ADOVH-DTSFL empowers educators with pertinent 4IR skills

In a remarkable celebration of Unisa's 150th anniversary, the Academic Development Open Virtual Hub (ADOVH) in the Department of Tuition Support and Facilitation of Learning (DTSFL), gave back to the community. It recently held the Basic Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Skills for Educators Workshop at Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus, aimed at equipping school teachers with foundational competencies to embrace 4IR in their classrooms.

Overwhelming participants' attendance at the Basic 4IR Skills for Educators Workshop

Prof Meahabo Magano

The workshop attracted an impressive turnout, with over 300 educators from the Gauteng, Limpopo, Free State, and North West provinces. Attendees included teachers from primary and high schools, principals, administrative and support staff, as well as representatives from the Department of Basic Education at both provincial and national levels.

Professor Meahabo Magano, the Acting Executive Director of DTSFL, welcomed the participants and highlighted the significance of understanding how technology is reshaping the education landscape. She stressed the importance of teachers acquiring digital skills necessary to engage learners who will be immersed in a technology-mediated higher education environment. To ensure the workshop aligned with industry trends, ADOVH partnered with tech giants Microsoft and RGB Gaming.

The workshop programme featured presentations by ADOVH on emerging and current technology trends in education, online teaching methodologies, designing inclusive online activities, assessing online learning, maintaining academic integrity, and a practical demonstration of ‘open technologies’ that facilitate a flipped classroom approach. Microsoft conducted a session on inclusive technologies such as the immersive reader, translation tools, and innovative artificial intelligent tools that assist both learners and teachers in mathematics. In collaboration with Microsoft, RGB Gaming led a hands-on session utilising Microsoft MakeCode, a free online learn-to-code platform.

Jaye Richards-Hill, the Director of Microsoft Education Industry for the Middle East and Africa, shared insights into the transformative technology changes occurring in the education industry. She praised Unisa for strategically leveraging this opportunity to enhance the digital competencies of school teachers. She further emphasised the need for collaboration between higher education and basic education to bridge the digital gaps among future university students. Scadco’s Group Sales and Business Development Manager, Vivian Ladner, shed light on the potential of gaming in education and its ability to cultivate essential 4IR skills among enthusiastic learners.

Attendees were captivated by the transformative potential of technology in their classroom facilitation. The feedback received was positive, with participants describing the training as excellent, powerful, fruitful, and interesting. To acknowledge their participation, all attendees were awarded a Microsoft Certificate of Attendance. Building upon the momentum and the network of teachers established, ADOVH, in collaboration with Microsoft, will organise a training session to focus on the basic skills in Microsoft 365 for educators.

ADOVH-DTSFL's commitment to empowering educators and embracing the 4IR revolution, is a remarkable milestone in Unisa's 150-year journey. By equipping teachers with cutting-edge skills, this initiative paves the way for a future where technology and education merge seamlessly, unlocking infinite possibilities for learners across South Africa.

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* Submitted by the Academic Development Open Virtual Hub