The MANCOSA School of Education’s iTEACHlab hosted a School Tour for the Strelitzia Secondary School on Friday, 29 April 2022. This tour was for the Grade 12 IT learners of the school.
The programme of the day began with a welcome by Mr. Vicent Mbonye in the auditorium for the 18 learners and 1 educator in attendance. Learners were then split into three groups to explore the Evolution Wall of Education which promotes experiential learning with Augmented Reality. The groups of learners then participated in the following activities in the various Hubs with Hub Leaders.
In the Makerspace Hub, learners were given a Lego challenge card along with a random Lego pack with which they had to create a Lego design. This was followed by a presentation of their innovative solutions to the group. This activity also aimed to develop personal attributes like self-esteem, resilience, confidence, and optimism.
In the Robotics and Coding Hub, learners explored the world of robotics by coding aspects of a robot and testing out their codes. They were engaged in discussions around technology like artificial intelligence that are transforming teaching and learning. The aim is to build creative and innovative thinkers who can solve problems with ease. This hub follows computational thinking (CT) processes, which are the highest order of problem-solving. It aims to address the skills shortage in the robotics and coding Curriculum.
In the Math’s Hub, learners were excited to explore the Virtual reality applications. They were also introduced to concepts such as gamification in math classes. The Hub aims to expose learners to 21st-century skills that conceptualise teaching methodologies through 4IR technology advances.
In the Culture Hub, learners were enlightened with discussions on the various cultures in South Africa and played traditional musical instruments. They were also exposed to how augmented reality can be integrated to understand various concepts in culture through the MANCOSA iTEACHlab app. The Culture Hub aims to recognise and celebrate cultural diversity. It seeks to empower learners to understand the beliefs, customs, religions, and languages of diverse cultures in South Africa.
In the Science Hub, learners participated in an exciting Marshmallow Challenge. This activity was an ideal introduction to several key aspects of innovation: idea generation, collaboration, creativity, and teamwork. It was a simple experiential activity where teams of learners were given the challenge to build the tallest freestanding structure that will support the weight of one marshmallow. The Science Hub aims to engage in exciting STEAM projects through discovery learning and inquiry-based dialogue.
After the activities, Ms. Nomusa Cindi shared a few words in closing for the day. Thereafter, the learners stayed on for a while to explore the lab as well as have lunch at MANCOSA’s Business Class Lounge.