Project: Walter Sisulu University
Amount Required: $65 000.00
Walter Sisulu University Fund
Help Lightbulb Education bring e-learning to Walter Sisulu University
Help bring e-learning and integrated learning to Walter Sisulu University Walter Sisulu University’s Department of Mathematics, Natural & Consumer Sciences have approached Lightbulb Education to assist them in bringing e-learning to their class rooms. And we cannot do this alone, we need your help! Walter Sisulu University (WSU) is a rural university in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The majority of its students are from the eastern part of the Eastern Cape, specifically the OR Tambo region, which has been recognised as one of the most poverty-stricken regions in South Africa. WSU has 207 student teachers in their first year of study who have no exposure to ICT integrated learning. WSU cannot afford to provide such a space for due to financial constraints. Our Lightbulb platform provides us with the ability to provide teaching and tutoring services rich with content using innovative methodologies in line with 21st century learning. Our solutions and services allow us to reach and teach any student regardless of geographic location. The Lightbulb technology used focuses on using software-in-hand with modern communication to bring about optimized training solutions for day-to-day sessions and lessons. Basically, Lightbulb Education brings the digital space into the classroom and beyond. Our offering is designed to increase productivity and efficiency and efficiency by integrating technology into daily institutional operations. Bringing Lightbulb Education to the WSU will be bring e-learning and integrated learning into the lecture rooms of the student teachers and the future teachers of the Eastern Cape. Donate now and make … Continue reading
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
The background of the request for the sponsorship on funding for innovative ideas to teach Mathematics and Sciences
Walter Sisulu University is a rural university situated in the old Transkei region of Eastern Cape. Majority of its students are from the eastern part of the Eastern Cape. It has been noted that the students cannot afford the resources they need to better their learning and to enhance their career as teachers of Eastern Cape.
In 2016, 207 students are enrolled in the first year of the study in Mathematics Education and they have no exposure to any ICT integrated learning in their lives and the university at the moment cannot afford to provide for such initiative due to its financial constraints.
The facilities for conducive learning is minimal at the university due to its own financial constraints. Over-crowded lecture hall is one of the issues that the lecturers face on a daily basis for classes like Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Educational Sciences.
Tutorials for the Students
The extra tutorials for the 207 students in the first year class is managed by tutors in the afternoons. These tutors attend the classes while the lecturer takes the classes and thereafter 6-8 hours of tutoring is done in a week.
Studying After-hours
Most of the students prefer to study in groups and lack of resources when they study in their residences is one of the issues that really puts the students at the university to achieve what they could achieve and this in turn affects the matric mathematics in the Eastern Cape.
The following photographs show an idea of their daily life. The only available resource is in the form of the books that the students borrow from the library and the printed material made available by the lecturers.
SUCCESS STORIES
Irrespective of the difficulties, the following group of students scored 100% in the second term test!
As the recently released National Scarce Skills List indicates, South Africa is in desperate need of skills that rely on Mathematics and Science and we as a university is trying our best to see that students are registered for these courses as the demand is too high for these subjects.
Mathematics and science skills can be developed through innovative programs like Lightbulb Education as it could assist the students with their learning and teaching methods and in turn will improve the quality of matric passes in the Eastern Cape.
Prepared by
Dr JK Alex
01 June 2016
Dr JK Alex (Mathematics Lecturer)
(Cell No: +27 72 445 6364)
01 June 2016
(Ms) MN Dhlula-Moruri (HoD)
(Cell No: +27 60 980 0338)