The biggest shift at schools in South Africa in 150 years: expert

[BusinessTech]

The biggest shift at schools in South Africa in 150 years: expert

The introduction of new tech-focused subjects such as coding and robotics at South Africa's schools is set to result in the biggest shift the education sector has seen in 150 years, says academic expert and chief executive of Roger Layton Associates, Dr Roger Layton.

 

[PaulMurkin]

Bit behind the times there Dr Layton.
We've already been having it. I am one of the teachers

 

[mojoman]

The biggest shift at schools in South Africa in 150 years: expert

The introduction of new tech-focused subjects such as coding and robotics at South Africa's schools is set to result in the biggest shift the education sector has seen in 150 years, says academic expert and chief executive of Roger Layton Associates, Dr Roger Layton.

Looking forward to seeing a '30%'er' wobot in action.....

 

[PaulMurkin]

Looking forward to seeing a '30%'er' wobot in action.....

They do it in private schools, so far, but yes, I suspect the equipment will be stolen before the actual curriculum starts.

Most schools use Lego WeDo or Sphero and both require an iPad/Android tablet

 

[Lupus]

the 4IR in South Africa will be run with wind up rubber bands, cause the electricity isn't stable.

 

[mojoman]

They do it in private schools, so far, but yes, I suspect the equipment will be stolen before the actual curriculum starts.

Most schools use Lego WeDo or Sphero and both require an iPad/Android tablet

Ja, a friend works for a private school and they have been doing robotics and coding for a couple of years already.

 

[PaulMurkin]

the 4IR in South Africa will be run with wind up rubber bands, cause the electricity isn't stable.

Do you know how disruptive this LS bullshyte is to schooling where tech is primarily used for education?
Trust me, you do not want to know.

Aside from the fact that I will be removing my son from the private school (because they'll rather charge me more extortive fees than actually install a damn generator so the poor kids can work), homeschooling is where it will be at for 2022 until we leave SA.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

They do it in private schools, so far, but yes, I suspect the equipment will be stolen before the actual curriculum starts.

Most schools use Lego WeDo or Sphero and both require an iPad/Android tablet

Public schools are also using Arduino kits. Cheaper than the other options.

I love Lego and they have better Lego initiatives in South Africa (Six Bricks). I don't feel Legos are worth it for Robotics at large as I sit with a broken Mindstorm brick that I cannot replace. My kids also prefer the Arduino kits to Mindstorm.

My son is going to public high school next year and looking forward to more advanced robotics.


BTW Lego donates millions of dollars in Lego each year to global charities including South Africa. They also donate Six Bricks for free and have an entire dedicated factory to this wonderful initiative. Teaching kids Lego is the first step in robotics and critical thinking.

 

[PaulMurkin]

Public schools are also using Arduino kits. Cheaper than the other options.

I love Lego and they have better Lego initiatives in South Africa (Six Bricks). I don't feel Legos are worth it for Robotics at large as I sit with a broken Mindstorm brick that I cannot replace. My kids also prefer the Arduino kits to Mindstorm.

My son is going to public high school next year and looking forward to more advanced robotics.


BTW Lego donates millions of dollars in Lego each year to global charities including South Africa. They also donate Six Bricks for free and have an entire dedicated factory to this wonderful initiative. Teaching kids Lego is the first step in robotics and critical thinking.

I tried to introduce Arduino at school and was met with resistance (principal is a b*tch)
My son has his own board he does stuff with. We have a store in my home office, with components, he is allowed to requisition LEDs, resistors, etc.. but at 11 he is competent with Arduino and sketches.

He is also competent in Swift, albeit at an elementary level i.e. no OOP and no functions with arguments kind of stuff.

Lego is k@k expensive, however the Lego WeDo brick uses an off-the-shelf BLE chip which I got the development kit for, by asking the TI rep nicely
So when I do get the time I am writing an emulation layer so that Lego software can work with anything we make

 

[PrimeSteak]

The biggest shift at schools in South Africa in 150 years: expert

The introduction of new tech-focused subjects such as coding and robotics at South Africa's schools is set to result in the biggest shift the education sector has seen in 150 years, says academic expert and chief executive of Roger Layton Associates, Dr Roger Layton.

My opinion on this:

To be able to learn how to code/program, you need to be able to read and write proficiently in English and be able to do basic Maths (BODMAS, exponents, modulo, etc.).
Now looking at previous posts here, the private schools have been doing it for a few years? That's cool and should work since I believe that most or all private school learners can read and write proficiently in English and are able to do basic Maths at least.

I can't say the same for public schools. The gov should focus on getting kids proficient in English and 1 - 2 other languages and lay a solid foundation when it comes to Maths, then focus on the more niche stuff like robotics and such in public schools. Coming from a public school background, introducing coding and robotics to kids who can't read/write in English and can't do basic Maths will be an absolute disaster.

 

[KarlFranz]

I don't think this is going to work. They don't even get the basics right for learners to succeed at these new subjects.

 

[mojoman]

I tried to introduce Arduino at school and was met with resistance (principal is a b*tch)
My son has his own board he does stuff with. We have a store in my home office, with components, he is allowed to requisition LEDs, resistors, etc.. but at 11 he is competent with Arduino and sketches.

He is also competent in Swift, albeit at an elementary level i.e. no OOP and no functions with arguments kind of stuff.

Lego is k@k expensive, however the Lego WeDo brick uses an off-the-shelf BLE chip which I got the development kit for, by asking the TI rep nicely
So when I do get the time I am writing an emulation layer so that Lego software can work with anything we make

Ive played with those Arduinos...Nice little set up..cheap and easy to work with.
For someone with no real programming experience (me!) it was relatively easy to get up and going.

 

[Geoff.D]

Teaching kids Lego is the first step in robotics and critical thinking.

Is ONE of the first steps ---- There are plenty of others that DO NOT require technology at all.

 

[PaulMurkin]

Ive played with those Arduinos...Nice little set up..cheap and easy to work with.
For someone with no real programming experience (me!) it was relatively easy to get up and going.

Arduino is entry level. I've seen some people who are stubborn and refuse to work their way up to more advanced coding, try and use that in commercial products, with predictable results.

 

[PaulMurkin]

Do you know how disruptive this LS bullshyte is to schooling where tech is primarily used for education?
Trust me, you do not want to know.

Aside from the fact that I will be removing my son from the private school (because they'll rather charge me more extortive fees than actually install a damn generator so the poor kids can work), homeschooling is where it will be at for 2022 until we leave SA.

Some asked me about this. I have an update.
The current (private) school he is at, well rather, I should say, past tense, as we removed him today for final, is being a bit of a bad sport. I am seeing them on Friday and if it goes as I suspect it will go, I will proudly name and shame them here. As it turns out, they were after our money (no surprise), and didn't give a flying fark about our son or his potential. This is in spite of the fact that Elon Musk features in this story because that's the kind of potential we're dealing with here, but they (the private school) did a fantastic job of crushing his spirit (times have changed, but school teachers are still the same vindictive, spiteful cnuts they were back in the 80s except now they can't wield a cane) and now we have them psychiatric visits lined up, fark knows where I will get the money, the school fees I would have paid I need for food, seeing that I am the sole breadwinner, if stuff goes pear shaped.

My wife is too busy running her own gig to homeschool, hence I will be the robotics and coding teacher, at his previous school, where he shall be returning to. I am seeing them again tomorrow to see what kinds of budgets we have to work with.

 

[noxibox]

They need to get the fundamentals right.

Also for teaching programming and such in South Africa they should be using the low budget options. I'd even just buy bags of components and have them solder up the microcontroller/microprocessor boards themselves.

Arduino does provide tools to simplify programming, but the hardware is standard silicon that can be programmed directly. So you can learn and use the hardware to whatever level you wish.

My opinion on this:

To be able to learn how to code/program, you need to be able to read and write proficiently in English and be able to do basic Maths (BODMAS, exponents, modulo, etc.).

If you use brackets you can pretty much eliminate any need to worry about any other precedence. Also there is a wide array of programming that doesn't require anything more than adding or subtracting. In fact instead of worrying so much about mathematics, since really only very early school mathematics is generally needed, they should spend time on thinking through problems and finding solutions. Especially solutions that make do with what you have rather than depending on fancy and expensive equipment. People who can do that are what poorer countries need.

 

[PrimeSteak]

Also there is a wide array of programming that doesn't require anything more than adding or subtracting. In fact instead of worrying so much about mathematics, since really only very early school mathematics is generally needed, they should spend time on thinking through problems and finding solutions. Especially solutions that make do with what you have rather than depending on fancy and expensive equipment.

Agreed

 

[Tman543]

Certain schools always offered CAT (MS office based), IT (They were programming JAVA last I heard)

I think it is a step in the right directions, although majority of the kids won't choose those subjects.

 

[Bigjay84]

Thought you would need reading, writing and 'rithmatic to be able to code.

 

[PrimeSteak]

Certain schools always offered CAT (MS office based), IT (They were programming JAVA last I heard)

I think it is a step in the right directions, although majority of the kids won't choose those subjects.

IT is using Delphi now. CAT is mostly basic computer use, Office, and a sliver of HTML (and no, not HTML5). Yeah, many just see "computers" when they see these subjects and think they can play games and browse Youtube during every period (which I was also guilty of, but I was one of the top performers in both subjects and I finished most stuff ahead of the other students). Those who are genuinely interested in the IT/Comp Sci field (like me) are in the minority in those classes.