The Power of AI Integration in Content Development

 The Power of AI Integration in Content Development

Dr Motene and Mr Lara  leading the workshop

The first quarter of 2026 is incomparable. Others were known to be involved in the year-end administrative dust. This year's first quarter was unique for almost 300 teachers in the 8 pilot smart schools of the Ubuhlebuzile eLearning Project in Mpumalanga province, as well as our provincial and district subject advisors. It was more than just getting through the last financial year; it was a wonderful example of digital transformation. Thanks to Dr Motene and Mr Lara of the Department of Basic Education for making this transition possible. 

The two expert trainers, together with my eLearning colleagues, refused to let technical glitches or tight schedules dampen the mission to empower teachers. We wanted to turn the series of these workshops into a landmark moment for South African education and for teachers in particular.

Managing this series of workshops with over 300 teachers and subject advisors is no small feat. Mr Lara and Dr Motene knew that a "one-size-fits-all" would not be effective. Instead, they designed a high-energy, hands-on environment where theory and practice seamlessly integrate. 

The core of the training focused on DBECloud Content Development and Artificial Intellingence on the Moodle LMS. I watched with envy when Lara transformed what I perceived as a rigid learning management system into a vibrant, interactive Moodle classroom. By introducing the H5P tools in Moodle, Lara showed us how to create interactive videos and branching scenarios that will leave learners captivated in our classrooms. The "aha" moment occurred when he demonstrated how to connect AI with LMS. I followed him as he showcased the use of ChatGPT, Gemini and the popular NotebookLM to generate structured lesson plans and quiz banks that could be imported directly into Moodle with a few clicks and a few seconds.

While the technical excitement piqued our interest, Motene stepped in to provide the essential ethical use of AI in education. His presentation on the Ethical Use of AI was the workshop's grounding force. I listened to him, as he challenged all of us to think beyond "cheating" and focus on "empowerment." The discussion on data privacy, the importance of human touch in assessment and of ensuring that AI serves to narrow the digital divide rather than widening it were thought-provoking insights in the room.

Jerry Masilela assisting teachers

Despite the challenges encountered during the workshops, including moments of disappointment, load-reduction interruptions, connectivity drops due to hard rain, and the "tech-phobia" of those overwhelmed by the new digital tools, the sessions proceeded smoothly. I admired and respected how the two experts navigated the bad days with the same grace they handled the good ones. When others felt lost, my colleagues and I were there to encourage them to regain their confidence and continue their progress.

Honestly, collaborating with Dr Motene and Mr Lara in this series of training workshops was a lesson in resilience and a genuine spirit of collaboration. They didn't just teach the tools; they also modelled the mindset required to thrive in a digital world. Teachers, too, didn't just leave with certificates, but they are now digital architects of their classrooms. 

As for my colleagues and me in eLearning in Mpumalanga, the baton is in our hands, and dropping it IS NOT A CHOICE.

 Written and published by Nomusa Keninda 

Girls are somewhere in the future #DigiGirlz

"I'm somewhere in the future, and I look better than I look right now." Thandiwe Mbila  from Mkhephuli Secondary School came up with this phrase, and now it has become part of our workshops to motivate learners to picture their future, especially their workplace. It is a gem rap followed by a snapping of fingers and footsteps. I really loved it, especially yesterday with the girls in a DigiGirlz workshop at Morelig Secondary School.

The girls were joined by Sheena Satikge-Sibisi  virtually to share some of her experience during her career journeys. As a young star inspired by how townships were designed in South Africa it motivated her to study town planning.

She shared how she navigated high school troubles using confidence and a positive attitude to show up where no one could imagine. She delivered a powerful lesson to these young stars.

The DigiGirlz workshop is one of the intensive sessions where girls are taught various 21st-century skills, including career guides to STEM. We had a design thinking session where they had to identify problems in various newspaper articles, develop problem statements, brainstorm and design prototype solutions. After this exercise, the girls presented their work to the group for positive criticism and improvement.

Another session involved a coding and robotics lesson where girls were introduced to various platforms to learn coding skills. This time, we used one of the Raspberry Pi Foundation  Scratch projects for beginners, and the girls were excited to get this opportunity to learn the skill.

I take this opportunity to thank Ms. Malevu of Morelig school who was on leave yesterday but made this event happened at her school. My colleagues Duduzile, Glenda and Sheena Satikge-Sibisi for supporting the workshop. I appreciate the support from the Nkangala TVET College  for sponsoring some goodies for the girls.