Implementation
of the Knowledge Network IT Curriculum Year 1 at
Laerskool Summerwood Primary School
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Summerwood Primary
School has always wanted to provide an innovative
structure for the introduction of information
technology to primary school learners. This
structure had to meet the following criteria.
- It must expose
the primary school learner to a wide variety
of relevant IT skills
- It must equip
the learner with skills that can be applied to
school projects as well as everyday use
- It must change
every year to meet the requirements of the IT
industry
- It must be
enjoyed by the learners
- It must be
value for money
The implementation
of the Knowledge Network Curriculum is part of a 4
phase project at Summerwood Primary School.
Phase 1
To develop a long term plan for PC
infrastructure, and IT education, which will
include a structured IT curriculum and the use of
a specialist IT mentor to facilitate the
introduction of this plan.
Phase 2
To ensure that the policy of one child
per PC is maintained, to train additional teachers
as IT mentors, to communicate the continuation of
the IT curriculum with neighbouring high schools
and to provide additional clubs and adult courses.
Phase 3
To introduce and develop an affordable
Intranet and Internet structure and develop
internet networking skills of learners, teachers
and parents and provide an electronic support and
communication system between the school and the
school community.
Phase 4
To be a leader in the field of effective
information technology education which provides
the best value for money IT education in the
Eastern Cape.
- The Knowledge Network IT Curriculum has met
all Summerwood's criteria for IT education.
- The Knowledge Network IT Curriculum and
support has enabled our school to realize its
vision for IT education at a much greater
speed than had been anticipated before 1999.
- The Knowledge Network IT Curriculum has
created a secure and stable IT environment at
our school in which both mentors and learners
can develop relevant skills.
- The Knowledge Network group has contributed
to establishing Summerwood Primary as a
well-known establishment throughout South
Africa.
Comments by the IT mentor and learners
The IT Mentor: Our learners in both the Junior
and Senior Primary phases have done extremely
well.
Impressive
aspects include:
- The tremendous speed at which the learners
in Grade 1 and Grade 2 acquired new skills.
This proves that the curriculum suits the
needs of the younger child.
- The projects have been chosen with great
care and the learners love to work towards a
specific goal.
- Many of our learners repeat the projects at
home. This has helped a lot to inform parents
of the growth in skills. The fact that the
kids are willing to "work" at home,
shows that they are really enjoying what they
are doing during the sessions.
- Our learners don't want to miss any
sessions!
- The Knowledge Network Curriculum makes
maintaining discipline an easy task: the
activity and learner-centred approach helps to
develop concentration, listening and memory
skills.
- The project-oriented approach 'forces' the
learner to 'take control', to become actively
involved and to work to achieve. It is
absolutely fantastic to observe the activity
and productivity level during the sessions. It
makes me proud to be a Knowledge Network IT
Mentor.
- Before using the Knowledge Network
Curriculum I was so frustrated, because I
could keep the children busy for a year, and
after that I had a problem. Now mentoring is a
breeze, and I know that there is a long term
curriculum with a lot of exciting sessions to
follow!
What the
learners say about their learning experience
Dieter and Elana in Grade 3 say they live for
repeating the projects they do at school at home.
Favourite projects include: graphics -
completing the background for the fish, copying,
flipping and skewing the objects, and the picture
on autumn colours; DTP - creating a weather map
for Africa in PowerPoint.
Tinique and Xander in Grade 4 love changing
clipart and learning new things. Xander says that
the sessions are not too difficult, but ... not
too easy either - just RIGHT!
David, Candice, Yolanda and Lauren in Grade 5
say that attending Knowledge Network sessions is
great fun, and that they learn new skills every
week. They never get bored with what they do, and
are always busy.
Favourite projects include: word
processing - the typing skills exercise where they
had to make use of the thesaurus in a fun way to
choose synonyms; spreadsheets - working
with numbers and seeing how different scenarios
and formulas can have different results in the
exercise on Lakeside Log cabins.
Julie and Gavin in Grade 6 say that what they
do is "fun stuff". New skills are added
all the time. They know exactly what they have to
do, and are equipped with the skills to do it with
ease.
Favourite sessions include: graphics
- photo-editing,
DTP - the
multimedia presentation and the poster on the
medical conference.
James, Jonathan and Andre
in Grade 7 say that they did not know they would
learn so much in one year. Andre says that he
loved every session, because he could work towards
a specific goal, and that it feels great to know
that you have achieved because you can look at
your result.
They also believe that
they have learnt skills that can be applied in
Art, Mathematics, other school projects and at
home. James says that he has already used the
spreadsheet skills for his own small
business venture.
They say that the sessions make sense to them
because they see that they can use these skills in
everyday life.
Knowledge Network
Club
The Knowledge Network Club members say that
although the sessions are tougher than the class
sessions, they are still great fun. Candice says
that she loves it because the tougher the
sessions, the great the challenge!
All members love creating the website, but some
enjoyed creating the 3D animated objects a lot.
They feel that their parents are spending their
money well to allow them to attend Knowledge
Network Club. Tatenda in Grade 7 says that it is a
great pity that not more children are attending
Knowledge Network Club - because there is so much
to learn and enjoy.
3D Graphics and Animation Club Projects
completed during the Club
- Software used - Micrografx - Simply 3D
 |
 |
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|
Cone
moving through a torus
(Avi file 239KB) |
Fish
swimming behind a magnifying glass (Avi file
4MB) |
Rotating
shark display with reflections (Avi file 3.5MB) |
Contact at Summerwood Primary School
Summerwood
Primary School
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
2nd Avenue, Port Elizabeth 6001
P O Box 13502, Humewood, 6013
School
E-mail: summerwood@icon.co.za
E-mail
info@knowledgenetwork.co.za
Release
date 1999
