future world where computers and technology will be (are?) a given, then surely WE HAVE TO "get with the programme"???

This ICT activist is totally disheartened

Maggie

Hi David,

Firstly, my group is completely voluntary although the thought has crossed my mind to appraoch the Department of education to attach some "credit" to belonging to the group....that way we can get some teachers that really need to be there into the group and maybe they will then find some value..

I agree with you wholeheartedly that the perception of "value" is very important. When I meet up with some of the serious lurking teachers at f2f meetings they always tell me how much they appreciate all the resources and discussions (done by mostly the faithful few at the moment). So that gives me hope that we are on the right track.

As I am at the beginning of this journey, i realise that I must not throw all the new tools that I am so excited about at them all at once and concentrate on community building using that what they feel are of value. So, is there any quick way (I love instant gratification ;)) that I can determine what they find most valuable and focus on that for a while...?

Oh yes and David, I would love my teachers to team up with your group... I am sure there will be some that would find it veeery exciting.

Maggie

Hi Carla & Bee,

It is so good to hear that I am not alone!!!!

I think you two captured exactly the essense of my struggle. It would be great if I cold "join up" with you and your friend, Carla, and share experiences. I would imagine that teaching in Brazil has a lot in common with South Africa. Since I have joined a few online communities at the beginnning of last year I have always felt that it is "another world" and that we in SA are sooo far behind. We need to LEARN, here, how to share our experiences and knowledge, freely, like everybody is doing in this group.

Beware the lawnmover!!!

Maggie

Hi Nick,

Some of my teachers have met at f2f workshops and departmental interventions, but most of them are scattered accross the country and are bound by the desperate situation of having to teach a brand new subject with limited resources and experience to teach it. I started the group in June last year, ran (with) it with about 20 teachers till this year, when it took off - partly because things are very desperate and partly because I have had f2f training workshops to get them over their online fear. So now we are on 85 members and growing, but only about 15 of them are actively participating as in contributing resources. I want reflection. Some of these resources are scary from a pedagogical point of view - so we need to TALK about them. Then I am scared if we talk about them the teachers may stop contributing - am I paranoid or what?

Thanx for your feedback- polls might defintely be less threatening. I am also having a virtual tea party on saterday to discuss an exam paper. (a good one)

maggie

Hi Derek.

Not so easy to do. I have been trying to get my teachers to blog a part of their reflection on their maths literacy teaching, so that they can read all the "hassles" experienced by the other teachers and not feel so lonely....and learn from good practice...and bad.....but, alas, have not got them there yet.

So what do I do? Maybe they find it intimidating - internet is very new to them....Help

Maggie