She Can Code starts soon

Coding is an essential skills for everyone but Mpumalanga ICT CLUB will soon be starting a coding club called She Can Code targeting girls between the ages of 10-18.

We intend to stimulate young girls interest in IT and to get first basic IT skills.  These girls will learn and acquire 21st century skills such as creativity, problem solving,  systematic thinking and collaboration. 

We encourage parents to think about their girls future and register them. This course  is free of charge but the club will welcome any donation to make sure that girls get some refreshments during the course.

For more information contact
nomusakenindan@gmail.com

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Our digital journey begins today

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Our digital journey begins today

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Gafesummit Spreading Smile In Every Classroom.

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Gafesummit Spreading Smile In Every Classroom.

Our digital journey begins today

"Our digital journey starts today" said Ms. Shirley from Sibukusethu Primary School before clicking the  shutdown tab to turn off her computer.  She was amongst the eight teachers who attended the Microsoft Educator Networking Session on the 3rd October 2016 at Anglo ICT Resource Centre commonly known as Landau.

In fact, these teachers joined the Mpumalanga ICT Club to start their journey of disrupting their classes with technology. They chose a not very difficult path, a Microsoft Microsoft Educator Community platform is an easy as ABC path. "If you are ready I am also ready to host you everyday here" remarked Jabulani Mashia - Microsoft Education Trainer at the Centre. "Together with Sisi Nomusa,  we will be hosting sessions in the afternoons, weekends and during school holidays. The ball is in your court and you must spread the good news" related Jabulani.

The Microsoft Educator Networking Sessions are organised for teachers to share their best digital practice in their classrooms using Microsoft products online and offline. It is an opportunity to learn from other teachers online and face to face.

We took them step by step into the signing up process with the Microsoft Educator Community, they created their Microsoft account, sign up and immediately updated their profiles. For the first time they came across an online training. We took them through the organised courses for teachers and landed in The Teaching With Technology Basics.
"We should be doing this planning before delivering a lesson in the classroom" said Khosi.  Shirley agreed with excitement when she was reading a lesson plan of a language teacher, who use a poem with pictures and a video clip of a storm  to teach a language lesson.

These teachers also became members of the Vodacom Digital Classroom. It was an exciting moment when they navigated through the portal to see all the resources in these two portals. We couldn't waste time, we couldn't spoi the moment of becoming one family in a What's app group chat. The good news spread by as the teachers came from widespread schools in the district. Some from Steve Tshwete Municipality and eMakhazeni.

Gafesummit Spreading Smile In Every Classroom.

Mpumalanga Team attended the GAFESUMMIT 2016

A teacher smile is very important in every classroom.  I know that now. I attended the recent Google Apps for Education - Gafesummit at  Dainfern College on the 02-03 September 2016. I felt energized, excited to spread a full smile back to my home town in every teachers' face.

I listened to every positive speakers that shared a platform with me, in the auditorium, in different sessions, between sessions.
Yes they "disrupted" my knowledge system with all the innovations they brought in the gafesummit. My first session was on coding with Googlecs-first.com, Gmath was fantastic work for Maths Teachers added together with TextHelp. Great for teachers that I will soon be hosting the TextHelp presentation soon at my Centre. All was disrupted by lunch hour where I met Mariam Asiedo from Ghana, I was further disrupted in my journey to technology for two days.

 

Mariam Asiedo and me during lunch hour at gafesummit 

Demo Slam - disrupt, transform and develop teachers digitally! Fantastic Experience!!! 

Aha! I landed in a disrupted classroom call Google Classroom by Anthony Egbers from Dainfern College. He is my Google Education Group real friend. We usually meet in the GEG South Africa GEG South Africa+ Page, sharing amazing Google tools for education and now he is taking us in to a real journey of Google Classroom. "Isn't that great to spread a real smile face to face?" I was disrupted and developed at the same time. To be precise, we all belong to this classroom, no hassle, no risk, no mess just be in a disruptive and transformed classroom and feel the energy to spread the smile. 

Mpumalanga ICT Club goes on air

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB goes on air

https://youtu.be/v7jNv-riMD0

#papersmustfall agree!

We all agree that at some point #papersmustfall. Just take a look at your desk and the desks of your colleagues. Its stressful, unhealthy and really eats your energy. Pushing papers in your desks is not an evidence that you are working hard.

What stops us to learn bit by bit to shred the papers we come across on our desks into online. There are thousands of online tools that can help you join the paperless society. I have tried to replace my handbook diary into google calendar, ONENOTE tool to take notes in meetings, workshops and any forum I attend.

Bit by bit I find new skills to deal with my situation. I no longer own a file. I send all my reports and evidence by sharing a link with my supervisor through my Drive on Google Drive. All my pictures are on Google Photos. If  you really want this paperless environment join the club and become effective in everything you can.
"smart", I just learnt to use a

Moruti Makuse Teachers on basic computer training workshop

Mpumalanga ICT Club goes ON AIR

https://youtu.be/v7jNv-riMD0SABC NETWORK NEWS - 10 JULY 2016

We work, thrive and love our work. Since Mpumalanga ICT Club was established in eMalahleni, it has reached and touched many lives in the education space from teachers, youth in and out of school and parents of learners in various communities in  eMalahleni.

Teachers and community members who attended the Google Picnic 

Recently we had a media coverage from the SABC Network News on the 10 July 2016. We were humbled by the responses we got from our families, friends and our networks. We felt encouraged to go forward in changing the lives of our communities.

The club hosts three initiatives, Google Education Groups, Microsoft Educator Networking Sessions and Intel She will connect initiative. We have partnered with SchoolnetSA and Maloma Primary School. If you are in Mpumalanga Join the club by sending me your need as a school, teachers, youth, learner.nomusakenindan@gmail.com

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB Founder
Nomusa Keninda

Izarda and Omashani

Web and App 2enable teachers teach easy

I love both 2Enable Web and App. What stand out to me is that you can teach learners offline using 2Enable app.

First thing first, What is 2Enable?  You probably got lost in this conversation. It is a free digital curriculum, a management system that allow teachers to teach and learners to learn at ease and free.

This platform gives a Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (Caps) aligned weekly lessons for teachers to follow.  Learners take live assessment and do revision on the work they didn't understand. 

These teachers will soon use 2Enable

2Enable houses all subjects offered in South Africa to all schools if they decide to register and become a hub to offer it. At the moment Mpumalanga Department of Education has identified nine schools to implement 2Enable.

Deon Van Vuuren and me during the 2Enable App

All my devices have a 2Enable app and I can log in on the web to access my classroom as a mentor and organisation administrator to a school of my choice which uses 2Enable. 

Do you have devices in your school? laptops, tablets, smartphone why not download the app or surf the web to get 2Enable or call me for a short presentation. 

Take Gogo Simelane's advice

In the middle of draught and cold winter days Gogo Simelane's community activism stands out at this school. She competes with everything that stand on her way to provide healthy diet to Sbukosethu Primary School's children in eMalahleni.

You don't need a certificate or an advanced diploma to tackle important issues that matter to your community, take Gogo's advice.  "I saw it as an opportunity to contribute positively to my communty" said Gogo Simelane passionately. I started with a small portion here and now the garden extends everyday.

The government feeds millions of children in both primary and secondary schools through a National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). Gogo Simelane ensures that no kid goes  to school without food. She has voluntarly partnered with the government.

She appreciates every drop of water just to make sure her vegetables grow to the fullest for the children's food. She is a true community builder and a patriotic citizen that our country is looking forward to have.

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Microsoft Educator Community Networking Session rocked teachers

Mpumalanga ICT CLUB: Microsoft Educator Community Networking Session rocked teachers

Microsoft Educator Community Networking Session rocked teachers

"technology won't replace teachers but teachers with technological savvy skills will replace traditional teachers" was a quote shared with 160 teachers who attended the Microsoft Educator Community Networking Session held on the 22-23 March 2016 at Anglo American ICT Centre, Landau in eMalahleni.

The session was organised by teachers for teachers to share new trends in education using Information Communication &Technology(ICT) in the classroom.  Microsoft Education presentation was shared with teachers by Ms Nomusa Keninda-eLearning Specialist for Mpumalanga Department of Education. The presentation highlighted the ICT skills levels of teachers as described by Microsoft Education, UNESCO and the White Paper 7 on e-education. Teachers were introduced to Microsoft Office Mix, Office365, OneNote, Skype in the classroom, Sway and other tools for education.

The presence of Schoolnet South Africa made it possible for teachers who were ready to take the Mrs Megan Randemeyer, she swiftly took teachers on a step by step guide to the Microsoft Educator community site. After the completion of the course, teachers will earn a Microsoft badge and 15 points from SACE as part of their professional development.

Online Teaching with Technology Course and they did so right away. Thanks to

Another Networking Session has been planned in April and teachers are encouraged to attend these types of sessions to participate vigorously in shaping their teaching skills in the ICT environment.

Congratulations Class of 2015 in advanced.

Like in New Year's Eve, the Class of 2015 is starting to count down. The reality is at the door steps. My son Sbonelo Makhotha is among the young people who will receive "Matric" results on Tuesday 06th January 2016.

Close to 800,000 learners wrote the 2015 Grade 12 Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement ( CAPS) Examination. Although most  Learners will get their results from their schools in the morning of the sixth it will be too late. The results will also be published in the print media-Daily Newspapers.

Other learners with an access of internet will use their devices to log on some websites like the Department of Basic Education to download their results.

Eyewitness News on matric.ewn.co.za powered by Vodacom. SABC Education offers an SMS and USSD service
which is available to learners from 9 December 2015 until 31 January 2016. Learners send their ID number and exam number to SMS number 35658 or dial *120*35658#. SMSs cost R3 and USSD
rates apply. The Matric results will be available from 6 January.

Lot of drama ranges from excitement to the worse disappointment will also take place immediately after the results are out. The Department of Social Service has provided the helpline for both parents and learner.

In advance,  the Mpumalanga ICT Club says "congratulations class of 2015."