- As an
educator involved in the implementation of
OBE in the Umtata area, I was amazed at the
way that ILAMM links with Outcomes Based
Education (OBE). Teachers in this area are
being trained in OBE and many of them are
frustrated with the language and the design
of Curriculum 2005. They find the
methodology too complicated. The Department
is doing its best though to simplify the
design and the language used in OBE.
What I found exciting was that to me ILAMM
is nothing else but a simplified OBE. ILAMM
applies that OBE approach in a simplified
language and design. If ILAMM can be
introduced to the schools in this area to
train teachers in IT, it can act both as
enrichment as well as a simplification of
OBE. The approach used in ILAMM integrates
smoothly with other learning areas in the
school curricula.
ILAMM promotes the same principles as OBE
because it is goal-oriented, project-based,
outcomes-based and operates in a
non-competitive learning environment. ILAMM
can help a lot in the OBE training of the
teachers in the Umtata area.
-
Knowledge Network as a company
Besides
interacting with my facilitators during my
training sessions, I also had time to meet
the other members of staff during my tea and
lunch breaks. I noticed that Knowledge
Network as a company has an organisational
culture that is conducive to good working
relations. I noticed how the staff related
to each other and to me as a client. I felt
at home and I was impressed with their
working conditions.
I had a chat with most of them and they were
very friendly. Even the lady who is making
the tea had a lot to tell me about the
activities of the company and how she is
also developed to do other jobs like
photocopying and book binding. The Managing
Director is a very pleasant lady. I learned
from the chat that we had what the company
is doing to improve the IT education in
South Africa especially in the schools. I
enjoyed the healthy teas and the lunches
that were prepared for me by Knowledge
Network.
-
Feedback about the
concept of ILAMM
The main issue here is the methodology of
teaching IT. ILAMM focuses on how the
learners learn, the way they learn, what
they learn and the environment in which they
learn. This methodology is then used to
implement the learning of IT which is the
main purpose of the course. ILAMM creates an
environment where learners are not passive
recipients but are actively involved in the
learning process. The teacher acts as a
mentor or facilitator. The advantage of this
methodology is that learners are motivated,
inspired, guided, directed and focused.
IT skills are developed and in the process,
creativity, lateral thinking, logic,
problem-solving ability, and integration or
cross-pollination with other learning areas
form part of the learning process. Each
learner is allowed to develop at his / her
own pace, managing his time to achieve the
required outcome.
-
Feedback on the
course
The course itself, as mentioned earlier, is
very enriching. It runs smoothly and is not
boring at all. Rote learning is not
encouraged at all. One learns such that it
is easy to remember what was learnt. The
lessons are flexible. They can be applied at
any level of learning as long as the
educator uses a suitable brief for that
particular level. The facilitator is
encouraged to be creative and to encourage
the learners as well. The methodology is
easy to follow and the session delivery is
fun for both learners and educators.
The facilitators were very patient and clear
in their delivery. I liked their openness
and honesty. You know your position without
feeling embarrassed. They acknowledged it
when I was doing well and encouraged me to
improve where necessary.
I wish
Knowledge Network would do its best to open
offices in our disadvantaged area so that our
communities can take advantage of and be exposed
to such IT programmes like graphics, web site
building, and professional development workshops
for educators.
I would also
like to thank the Managing Director of Knowledge
Network, Jil, my facilitators, Janet and Ann,
and all the staff for everything that they did
for me.
Last but not
least I thank the PUM Women's Community Project
for affording me this wonderful opportunity.
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